Fest in the West, Western Cary’s Signature Event, Returns May 4

Cary, NC – Fest in the West returns to USA Baseball on Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 11 AM to 5 PM with a unique mix of contests, live music, local craft brews and Triangle artisans and food trucks. New this year are two additional performance areas: the Welcome Stage and The Children’s Stage.

Stiltwalker from Imagine Circus returns to the 2019 Fest in the West May 4, 2019

For the fourth year, CaryCitizen is producing Fest in the West and it’s the third year of our partnership with the Town of Cary.

“Many people drive past this beautiful town-owned baseball complex every day and have never been inside. Fest in the West gives the public a chance to check out the ball fields and enjoy this incredible park setting with their friends and family,” said Event Organizer Lindsey Chester.

Chester, along with Joy Pike, created the festival from an idea she had several years ago as a member of the Cary Cultural Arts Committee. That committee oversees cultural initiatives throughout the town and wanted to address the concerns from western Cary neighbors that felt they lacked parks and town support.

The event location –USA Baseball National Training Complex, 7445 Green Hope School Rd. – is in an area that is quickly filling with subdivisions, townhomes, apartments and shopping. This festival gives the area a day to come together as a community for fun and entertainment. One of the surprise benefits is that many residents can actually walk and bike to the festival from their homes.

What to Expect

Do you like art? The Village of Arts & Crafts will have thirty-five local arts & crafts vendors selling everything from upcycled hand-painted signs to hand-crafted soaps and lotions, children’s clothing,  prints, yard art and more.

Enjoy live music? The Main Stage, sponsored by Douglas Realty Group, Parkside Eye Care, WakeMed, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC and Triangle Family Dentistry includes three local bands: Mysti Mayhem, The Blenders and SouLe and the Superband.

For the adventurous foodie, the Food Truck Rodeo includes 10 food trucks and two carts selling cuisine from around the world, as well as American favorites like burgers and barbeque. The Beer Garden, sponsored by the Aster Apartments, has three Cary-based breweries and Durham’s own Naughty Penguin Cidery to enjoy while sitting under umbrellas for a respite from the sun.

If you are bringing children, be sure to drop by the Kid Zone, sponsored by Pepsi Bottling Ventures’ Nature’s Twist. Your child can bounce in the obstacle course bounce house, get their face painted and create a few free crafts. And don’t miss the Johnson Automotive sponsored Petting Zoo where you can pet a miniature pony, take a selfie with a llama and visit other farm animals. The Carolina Orthodontics and Children’s Dentistry Photo Booth will give you a chance for some fun social media photos to remember your day.

One of the biggest hits of Fest in the West, is the annual Pie Eating Contest. This year held at 2:45.

Compete in Contests

For the fourth year, Fest in the West will hold two contests to bring the community together in a spirit of homegrown fun. 12 competitors will try to eat a whole lemon meringue pie as fast as they can. Eight others will try to win the Orangetheory Hillbilly Horseshoe contest.

New This Year

For 2019, two new performance areas have been added. The Children’s Stage will feature a dozen local groups of all ages performing dance routines, musical acts, a martial arts demo and even a world record from the Super Skippers.

The Welcome Stage at the entry to the festival will highlight area cultural groups with performances of ethnic dance and song including a Bollywood dance and a Zumba demonstration.

Community Giving

When Summer is near, hospitals gear up for accidents and emergencies in our fast-growing area. The Cary Police Department will have a cruiser to visit inside and the Cary Fire Department is planning to bring a fire truck to explore. The Blood Connection will bring a bloodmobile to accept donations onsite.

The Best Part

The event offers free admission because all of the fun is made possible by our wonderful sponsors. While the purchase of food, alcohol or artwork is of course up to you, admission and parking are free to all patrons.

If your business or someone else you know would like to become a sponsor of Fest in the West, contact us soon to be included in all of our event promotion. Download our sponsorship form is here.

Photos by Laurie Miller and Joy Pike from the 2018 Fest in the West event.