Every two years, Cary issues a citizen satisfaction survey to a group of randomly selected citizens to gauge its effectiveness in its mission and measure overall citizen confidence in town operations. Consultants working on behalf of the Town of Cary will contact citizens and ask questions on safety, service, communications, transportation, recreation, and the environment. Click here to learn more about past citizen summaries and complete reports.
Martin Lurther King Jr. Day Closures
Town Hall and most staffed facilities will be closed on Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. For the week of January 19, curbside collections will be delayed by one day, and the Citizen's Convenience Center will be closed on Monday. Cary 311 will be closed for calls on Monday, January 19. Read more about our operational changes and Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in our news release.
Community Garden Lottery Ends This Week
Would you like to grow food for your family and learn more about gardening? The Carpenter and McCrimmon Community Garden plots are rented for an eleven-month term at a price of $50 for either a Standard or ADA plot. McCrimmon Community Garden has smaller perimeter beds available for the eleven-month period at a cost of $25. Beds have convenient access to watering hoses, our garden shed is stocked with tools, and we provide renters with educational materials to support their success.
Dr. Martin L King Jr. Dreamfest Celebration Weekend
Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. January 16-19 at Dreamfest 2026 in Cary, NC! The theme is “The Beloved Community: Honoring Dignity and Uplifting Humanity". This inspiring weekend offers a vibrant mix of events, including an art exhibition, an Interfaith Service, a 5K Walk for Hope, and the Village Dining and Discussion community dinner with an interactive learning experience.
Registration opens January 14 for Cary residents through TeamSideline. Baseball leagues are open to players aged 5-18, and girls' softball leagues are open to players aged 9-18 (as of April 30, 2026). Visit Spring Youth Baseball Softball for more.
Loose Leaf Collection
The final round of loose leaf collection is underway. Place your leaves at the curb and out of the roadway by 7 a.m. up to one week ahead of each leaf collection period. For tips and to track your curbside collection, visit carync.gov/leaves and download our Cary Collects app for collection notifications. Want faster service — bag your leaves in brown paper bags or reusable containers and set them out for weekly yard waste pickup, or drop them off for free at the Citizen’s Convenience Center, 313 N. Dixon Avenue.
Events & Meetings
Tuesday
Environmental Advisory Board
Cary Town Hall, 6 p.m. Information is available on the calendar.
Wednesday
Senior Advisory Board
Cary Town Hall, noon Information is available on thecalendar.
Film: Dust Bunny (R)
The Cary Theater, 2 p.m.
Ten-year-old Aurora has a mysterious neighbor who kills real-life monsters. He’s a hit man for hire. So, when Aurora needs help killing the monster she believes ate her entire family, she procures his services. Suspecting that her parents may have fallen victim to assassins gunning for him, Aurora’s neighbor guiltily takes the job. Now, to protect her, he’ll need to battle an onslaught of assassins ― and accept that some monsters are real.
Spanning three decades, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends — writer Mary and lyricist and playwright Charley. Merrily We Roll Along features some of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal songs.
Cary Town Hall, 6 p.m. Information is available on the calendar.
Film: Donnie Darko (R)
The Cary Theater, 7 p.m.
Before "Stranger Things" combined science fiction, Spielberg-ian thrills, and 1980s nostalgia to much acclaim, Richard Kelly set the high-water mark with "Donnie Darko" - arguably the first cult classic of the new millennium. Described by its director as “The Catcher in the Rye" as told by Philip K. Dick, "Donnie Darko" stars Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Katharine Ross, and Noah Wyle. Hosted by Glen Haley. Screening of "Donnie Darko" follows the talk.
1916. As war rages on the Western Front, the Choral Society in Ramsden, Yorkshire, has lost most of its men to the army. They must engage a new chorus master, and despite their suspicions that he has something to hide, their best bet seems to be Dr. Henry Guthrie – driven, uncompromising, and recently returned from a career in Germany. The entire community discovers that the best response to the chaos ravaging their lives is to create music together.
Downtown Cary Park, 9 a.m. Join the Cary Farmers Market at its location on Park Street next to Downtown CaryPark! Each Saturday, you will find a wonderful lineup of vendors offering all locally-made and locally-grown items. Shop for freshly-harvested produce, handmade local food, and artisan-made goods. Stop by the info booth to learn about their matching program for SNAP/EBT. Children can also get their very own Farmers Market Passport and participate in the Eat-A-Rainbow program, which encourages children to eat healthy, nutritious foods. Learn more about their new location, nutrition programs, and other information on the market'swebsite,or visit theirFacebookandInstagrampages for weekly information.
Dreamfest Children’s Program
Page-Walker Art and History Center, 10 a.m.
Enjoy a morning of stories and crafts, as the youngest among us celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin L. King Jr. with storyteller Erim Akpan. Participants will create their own handheld signs to share their positive messages with the world. Please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the First United Methodist Church Food Drive. No registration needed, this is a free event.
Computer hacker Martin heads a group of specialists who test the security of various San Francisco companies. Martin is approached by two National Security Agency officers who ask him to steal a newly invented decoder. Martin and his team discover that the black box can crack any encryption code, posing a significant threat if it falls into the wrong hands. When Martin realizes the NSA men who approached him are rogue agents, they frame him for the murder of the device’s inventor.
Pre-show activities begin at 5 p.m., and doors open at 6 p.m.
Enjoy performances by talented artists, musicians, dancers, and speakers, as well as informational vendors and concessions at the Cary Arts Center. The Keynote speaker will be Rev. Jerome Gay of Vision Church, RDU, and Kweilyn Murphy of ABC 11 as Mistress of Ceremonies. The Sigma Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. will sponsor a charitable collection on behalf of the Period Project NC. Please support by donating feminine hygiene products to 101 Dry Ave, Cary, NC 27511. The event is Free and open to all!
A gentle humanist story set in the American West, this follows Dusty, a reserved, divorced father whose ranch has been destroyed in a devastating wildfire. Now living in a trailer community on a government-run campsite, Dusty finds solace with his new neighbors who have also lost everything, quietly reassembles his life, and starts reconnecting with his ex-wife Ruby and young daughter Callie-Rose.
Tormented by guilt following the death of his older brother, Buck, in a sailing accident, alienated teenager Conrad Jarrett attempts suicide. Conrad tries to deal with his mental anguish and also reconnect with his mother, Beth, who has grown cold and angry, and his emotionally wounded father, Calvin, with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Berger.
Share a meaningful meal with your neighbors while engaging in an interactive learning experience that celebrates community and shared values. Free with registration.
Multiple Shifts Available! If you love the outdoors, consider volunteering to help prepare our organic teaching farm for spring planting at Good Hope Farm or assist staff with mulching and other trail improvements throughout the nature preserve at Hemlock Bluffs. Register through Rosterfy.
Mt. Zion Church, 10 a.m. A community walk symbolizing unity and charity collection as we honor Dr. King's dream of equity and service. Non-perishable donations will be accepted to support Dorcas Food Pantry. Please register for this event.
