Story by Leslie Huffman

Cary, NC – The 2nd Annual Cary Scavenger Hunt is next week! Trust me, you don’t want to miss it.

As you can see by the picture, I am in my element and a total goof-ball. I love a good party, especially one with prizes, adventure and glory. This year’s Hunt is on Saturday July 23. Will you join me?

What You Need To Do

I promise, this is a truly fun event. All you need is a team, a digital camera, a car and a sense of adventure. Sign-up HERE before we run out of t-shirts!

Make sure to read all the rules and check out our very cool sponsors.

Pictures & Quotes From Last Year

Families make great teams!  Sometimes it’s the littlest family member that can make sense of a riddle.  And what kid doesn’t love a scavenger hunt?

“We had a very fun family day. We all learned a lot about Cary. The kids are still talking about it.”

A group of good friends can take any challenge and make it a hysterically funny occasion.  This will make a great memory with lots of silly photo’s for your Facebook page.

“Our team had a lot of fun strategizing! Bravo for a job well done!”

Charge up those cell phones and digital cameras and come on out!

“Had a ball. There is obviously strategy involved, and we’ll be more prepared next year!”

“It was well done, and we had a blast!”

“It was a great time. The whole day for less than the price of a movie and 10 times as fun.”

“You guys rock! What a great way to spend time with friends and family.”

What are you waiting for? Get in the Hunt!

Story by Leslie Huffman. Photo by Sam Huffman

Cary, NC – Sexy, Italian, fun and chic. No silly, I’m talking about the car!

This cute little thing can be yours for the day. Again, I am talking about the car, the Fiat 500.

The Cary Scavenger Hunt has the opportunity to let 4 of our lucky teams drive all around town hunting for clues in a brand new Fiat 500! Leave your old car in the parking lot for the day and cruise in style in this fuel efficient, delightful, little car.

Hendrick Fiat in the Cary AutoMall is letting our teams have the chance to test drive one of these hot little cars for the whole day. Now that’s cool!

Greg Eaton, Studio Director at Hendrick Fiat tells us, “The 500C has proved to be very popular because it’s the only 4-seater convertible you can get for under $20k, gets up to 38 miles per gallon and comes with dozens of different colors and options”.

How Can My Team Drive One?

We have 4 cars, so we need 4 Scavenger Hunt Teams. How can your team drive away with one? Easy.

Sign-up your team HERE by July 14. We’ll randomly pick four from all of the teams signed-up by July 14.

We will announce our winners of the Fiat Test Drive For a Day on the CaryCitizen Facebook Page and in a future story.

To be eligible, the Team’s designated driver must have a full driver’s license, and car insurance with proof of collision protection.

Early Sign-Up Gets the Ride!

For more information about the 2nd Annual Cary Scavenger Hunt, check out our information page. Find out more about all our other awesome prizes and generous sponsors.

Get in the Hunt!

Styx photo by Chris Adamczyk.

Cary, NC – The excitement is building for the 2011 Cary Scavenger Hunt. Did you know the Grand Prize for Adult teams is 10 VIP tickets to Styx at Booth Amphitheatre?

Get in the Hunt!

Imagine calling up your friends and saying “I got 10 VIP tickets to Styx. Want to come?” It could happen to you! Join the 2011 Cary Scavenger Hunt, coming to the new downtown Cary Arts Center on Saturday, July 23.  It’s a day of adventure, fun, civic pride and glory – and the “VIP treatment”.

Teams compete in two categories – Adult and Family. Grab three friends or round up the clan and sign up your team now.

Lots of prizes and treasures along the way for all the participants. (b.t.w., the Grand Prize for families is a Private Party for 20 at Movies By Moonlight, but that’s another story.)

A Cary Tradition

Last year, over 100 people raced around town solving clues and collecting souvenirs, and they all “had a blast”.

Teams made a pyramid out of firemen, found the Page family, visited a real farm supply store and discovered a dragon in a Cary park.

Comments from Last Year

Here are some comments we received from a survey of Scavenger Hunters last year.

“It was a great time. The whole day for less than the price of a movie and 10 times as fun.”

“We had a very fun family day. We all learned a lot about Cary. The kids are still talking about it.”

“Great experience. We had a blast.”

The 2nd Annual Cary Scavenger Hunt promises to be even better – more clues, celebrity judges, more prizes and just plain more fun. If that’s possible.

Visit the Teams & Sign-up page now.

Cary, NC – Over 100 people fanned out across Cary in the 100 degree heat on Saturday for the first-ever Cary Scavenger Hunt. By all measures, it was a rousing success.

Teams

We had 13 Adult Teams and 17 Family Teams. They had names like The Determined Detectives, Old Navy Pilots and the Falcon Four.

Contestants brought maps and picture books, digital cameras and multiple cell phones.

During the day, they checked in on Twitter and Facebook and Foursquare, spreading the word about the pleasures of Cary to thousands of friends on the internet.

