The Greenway Committee and Teen Council helped residents kick off 2020 on the right foot with Cary’s annual First Walk. On New Year’s Day, 90 participants explored the Hinshaw Greenway, starting at Marla Dorrel Park. Hinshaw Greenway crosses U.S. 1 and connects two parks, which allowed families with younger kids the opportunity to enjoy some playtime while others continued the full walk to Maynard Road and back.

The NC Chinese Lantern Festival continues to be a huge draw at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. In its fifth year, the festival set a new attendance record of 121,645 people. According to the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, approximately 56,000 of those visitors came from locations outside of Wake County with 14,598 staying overnight. The Bureau estimates the event generated a direct economic impact for Cary of more than $3.6 million. This figure represents new money coming into the local economy; it does not include locals’ spending, nor does it include a multiplier of indirect or induced impacts. The Chinese Lantern Festival will return to Booth Amphitheatre each year through at least 2024.

Cary submitted 23 bids for various NCAA championships for 2022 through 2026. Participation in this bid cycle is essential to bringing collegiate sporting events to Cary in future years and to maintain and grow the economic impact of Cary’s sports venues. Bids were submitted for keeping the Men’s and Women’s College Cups at WakeMed Soccer Park and the Division II Baseball Championships at USA Baseball National Training  Complex as well as for Division I Women’s Lacrosse, Division II Men’s and Women’s Basketball Festival, Division III Softball and Division III Field Hockey. The NCAA will announce site selections on October 23, 2020.

Cary hosted its first major esports event at Herbert C. Young Community Center from February 7 to 9. The event attracted 1,108 gamers and spectators from across the country. Participants competed on 200 gaming computer rigs provided by Lenovo. 

The doors opened on Saturday morning ushering nearly 400 players and fans to watch teams compete in Rocket League and Street Fighter. Day 1 concluded with UNC-Chapel Hill edging out Duke University in a League of Legends grudge match. On Sunday, staff and volunteers greeted 600 enthusiastic Nintendo Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Epic Games’ Fortnite supporters. Additionally, Triangle Esports Championship hosted the “Girls Got Game – The Panel,” a powerhouse of women in the technology and gaming field, championed by council member Lori Bush. The tournament wrapped up Sunday night with Team Stinky, made up of participants ages 13 and 14, taking home $2,700 in prize money for winning the Fortnite tournament. In total, $9,000 was awarded to winners and another $2,000 was split by local charities Kramden Institute and Triangle Literacy Council.

The popular Trolley Tour program has evolved and grown over the past two years. Originating as a fundraiser for the Friends of Page-Walker using trolleys rented from the City of Raleigh, this successful program is now managed by Page-Walker Arts & History Center staff with tour guide volunteers provided by the Friends of the Page-Walker organization. Ticket sales have been strong for the programs, especially the “Holiday Lights” tours, which sold out in minutes. In February, a special African American history tour was well received with all three tours selling out. Other trolley uses have included partnerships with The Cary Theater, Cary Art Loop, Good Hope Farm and a special downtown tour for the Cary Regional Library’s Hometown History Series, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. More trolley-themed programming is being planned to meet public demand.

With assistance from the NC Forest Service, NC State Parks and Cary Fire Department, staff at Hemlock Bluffs conducted a controlled burn of 2.5 acres along the Beech Tree Cove and Chestnut Oak Loop trails. This was part of the ongoing forest management plan at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. 

Cast, crew, volunteers and staff of The Velveteen Rabbit enjoyed a successful run from February 28 to March 1 with an audience of more than 800 people. The production was the culmination of six weeks of dedicated acting and design work for 21 actors, ages six to 12, and three teenage technical interns. Applause! programs provide a foundation for social emotional learning in a supportive place where students communicate, take chances, solve problems, share ideas and respect different points of view. Students practice managing emotions, working toward positive goals, showing empathy and building strong, positive relationships with each other and among production staff. (Photo courtesy of Mark Rainey.)

The covered courts at Cary Tennis Park saw a 15 percent increase in rentals from winter 2019 to winter 2020 thanks in part to recently-installed heaters and a Dewtect system, which works with the interior fans and heaters to ensure the courts remain playable year-round. With the heaters, patrons could comfortably play on the covered courts while the outside temperature was in the low 40s.

With the completion of the White Oak Creek Greenway Trailhead off Green Level Church Road near Roberts Road, users now have access to 22 parking spaces that facilitate a greenway connection to White Oak Creek Greenway and ultimately the American Tobacco Trail. Additionally, Gary Franks, a frequent user of Cary’s greenway system, approached Cary concerning gifting a memorial water fountain through the Town’s Legacy Gift Program. Working together with the donor, staff determined that the White Oak Creek Greenway Trailhead was a favorable location for the water fountain. Mr. Franks presented a check to cover the cost of the purchase and installation of the fountain. Working with the vendor, a plaque in memory of Rachel Vidrine was incorporated as a part of the fountain. Mr. Franks and friends of Ms. Vidrine held a small celebration to commemorate the gift and remember their friend.

Mark Johns, operations and programs supervisor at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, and Laura White, a former supervisor at Hemlock Bluffs, co-authored “Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve and the Stevens Nature Center,” a chapter in 30 Great North Carolina Science Adventures. This science guidebook features 30 sites across North Carolina that are perfect for exploration and hands-on learning about the earth and the environment. It is slated for release from UNC Press in April.