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2014 Spring Daze Highlights the Locals

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Cary, NC — The 21st Annual Spring Daze Festival is coming to Bond Park this weekend on Saturday April 26, 2014 from 9am – 5pm. We’ve got the scoop on what to expect and how to get there.

Local Talent

I asked Festivals Director Rob Garner what’s new at Spring Daze this year and he said “We’re focusing on local talent.” The artwork on this year’s poster was created by  local artist,  Joe Godfrey, who also happens to work as a landscape architect in the Town’s parks planning department. One of the many entertainers at the festival will be none other than Captain Ken Quinlin of the police department, who heads up Project Phoenix.

Art From the Area

One of the things that makes Spring Daze a unique festival for Cary is that all of the 180 artists that will be on display come from Cary, Wake County and the surrounding area. One of the criteria for inclusion in the show, is that artists cannot live outside of North Carolina. That’s different from Lazy Daze where the juried art show draws talent from as many as 16 states and as far away as Texas.

 5 Entertainment Areas

Garner went on to mention that there are five locations for live entertainment. Three are stages for music plus a  live story telling area (great for kids to sit and rest a spell). Live drumming performances will take place on the permanent stage of Sertoma Amphitheatre within the park.

Look for roving performers too, including an aerialist and the return of the Silver Drummer Girl. The band of pirates known as the Motley Tones will be singing classic pirates ditties. They are featured on this year’s poster too.

At the Boathouse, the NC Mer-Folk are bringing a 500 gallon tank and will be swimming and interacting with the crowds. This is the first time they have worked with the Town at any festival.

See the full list of entertainment.

Family Friendly

As always, because Cary is all about families, there is an entire area devoted to kids.

Look for the Lazy Daze playground area and the Carolina Parent sponsored Children’s Village. Expect activities assisted by the Cary Teen Council, including crafts using recycled materials that your kids can make and take home.

Earth Day Tie-In

Spring Daze always falls on the last Saturday in April, which is very close to Earth Day. The last few years Sarah Justice, the Town’s Conservation Specialist, has coordinated efforts to bring Green thinking into the festival. There are Earth Day stations which highlight water conservation, composting and recycling info.

Wellness Challenge

April is FIT Cary month, and there is a Wellness Challenge  built into Spring Daze 2014.

Visit different stations throughout the park and learn about fitness and health . A “Passport” that can be stamped has been incorporated into the festival brochure. There are stamps for visiting the Earth Day stations too. There might even be prizes for visiting everything!

How to Get to Spring Daze 2014

Attendance at Spring Daze 2014 is expected to be between 15,000 and 20,000 people, and parking is not abundant inside the Bond Park.

Walk

Many attendees can walk or bike to Spring Daze through either the Black Creek or White Oak Greenways to the festival.

Take a Bus

The Town has also coordinated C Tran busses and YMCA buses to take attendees for free from the Town Hall parking deck  to and from the festival.

Drive

Limited parking is also available in the nearby St Michael’s Church parking lot or any of the shopping centers on Maynard and High House Roads or inside the park.

2014 Spring Daze Info

2014 Spring Daze
Saturday, April 26, 2014
9 AM – 5 PM

Bond Park
Cary, NC

Links:

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Story by Lindsey Chester. Photo by Brooke Meyer.