Announcing: #BeCary Photo Contest

Cary, NC — If you’ve been on E. Chatham Street lately you may have noticed The Cary Theater marquee now reads, “Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Cary.” It is in that same spirit that today we launch a week-long #BeCary photo contest on our CaryCitizen social media platforms.

The Purpose

We have started this with more than photos and hashtags in mind. The goal is to achieve a high sense of community spirit and togetherness while not being able to physically gather.

Throughout the next week as you go about your new normal, keep your eyes open to what’s happening around you that shows the resiliency of Cary during this time. The contest submission period will run from Friday, March 27 to Friday, April 10.

We want as many people as possible to dial into living out the phrase “Be Cary” and show us who’s there in those moments, what you’re doing, where you are, etc.

The Reward

The crowned winner of the contest will be named on Monday, April 13 across all CaryCitizen social media platforms and will be featured in a story on our site along with their masterful photo.

This winner will receive a reward that represents CaryCitizen; a hyper-local basket filled with more than $250 worth of local business goodies. The basket fillers include a free month of music lessons from Cary School of Rock, a t-shirt from Bond Brothers, an artisanal basket and coffee beans from Ten Thousand Villages, candles from City Garden Design, a gift card to Garden Supply Company and various others.

The basket will grow in value and size as the week goes on and we continue to receive donations and buy goodies from our amazing local businesses. If you have a Cary business and you’d like to offer up even more prizes for our lucky winner, please email Lindsey Chester.

Rules & Conditions

There are three main rules that must be followed to be a contender for the ultimate prize basket:

  1. Photo must be taken in Cary
  2. Photo must be taken in the time frame of Friday, March 27 – Friday, April 10
  3. Photo cannot showcase anything illegal or that goes against the restrictions in place. This means no pictures on playgrounds because they are closed, no large group pictures, etc.

Please have fun, but above all else, be safe!

What We’re Looking For

To help get you on the right creative track, the three judges of this photo contest are looking for images that:

  • Show how you are coping with the pandemic in a positive manner
  • Show fun and inspirational opportunities that remain possible for the community
  • Cary. We can’t be any clearer, the more of a Cary element in the photo, the better. We as a media company are “all Cary, all the time,” and it’s crucial we see that.
  • Creativity. Think outside the box, even if you’re just inside your house.

How to Enter

  1. Get creative and take a photo that you think shows what it means to Be Cary today.
  2. Post your photo on your personal Facebook, Instagram or Twitter account and be sure to do the following to be considered to win:
      • Tag @CaryCitizen
      • Use both hashtags — #BeCary and #CaryCitizen
      • Tag a few friends to pass along the challenge

Feel free to take and submit up to 3 photos for this contest, but, the same entry rules above apply for each post. Any posts past 3 will not be entered into the contest.


Story and featured image by Ashley Kairis.