It’s mid-September, but it hasn’t slowed down all of the excitement happening in Downtown Cary! Check out what’s happening this week!
BEYOND: The Cary Film Festival
Thursday to Sunday, September 10 @ 7:00 pm – September 13 @ 5:00 pm – The Cary Theater
The Cary Film Festival is an annual short film and screenplay festival that takes place in the heart of the Triangle, Cary, North Carolina. Each fall, engaged audiences, local, new, and established filmmakers, industry professionals, and special guests from around the country come together to celebrate the art and craft of short filmmaking, participate in panel discussions and workshops, and experience a live reading of our winning screenplay.
Trivia Night
Thursday, September 10 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – The Bark Bar, Downtown Cary Park
Get ready to test your knowledge and unleash your competitive spirit at Trivia Night in Downtown Cary Park’s Bark Bar! Led by the witty hosts from Hammered Trivia, it’s an evening packed with brain-teasing questions, laughter, and prizes. Gather your friends, grab a drink, and let the games begin!
Cary Farmers Market
Saturday, September 12 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm – East Park Street
Join the Cary Farmers Market for the traditional market season along East Park St., next to Downtown Cary Park.
Find a wonderful lineup of vendors offering all locally made and locally grown items. Shop for freshly harvested produce, humanely raised meat, 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 the new location, nutrition programs, and other information on their website or their Facebook and Instagram pages for regularly updated weekly information.
The Cary Vintage Market
Saturday, September 12 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm – West End Biergarten
Daytime vintage markets are back in Cary, which means it’s time for some fall shopping!! Join us from 12-5pm on September 12th for a day of vintage shopping, craft beer and more! Vendors will be bringing out the sweaters, jackets, fall decor and more!!
- Women’s and men’s vintage clothing
- Vintage jewelry and accessories
- Vintage records and cassettes
- Vintage houseware and trinkets
- Permanent jewelry @permd_jewelry
- Craft beer, liquor drinks, wine from @southlinebrewing
- Craft coffee cart
- Mega stuffed cookies from @sprinkledwithlovecakery
- Food truck
- Live music @ianmcmahanmusic
- And more!
- BONUS: this event is both family-friendly and dog-friendly! We just kindly ask that all children are supervised at all times.
Carolina Circus Festival: The Greatest Show
Saturday, September 12 @ 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Downtown Cary Park
Step right into The Greatest Show at the Carolina Circus Festival on Saturday, September 12, 2026! This FREE, family-friendly festival celebrates the wonder of circus arts with a full day of breathtaking aerial performances, fire and LED entertainment, interactive circus workshops, local artisan vendors, delicious food trucks, and activities for all ages. Whether you’re watching gravity-defying acts or exploring everything the festival has to offer, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Hosted by the Carolina Circus Festival, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, this annual event brings our community together while raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention within the movement community.
Come experience an unforgettable day of inspiration, community, and world-class circus arts in the heart of Downtown Cary! Proudly sponsored by Downtown Cary Park, Cary Magazine, the Town of Cary, and Shady Grove Fertility Carolinas.
Full schedule & information can be found on the Carolina Circus Festival’s website.
Jazz’d Up Sundays: Niki Haris feat. the Christian Tamburr Band
Sunday, September 13 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Downtown Cary Park
Jazz up your Sundays in Downtown Cary Park with our robust jazz series, produced by Christian Tamburr. Free and open to the public, this series promises to be a melodic journey through the vibrant world of jazz, featuring talented musicians and unforgettable performances.
The Way You Make Me Feel reimagines the timeless songs of Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5 through the lens of contemporary jazz, soul, and R&B—blending rich improvisation with unmistakable melodies that span generations.
Featuring renowned vocalist Niki Haris, celebrated for her two decades as the powerhouse voice behind Madonna, this dynamic performance brings both star power and deep musicality to the stage. Under the musical direction and inventive arrangements of bandleader Christian Tamburr, the project transforms these legendary songs into modern jazz interpretations honoring their original spirit while opening new space for creativity, interplay and improvisation.
The ensemble delivers a vibrant, rhythmically charged experience that highlights Tamburr’s signature approach to groove, texture, and ensemble storytelling. From the infectious energy of Jackson 5 classics to the global anthems of Michael Jackson’s solo career, each piece is reimagined with nuance, spontaneity, and soul.
The Way You Make Me Feel is a bold, artistically driven exploration of a legendary songbook, celebrating the innovation, emotion, and enduring impact of a global icon.
Upcoming Lineup
We hope you get a chance to visit us this week! To learn about events happening in the downtown area, check out our events page.