Winners

Everyone was a winner. Every team finished the Hunt. Many people told us they had a good time and learned something about the town, too. Some comments:

“It was a great time. The whole day for less than the price of a movie and 10 times as fun.”
“It was well done, and we had a blast!”
“Many thanks – we’ll be talking it up to friends and neighbors for next year.”

Top finishers with the most points:

• Adult Category – The 50 Somethings
• Family Category – Team Holcombe

The 50 Somethings - Adult Team Winners

Team Holcombe - Family team winners

Thanks to Booth Amphitheatre

Special thanks to Booth Amphitheatre, celebrating their tenth anniversary of great music and events, for hosting the Hunt and for their boundless support.

Thanks Sponsors & Town

Thanks also to our terrific sponsors for their generosity, time and community spirit. And thank you to Town staff including Public Works, Parks & Rec and the Fire Department for supporting the event.

Story and photos by Leslie Huffman

Cary, NC – Teams are gearing-up for next weekend’s BIG Cary Scavenger Hunt.  We welcome our newest teams The Determined Detectives, CaryRealEstate.com, Riddle e-Racers, Fiddling Around, The Byrdson’s, Culture Vultures, and the Fantastic Four.

Make sure you don’t become clueless.  Sign-up now to guarantee your team a spot and make sure you get an exclusive Cary Scavenger Hunt T-shirt.

How To Play

Once your team is registered, you will check in next Saturday, July 24th, at 9:00 a.m., at Koka Booth Amphitheatre.  At 10:00 a.m., the bull horn is sounded and the teams are released!

Each team will be given a set of clues that will take them all over Cary.  Each clue is given a point value.  Clues include subjects like Cary history, visual arts, parks and recreation, town services and Cary businesses.  Make sure to bring a digital camera or cell phone camera to document your hunt.

The teams with the most points win!

Earn Extra Points

We thought it would be fun to include a few extra points for our social-media savvy contestants.

Most of these bonus points involve mobile communications – apps you might use on your cell phones. If not, you have a week to make sure at least one member of your team is prepared.

• TWITTER – Tweet your progress (one tweet per clue) during the day. Use the hashtags #cary and #scavengerhunt. 10 points per tweet , 100 points max.
• FACEBOOK – Post pictures to your Facebook profile. Use @carycitizen to get credit. 10 points per clue picture., 100 points max.
• FOURSQUARE – Check in at up to five locations. 10 points per check in, 50 points max.

Winner’s Loot – WOW!

Our First Place winners from the Adult Teams will win 10 VIP tickets to the REO Speedwagon/Pat Benatar show at Booth Amphitheatre on September 2, 2010. This winning team will get dinner in the VIP Tent and special seating just for you!

Our Family Team Winners will get a Private Party for 20 at “Movies by Moonlight” with dinner provided by Chick-fil-A of Waverly Place.  This team can pick between movies like 2012, July 29th; Taming Of The Shrew, August 5th; New Moon, August 12th; or How To Train Your Dragon, August 19th.

We also have prizes to give away from The Carolina Railhawks, Courtyard Marriott, Bella Mia, O2 Fitness, SAS Championship, Larry’s Beans, Suzie Wolf Photography, and IHOP.

We don’t want to leave you clueless, sign-up for the Hunt today!

Story by Leslie Huffman, photo by Hal Goodtree

Cary, NC – Our Advance Team is constantly in training for the upcoming Cary Scavenger Hunt.  They quiz each other on obscure Cary facts, check map routes around town and exercise daily.   Recently, they’ve been working up an appetite too.

Free Lunch. And More.

Thanks to our generous sponsors, there will be many extra goodies offered during the Scavenger Hunt on July 24th.  One of our Platinum Sponsors, Chick-fil-A of Waverly Place will be providing a free sandwich.

During the Cary Scavenger Hunt you will receive a clue from Chick-fil-A, just figure out the correct clue and you will be treated to something tasty.  Special treats will also be provided by The Meat House, Great Harvest Bread Company and Whole Foods Market of Cary.

We will also have a few other really cool giveaways too.  We’ll wait to surprise you with those!

Big Prizes

Koka Booth Amphitheatre, in honor of their 10th season of great entertainment, is supplying our Scavenger Hunt winners with some awesome prizes.  The Scavenger Hunt will be based on points.  Each clue has a point value.  The teams that have collected the most points, win.

Our First Place winners from the Adult Teams will win 10 VIP tickets to the REO Speedwagon/Pat Benatar show at Booth Amphitheatre on September 2, 2010.  Our Family Team Winners will get a Private Party for 20 at “Movies by Moonlight” with dinner provided by Chick-fil-A of Waverly Place.

Sign-Up Today

To guarantee your spot in The Cary Scavenger Hunt, sign-up today.

Welcome New Teams & Sponsors

A big shout out goes to our newest Scavenger Hunt Teams.  These groups are ready for some serious competition.  Welcome to The Hunt, Seekers, Savvy Sleuths, Beaulacs, Falcon Four, Thunderbolts and The Happy Honakers.

