One of Downtown Cary’s Parks’ major attractions is this massive cardinal-shaped climbing equipment. | Photo via Downtown Cary Park
Cary’s gone number one. The Nest, a central part of Downtown Cary Park and a signature park + play experience, was named the No. 1 Best Public Playground by USA Today. The publication highlighted various aspects of the park, including the 20-foot climbing cardinals, splash pad, and multiple play spaces created with various accommodations + ages in mind.
Since the park’s 2024 opening, it’s hit the ground running, only stopping to garner accolades, including:
2024 Voters’ Choice Award — Best Park, WRAL
2024 GOLD Award, National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)
Next time you visit, check out some of the other amenities like the Barkyard dog play space, The Bark Bar equipped with grab-and-go snacks + beer and wine, and the multi-use Academy Pavilion & Plaza. If you’re in the market for more, check out the calendar for upcoming events like the farmers market tomorrow, April 19 or the bonsai workshop on Wednesday, April 23.
Events
Events
Friday, April 18
Goodnights Presents: Hans Kim | Through Saturday, April 19 | Goodnights Comedy Club | Times vary | $30 | Watch this comic + regular guest on the “Kill Tony” podcast take the stage with fresh material.
Saturday, April 19
Clayton Cars & Coffee | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Keystone Automotive, Garner | Free | Mix and mingle with fellow auto enthusiasts at this monthly meetup.
Community Boxing Class | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Bond Brothers Beer Company, Cary | $13 | Engage in a full-body workout while learning the basics of boxing.
Karaoke Night at Raleigh Brewing | 7-10 p.m. | Raleigh Brewing Company | Price of purchase | Sing your heart out on or off-key at this neighborhood brewery.
Sunday, April 20
Bluegrass Open Jam | 4-7 p.m. | Bond Brothers Eastside, Cary | Free | The Eastside Ramblers will host this open jam — bring your banjo or sit and listen.
Gentle Yoga + Soundbath | 5-7 p.m. | Unity Wellness Center | $25+ | Get into a gentle yoga flow paired with a meditative soundbath.
Raleigh Ghost and Urban Legend Walk | 6 p.m. | Begins at Moore Square Visitor Center | $10 | This spooky tour shares some of Raleigh’s scariest true crime and ghost stories.
Roadtrip: 🎶 Amos Lee headlines Appalachian Summer 2025
Presented by Appalachian State University
From intimate concerts to stunning dance performances, this is your ticket to summer done right. | Photos provided by AppState with permission/credit to Vanity Fair (Pink Martini), Sully Sullivan (Ranky Tanky), and Meagan Shuptar (Heather Headley)
Summer in the mountains, plus live music? Yes, please.
The 41st annual Appalachian Summer music + arts series returns to Boone, NC this summer, bringing four weeks of show-stopping music, dance, theater, film, and visual arts to the lush WNC mountains.
Taking place on the beautiful Appalachian State University campus June 28–July 26, the event series will feature headliners like:
Amos Lee — known for his soulful voice and chill hits like “Windows Are Rolled Down”
Joan Osborne + Lisa Loeb — “You say... I only hear what I want to,” and we want to hear this iconic duo
The 9.5-acre property near the former South Hills Mall in Cary is for sale after plans for the $300 million Epic Games sports complex were indefinitely halted due to a failed bond vote. Grace Christian School, the current owner, plans to relocate to Apex, and developers have withdrawn from purchasing the site. (Triangle Business Journal)
Sports
The Canes will face the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, starting Sunday, April 20 at Lenovo Center. Check the schedule to keep up with the games and watch on FanDuel Sports Network or stream online. Tickets are still available.
Coming Soon
JP’s Pastry, a gluten-free bakery based in Johnston County, is opening its first Raleigh location near Wake Forest Road by mid-June. Known for its Hawaiian rolls, biscuits, and cinnamon rolls, the bakery aims to expand its retail presence while continuing production in Benson. (Triangle Business Journal)
Weather
Weekend highs are expected to be 80 and higher — it’s the perfect time to enjoy outdoor dining. Explore over 60 patio and rooftop options in Raleigh with our outdoor dining guide, making it easy to find the ideal spot to relax and soak up the warm weather.
Community
Over 100 high school students participated in the Special Olympics Spring Games at Green Level High School in Wake County on Wednesday, April 16, and the event featured competitions including track + softball throw. The school was recently recognized as a National Banner Unified Champion School for promoting inclusion among students. (CBS 17)
Seasonal
If you’re looking to add a unique sweet treat to your menu this weekend, we’ve got you covered. These Easter basket cupcakes are easier than you think to make, thanks to a very unique ingredient. Hop to it.*
Arts
Introduce your little ones to the world of theatre in a safe, interactive environment with “All Smiles” — Raleigh Little Theatre’s program designed to enchant kiddos aged 0-5 with creative play + storytelling. See the CBS My Carolina interview about the innovative performance.*
Announced
Congrats to Amanda S., winner of our Spring Getaway Giveaway in partnership with Visit New Bern. Psst: Our giveaway may be over, but New Bern’s spring activities are just getting started. See what’s in store this season.*
Make your business’s upcoming event or news the talk of the town. Through RALtoday’s self-service ad portal, you can purchase an ad in as little as five minutes. Bonus: We now offer bundles so you can get in front of more eyes for less.
Category
Open
🥟 We enjoyed ourselves and dim sum
The new location of Brewery Bhavana provides an intimate atmosphere. | Photos by RALtoday
Brewery Bhavana is opening its second location at Fenton in Cary today, April 18, and City Editors Danyale + Allie got to get a sneak preview.
Known for its specialty brews and dim sum menu, we enjoyed a few dishes, including the crab rangoons, filled with blue crab, cucumber salad, and the duck egg rolls. City Editor Danyale here. I’m a picky eater,so I was a bit skeptical about the duck-filled appetizer, but I was pleasantly surprised by the balance of flavors.
For our entree, we shared the General Tso’s chicken served with jasmine rice. Our kind server gave us a pro tip to dab a smidge of crunchy chili oil on each of our dishes to add a razzle dazzle to the flavor + texture — he was so right.
The new eatery is near Fenton’s entrance across from Club Pilates and don’t worry, the parking is plentiful. And as a parting gift, here’s the reservation link.
The Buy
The CrossOver Bra by Honeylove feels as good as it looks. It’s beautifully made + engineered for real life wear (read: sculpting support without digging in or discomfort).
City Editor Allie and I had such a great time at Brewery Bhavana. We’re looking forward to trying new places and sharing our experience with you — maybe we’ll try The Crunkleton next. It just opened in Smoky Hollow, and Raleigh Nights market is tomorrow night, featuring 30 local vendors.
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