Best Public School
Apex Friendship High School Read More
Green Level High School
Dillard Drive Magnet Middle School
Best Private School
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic School
Cary Academy
GRACE Christian School
Best Active Adult Community
Searstone
Glenaire
Preston Pointe
Best Nonprofit
Dorcas Ministries
The Carying Place
The Aphasia Project
Best Preschool
Oak Village Academy
Primrose Schools
St. Michael Preschool
Best Interior Design Firm
Lauren Burns Interiors
Southern Studio Interior Design
ASF Interiors
Best Music Venue
Koka Booth Amphitheatre
Bond Brothers Eastside
Red Hat Amphitheater
Best Local Event or Festival
Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival
NC Chinese Lantern Festival
Pimento Cheese Festival
Best Local Music Group or Artist
Jason Adamo
Stray Volts
22 Strings
Best School Principal
Robin Hester, Resurrection Lutheran School
Margaret Feldman, Dillard Drive Magnet Middle School
Karen Summers, Green Level High School
Best School Coach
Chris Alladin, Resurrection Lutheran School basketball
DeShannon Morris, GRACE Christian School basketball
Samantha Sopko, Green Level High School cheerleading
Best Place for Outdoor Recreation
Fred G. Bond Metro Park
Downtown Cary Park
William B. Umstead State Park
Best Place for Family Fun
Downtown Cary Park Read More
Inner Beast Hatchet House
Fred G. Bond Metro Park
Best Fitness Program
AKtivate Fitness
Elite Core Studios
Bradley’s Yoga & Fitness
Best Yoga/Pilates Studio
Elite Core Studios
Pura Vida Studio
Pilates by Luiza
Best Kids’ Program
Taal Harmony School of Dance Read More
Cary Dance Productions
Starpath Dance Academy
Best Track-Out or Summer Camp
Lune Spark Center for Creativity
Starpath Dance Academy
Rock Solid Warrior
Best Local TV Personality
Debra Morgan, WRAL
Kat Campbell, WRAL
Don Schwenneker, ABC11
Best Local Radio Personality
Erica DeLong, iHeart
KC O’Dea, iHeart
Mike Wheless, 94.7 QDR
Best Hotel or Resort
The Umstead Hotel and Spa
The Mayton
The Fearrington House Inn
Best Social Media Account
Home for Entertaining, @home.for.entertaining
Linda Trevor & Co., @teamtrevor
The Blind Pelican Seafood House, @blindpelicanseafood
Best Local Podcast
The Holderness Family Podcast
Ovies and Giglio
Hairapy with Wendy Vaughan
Apex Friendship High School
Best High School
For Brian Pittman, principal of Apex Friendship High School, motivation is found in the staff, families, and amazing students he interacts with daily. “Apex Friendship High is very much a Patriots family!” he shares.
When Brian himself was in high school, “great teachers and an amazing principal” set him on his current career path. These people, he explains, “had a gift of making me feel like I had more to give the world around me.” Now, as principal at Apex Friendship, he realizes that “what’s likely more important is that it is still the people around me who keep me in this career path.”
Although stress and anxiety are unavoidable in high school, Brian says that Apex Friendship’s “amazing, talented students are always a great reminder of the great things happening all around.” How we carry stress and anxiety in an educational environment is what he describes as a “daily choice” and something easily tackled in Apex Friendship High by choosing to “listen to the kids make music, cheer at the ball game, enjoy a great lesson in a classroom.”
The comprehensive high school first opened for the 2014–2015 school year and stands on a historic site that signifies a “unique cooperative spirit.” Less than a year after the Civil War ended, recently emancipated slaves found a place where they could meet, hold religious services, and build a community alongside white merchants and farmers. Soon after, Native Americans also settled among the area’s inhabitants. In recognition, community leaders agreed to call their settlement Friendship.
Brian’s wish for Apex Friendship students is similarly aligned with this spirit of solidarity and cooperation: “I hope that students leave our school knowing that we collectively as a school team care about them and value them just as they are.” He earnestly hopes that the school “propels our graduates toward the best experiences of their lives.”
Taal Harmony School of Dance
Best Kids’ Program
Taal Harmony School of Dance founder and artistic director Rohini Thakkar knows that “Dance is not just movement — it’s an expression of joy, identity, and tradition.” Although dance has always been an “integral part” of Rohini’s life, she never imagined that she would open the area’s first Bollywood dance school.