Our Advance Team is getting a little worried.  They better keep up their training!

We also want to thank our newest Scavenger Hunt Sponsors, Crossroads Ford and Whole Foods Market of Cary.  Thanks for helping us put on what we hope to be an unforgettable Cary event.

Can you figure these out?

1. We play in band, yet you hear no sound.  Important folks are all around.  We do not move but march all day.  Come on out and see us play.  Who are we?

2. I was built in 1927 where I educated 200 students in grades 1 through 12.  I burned down in 1963 and was not rebuilt.  Who am I?

These are a little harder.  Get your Scavenger Hunt Team together.  You’ll get to solve clues like these and win big prizes.

3. We are very popular in the summertime.  We make concrete at two different Cary locations, in three different sizes.  Who are we?

4. Can you figure out this Rebus Puzzle?

Sign Up for the Hunt!

The Hunt is on July 24th. Spaces are going fast so sign up now.

See if you can name all three places.

1.

2.

3.

Story by Leslie Huffman. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC  - Over the years Cary has grown bigger.  People flock to the town after hearing it is one of the nicest places to live in America.  We all take pride in Cary and try to make it the best it can be.

Focus Local

As time goes on and our population and borders have expanded, you might think that folks would become more disconnected from the core community of Cary.

At CaryCitizen, we have found the opposite to be true.

Maybe it has been the economy, or the desire to simplify and localize our lives, but more and more people are focusing close to home on family and community.

Cary citizens work hard.  We support neighborhood businesses, donate to charity, and try to build a greener community.  Cary has incredible resources, wonderful parks, fantastic cultural and performing arts programs, amazing recreational facilities and a desire to care for our surroundings.

Appreciating our town and all that it has to offer has prompted us to present the first-ever Cary Scavenger Hunt, celebrating 10 years of great entertainment at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. You’ll get a taste of all the good things Cary has to offer when you Join the Hunt.

Make Up Your Own Team

Sign up for the Scavenger Hunt and show us what you know about Cary.  You may discover a few new things about the town you live in.  Give your team a proper name, assign a captain and get your clues.

You may need a strategy or you may just go with your gut.  The team with the most points wins big. Prizes include 10 VIP tickets to REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar at Booth Amphitheatre as well as a party tent for 20 at Movies by Moonlight.

Teams can be friends, co-workers, families, or church groups.

One thing is for sure; the Cary Scavenger Hunt will be a heck of a great home town good time!

Get more info.

Thanks To Our Newest Sponsors

A huge thanks goes out to Chick-fil-A in Waverly Plaza.  You must try their new spicy chicken sandwich with a large sweet tea.

And a high five to The Great Harvest Bread Company on Maynard Road.  They make the best whole wheat products baked fresh daily.

Also, the SAS Golf Championship has provided us with some tournament tickets to give away.  This year promises a great line-up of champion golf pros. Join the Hunt and you might just end up with a handful of tickets to the big show.

See all our generous supporters on the Sponsors Page.

Find Out More

Story by Leslie Huffman

Cary, NC – We’re helping Koka Booth Amphitheatre celebrate ten years of outstanding entertainment with the first-ever Cary Scavenger Hunt. Teams are forming and our clue masters are designing puzzlers for the July 24th event.

We want to take this opportunity to thank our generous sponsors for making it all possible.  Local businesses are the backbone of the community. We are very proud to be associated with so many prestigious companies.

We’ll update you as more sponsors sign on for this great event celebrating 10 years of excellence at Booth Amphitheatre.

Platinum Sponsors

Ashworth Drugs has been a Cary staple for many years.  With a soda fountain, lunch counter and a traditional standard of personal service Ashworth Drugs is a throw-back to a simpler time. 

The Umstead Hotel and Spa boasts the area’s only 5 star hotel.  It has world class accommodations, gourmet cuisine and an amazing art collection.

Gold Sponsors

O2 Fitness and the YMCA of the Triangle keep us fit and provide all kinds of programs and activities to keep our families active.

Catering by Design will make every event in your life wonderful with their delicious menus and artful presentation.

And if you have ever considered using solar energy for your home or business, you need to go to Yes! Solar Solutions.  They will help you with all types of configuration and get you the rebates you need to keep costs low.

Silver and Bronze Sponsors

Stop by The Meat House and tell them CaryCitizen sent you.  My favorite product is the marinated beef tips.

Whether you have a family event or business meeting the Courtyard Marriott in Cary will take great care of you.

Lastly, I would like to personally thank Performance Orthepaedic Surgery and Dr. DeGiulio for taking such great care of my son when he broke his leg.  We were given the best care and a gentle touch.

Be a Sponsor

Please send me an email if you are interested in sponsorship. We’ll send you all the details. Sponsorships start at just $100. You don’t even have to be a business.

And if you are ready to participate in the ultimate Cary event, Sign Up Your  Team for the Hunt.