Town guide · Piedmont
Cary
A Wake County town that began as a railroad village, now a tech center with Koka Booth Amphitheatre, the Cary Arts Center and many festivals.
35.78° N · -78.82° W · Wake County
CRay Arts IndexGrade · see the report card ↓The town
About Cary
Cary’s first name was Bradford’s Ordinary, after an inn John Bradford opened in the 1750s. The North Carolina Railroad came through in 1854 and the town later became known as an educational center; in 1907 Cary High School became the state’s first state-funded public high school. Growth took off after Research Triangle Park was created nearby in 1959. SAS Institute is based here. The town’s public art collection has more than forty works, and the town runs performance spaces such as Koka Booth Amphitheatre, the Cary Arts Center, Sertoma Amphitheatre and The Cary Theater, a renovated movie house. The Page-Walker Arts and History Center holds the Cary History Museum. Cary Band Day has drawn marching bands since 1959. Events include a Diwali Celebration and the Greater Triangle Area Dragon Boat Festival. Source: Wikipedia
Events in Cary
On in town this week
Every art form on one list, each in its own color. Sample events — illustrative dates
All Cary eventsPlaces by art form
Where to go in Cary
Venues, companies, guilds and more, by art form.
Search everything in CaryMusic
All →- Abbey Road Tavern & Grill (Cary)Bar with Live Music
- Great Lawn PavilionOutdoor stage
- Cary Arts CenterArts center
- ChandelierEvents Venue
- The Cary TheaterListening Room
- Bond Brothers - EastsideLive music venue
- Koka Booth AmphitheatreLive music venue
- Sertoma AmphitheatreAmphitheatre
- Bond Brothers EastsideBrewery, Winery & Taproom
- Doherty's Irish Pub & Restaurant (Cary)Bar with Live Music
- Fortnight Brewing CompanyBrewery, Winery & Taproom
- Jordan Hall Arts CenterArts center
- Koka Booth AmphitheatreAmphitheatre
- Six String Cafe & Music HallListening Room
- The Matthews HousePrivate Event Estate
- Chatham StationEvents Venue
- Cary Arts CenterLive music venue
- Cary Apex Youth ChoirPerforming Group
- North Carolina Summer OperaPerforming Group
- Nepa Rhythms IncPerforming Group
- Oak City VoicesPerforming Group
- Youth Philharmonic Orchestra NcPerforming Group
- Saint Francis Brass BandPerforming Group
- Ghhs Chorus Booster ClubPerforming Group
- Old North State BrassPerforming Group
- Bow Time At School IncPerforming Group
- Encore Singers IncPerforming Group
- Triangle Wind EnsemblePerforming Group
- Concert Singers Of CaryPerforming Group
- Cary Apex Piano Teachers AssociationPerforming Group
- Cary Live Concert Series
- Cary Lazy Daze
- Cary Spring Daze
- Hum Sub Diwali Festival
- Charles Wolf Studio
- Notasium
- Notasium: Cary Music Lessons and Play Space
- Hunky DoryRecord store
- Guitar Center - CaryInstrument shop (new & used)
- Music Go Round - CaryInstrument shop (new & used)
- Hunky Dory Records - CaryRecord store
- WNCB 93.9 MHz (Cary)
- Abstract Logix
Theater & Performance
All →Dance
All →- Ruby Slippers Performing Arts AssociationPerforming Group
- Graceful Expressions Dance CompanyPerforming Group
- Championships Of BhangraPerforming Group
- Commercial Dance Intensive FoundationPerforming Group
- Dancing On Hope CorpPerforming Group
- International Ballet CompanyPerforming Group
- Cary Ballet CompanyPerforming Group
- Carolina Youth Ballet IncPerforming Group
- Millpond Dance Studio
- Cary Ballet Observatory
- CBC Dance Annex
- Cary Dance Productions
- Tutu School Cary
- Danceformation, Inc.
- Cary Ballet Conservatory
- Premier School of Dance
Visual Arts
All →Craft & Traditional Arts
All →Literary Arts
All →Film & Media
All →Museums & Heritage
All →- Nc Historical Records OnlineCultural Heritage Organization
- Historylisten IncOther
- National Veterans Freedom Park Foundation IncCultural Heritage Organization
- Piedmont Railroad Museum & Library IncMuseum
- Centenary Memorial AssociationCultural Heritage Organization
- Friends Of The Page Walker Hotel IncCultural Heritage Organization
Make it a weekend
More towns in Piedmont
Ray Arts Foundation · North Carolina
Report Card
Ray Arts Index · 2026
- Town
- Cary
- County
- Wake County
- Standing
- #14 of 60 graded towns
| Subject | Weight | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Local government supportExtra weightArts budget, arts office, grants, parks & rec arts | 18% | A |
| Arts educationExtra weightSchool district arts programs, arts schools and camps | 12% | A |
| Arts placesVenues, museums and galleries | 18% | F |
| ActivityArts events each month | 13.5% | D |
| FestivalsActive arts festivals | 13.5% | C |
| Arts organizationsArts nonprofits and their budgets | 13.5% | D |
| Creative economyArts businesses and working artists | 7% | B |
| HeritageLong-running arts institutions and history groups | 4.5% | Inc. |
Overall
C
HonorsNone yet
Marking scaleA 80+ · B 65+ · C 50+ (national typical) · D 35+ · F below 35 · Inc. not yet measured
Teacher’s remarks
The Ray Arts Index gives extra weight to local government support and arts education, because public investment in the arts, and in teaching it, is how creative communities grow.
For community leadersWhere Cary has the most room to grow, and the next steps that would raise its grade. Show the breakdownHide the breakdown
Where Cary has the most room to grow
- Arts places (grade F)
- Activity (grade D)
- Arts organizations (grade D)
Next steps
- Ask venues, museums and galleries to claim their listings and add seating capacity.
- Ask venues and arts groups to post their dates or an events feed, so activity is measured, not missed.
- Make sure local arts nonprofits file with an arts (NTEE “A”) code and the town’s address.
- Add founding years to long-running venues, festivals and arts groups.
- Request the full Cary advisory report from the Ray Arts Foundation.
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