Cary’s Alfresco Alley returns

Celebrating the impending season of warm weather, the outdoor dining space in downtown Cary known as Alfresco Alley returns Friday, April 1.

Spring Street will be closed starting at 7 a.m. Friday from West Main Street to Cary Street, the village announced.

This is the third year for Alfresco Alley, which was created in 2020 after the state restricted indoor dining during the start of the pandemic. It allowed some of the village’s downtown restaurants to stay open during that time.

The closure has been approved to run seven days a week until October. Although a streetscape project planned for the fall might cause the alley to close a little earlier this year, according to village documents. The streetscape work, including repaving the sidewalk and replacing the existing lighting with something like hanging lights over Main Street, is designed to bolster the downtown area’s role as a community gathering space.

“Residents really seem to enjoy the alley,” said Courtney Sage, assistant to the village administrator. “We’ve received lots of positive feedback.”

The past setups have included picnic tables, string lights and planters in the street, accommodating dining and live music events.

The strip occupies roughly 200 feet along Spring Street between West Main and Cary streets. The town also applied for a grant to add amenities to the alley this year.

The village additionally approved the creation of a downtown social district last November, where residents can drink publicly outdoors. The alley is one of four streets outlined in that measure.