- Most staffed facilities, including community centers and the Citizen's Convenience Center, will be closed on Thursday, June 19, to commemorate Juneteenth.
- Curbside collection for those serviced on Thursday will move one day to Friday, June 20. GoCary will offer regular weekday service on all fixed and door-to-door routes.
- Cary’s annual Juneteenth celebration includes in-person events at Downtown Cary Park on Saturday, June 21; details are available at downtowncarypark.com/juneteenth.
Cary, NC - Most staffed Town facilities, including community centers and the Citizen's Convenience Center, will be closed on Thursday, June 19, to commemorate Juneteenth. Curbside collection for those serviced on Thursday will move one day to Friday, June 20. GoCary will offer regular weekday service on all fixed and door-to-door routes.
Like other Cary parks, Downtown Cary Park will be open, as will Downtown Cary Park Guest Services, The Bark Bar, and Market 317. Bond Park Boathouse will be open for rental on Thursday, June 19, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Cary Action Sports will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. The Cary Tennis Park clubhouse will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and outdoor courts will be open from sunrise to 11 p.m.
Cary’s community centers, The Cary Theater, Cary Art Center, Cary Senior Center, Page-Walker Arts and History Center, and the Stevens Nature Center will be closed on Thursday, June 19, and will reopen on Friday, June 20. Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve will remain open.
About Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating enslaved African Americans' emancipation in the United States. It is the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, when, on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that the previously enslaved people were now free. This news came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s January 1863 signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, which proclaimed freedom from slavery. Although it has long been celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains unknown to most Americans. Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom and achievement, a day of liberation, resilience, and fortitude.
Cary hosted its inaugural Juneteenth Celebration in 2019, which started as an idea from a group of citizens and blossomed into a memorable weekend full of events. The adoption of Juneteenth as a paid holiday for employees demonstrates Cary’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the community we serve and where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work. It is also a day to bring attention to an essential part of U.S. history and the continuing work we all must do for social and racial justice and equity.
Juneteenth Activities
Cary’s annual Juneteenth celebration starts on Saturday, June 21, at Downtown Cary Park at 3 p.m. Historian Darrell Stover will curate the event. Experience Songs of Freedom through live reenactments, spoken words, and a saxophone summit. A day of unity, culture, and joy honoring resilience, liberation, and the spirit of freedom! For more information on the celebration, visit the Downtown Cary Park website.
Starting Thursday, June 19, and continuing through Saturday, June 21, the columns at the Cary Arts Center and Downtown Cary Park’s Light Passage skywalk and fountain will be illuminated in red, yellow, and green to honor the heritage and meaning of the day.
Primary Contacts
If you have specific questions about Town services, visit carync.gov/311, dial 311 anywhere in Cary, (919) 469-4000 outside Town limits, or email 311@carync.gov.
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