Shortly after she immigrated from India, and while enrolled as a master’s student at NC State, Rohini performed at a local dance event. Afterward, a group of moms approached her and asked if she would consider teaching their children. Although being a dance educator and artistic director wasn’t in her plans, with just six students Rohini started teaching — and never looked back.
Today, Taal Harmony is more than just a dance school: It’s a community, a family, and a platform where students of all ages grow, express themselves, and connect with the rich traditions of dance. What started as a passion project and a side hustle quickly grew into Taal Harmony School of Dance and, over time, the unique model Rohini developed was embraced by many others, shaping the Bollywood dance scene in the community. As she eloquently shares: “Passion led me here, and purpose keeps me going.”
With Taal Harmony, Rohini’s goal has always been to build a welcoming and empowering space where dancers of all ages feel encouraged, challenged, and celebrated. “Beyond teaching steps,” she says, “I strive to instill confidence, dedication, and a deep love for the art in every student who walks through my doors.”
Classes taught include semi-classical, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, and Bollywood. Taal Harmony also teaches the Indian classical dance form of Kathak for children older than age 7. Beyond being an “incredible honor,” winning the Maggy Award for Best Kids’ Program is what Rohini describes as “a testament to the passion, dedication, and hard work of our students, instructors, and the entire Taal Harmony community.”
Her hope is to leave behind a space where people experience the joy of learning and dancing, and creativity and culture can continue to flourish for generations to come. As she explains: “This recognition reaffirms our commitment to excellence in teaching and fostering a love for the arts. We are deeply grateful to our students, families, and supporters who make this journey so meaningful and rewarding!”
Downtown Cary Park
Best Place for Family Fun
Downtown Cary Park Assistant General Manager Sarah Preston and General Manger Joy Ennis
“In our industry, we are charged with improving the quality of life for the citizens we serve,” explains Joy Ennis, general manager of the Downtown Cary Park. Describing the opportunity to work on the park as “one of the most significant projects of my career,” Joy considers herself fortunate to have experienced “the real magic of a project” of such a scale “and the joy of seeing the public enjoy it once it is brought to life.”
Describing her work as a “sacred responsibility” that isn’t without its challenges, Joy places great value in creating a culture that fosters excellence, innovation, collaboration, and, of course, fun.
Downtown Cary Park is a vibrant community space offering activities for all ages. Scenic trails meander through the 7-acre park. Families can take advantage of the playgrounds, designed for children of different age groups, ensuring a fun and safe environment.
The park features picnic areas with tables, ideal for gatherings or enjoying a meal outdoors. Throughout the year, it hosts events and festivals — including concerts, movie nights, and seasonal celebrations — which cultivate community spirit. Adding a cultural touch to the landscape are the local art installations scattered around the park.
Pet owners love the designated (and very active) dog park, the Barkyard, where dogs can play off-leash while their owners enjoy a snack or beverage in the adjacent Bark Bar. With open spaces for games or relaxation, like the putting green and table tennis available at the Park Street Courts, Downtown Cary Park encourages outdoor activity, social interaction, and community engagement.
Joy and her colleagues work diligently to develop the park as a community resource. “Our hope is that the Downtown Cary Park is a place where all people can come together for times of joy and memory making,” she says. And winning the Maggy Award for Best Place for Family Fun, she says, “tells us we’re on the right track!”
See the rest of the Maggy Winners:
Best Restaurants
Best Services
Best Shopping
- Liquid Assets: The Long Con and No Fly Zone
- Liquid Assets: B is for Blueberry
- 2025 Maggy Awards: Shopping
- 2025 Maggy Awards: Services
- 2025 Maggy Awards: Lifestyle
- 2025 Maggy Awards: Restaurants
- The 2025 Maggy Awards: Voice Your Choice
- Restaurant Profile: Zest Sushi & Small Plates
- Garden Adventurer: Kousa: The Other Dogwood
- Pay it Forward: Rock Steady Boxing
- Small Business Spotlight: Gentlemen’s Corner
- Farm Fresh
- Hearts Aflutter
- Things to Do: April 2025
Congrats to St. Michael School! As their sister school, St. Michael Preschool, can we learn how we fared in votes??