North Carolina Town Cary Honors Mariah Carey by Renaming Itself ‘Carey’ on Nov. 1 Each Year

A bustling town in North Carolina is honoring their namesake with an annual holiday with an extra letter

Mariah Carey may not be able to legally claim to be the sole “Queen of Christmas” — but she can say that she (kinda) has a town named after her.

Cary is a populous town in North Carolina with a history long before the R&B star, have been founded in 1750. The town’s name is pronounced the same as Carey, so Mayor Harold Weinbrecht decided to lean into it and honor the singer’s legacy.

Weinbrecht took to the airwaves on local station Mix 101.5 to declare that on Nov. 1, the town will be renamed “Carey” for “One Sweet Day,” a play on Carey’s hit song. After all, the town just needs one extra letter. In an Instagram video, a woman is seen adding a lit “E” in the town’s name. Other photos in the collection show the proud mayor posing with the official proclamation.

“This is amazing!!! I’m so honored!!” Carey, 55, replied in the town’s Instagram comments. “Can’t wait to be in North Carolina next month!! ❤️”