In a cheeky nod to the Queen of Christmas herself, the Town of Cary briefly adopted a new moniker, "Carey, NC," making fans of festive tunes do a double-take. According to a proclamation read by Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Jr. on the Town of Cary website, this title twist was a tribute to Mariah Carey, whose holiday classic "All I Want for Christmas Is You" remains a seasonal staple three decades post-debut.
The one-day transformation, which Mayor Weinbrecht declared to Mariah Carey during an interview on MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM, drew a mix of amusement and holiday spirit in "Carey". "On behalf of the citizens of 'Carey,' I am proud to add an 'e' to our Town's name for One Sweet Day," said Mayor Weinbrecht in a statement obtained by the Town of Cary's official website. Fans of the songstress were invited to partake in the town's festive events, with the mayor expressing a communal pride in their ability to rally together under the banner of holiday cheer.
This sweetly savvy stunt marks the beginning of a festive season in Cary—or Carey for a spell. The renaming was less about the grandiosity of the gesture and more about the shared merriment it represents, as the townsfolk gear up for a vibrant schedule of events extending from the NC Chinese Lantern Festival to holiday extravaganzas across downtown.
"This is perfect," Carey herself told the Town of Cary during the reveal. Her lighthearted response captured the whimsical spirit of a community eager to embrace the yuletide season with a sense of togetherness and joy. Residents and visitors alike are enticed to enjoy the downtown spectacle, reflective of the enchantment synonymous with Carey’s iconic Christmas hymn.
It remains uncertain whether "Carey, NC" could become an annual tradition or simply a one-off homage, but for those in attendance, it surely was a unique way to slide into the holiday season. Meanwhile, Cary without an “e” continues to host a variety of cultural and recreational events year-round, echoing Kyle Smelser's sentiments on MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM: "If Mariah Carey lived in North Carolina, this would be the town that she’d live in," as mentioned on the Town of Cary website.
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