Keith Strange | The News

The historic Earle Theatre, a destination for both history buffs and old-time music lovers, is one venue featured on this year’s Surry Arts Council Familiarization Tour. The tour is set for noon Friday.

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The Surry Arts Council is hosting a tour it hopes will help familiarize the public with all the cultural offerings available in the region.

The event will feature stops at the Andy Griffith Playhouse, the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, the Andy Griffith Museum, the Historic Earle Theatre, the Siamese Twins Exhibit and the Blackmon Ampitheater.

The tour will be held from noon until around 1:30 p.m. Friday.

A light lunch will be served during the tour, which Surry Arts Council Director Tanya Jones said is a chance for locals to learn about the unique culture available in the region.

“This is something we host every year, and each year we try to target everyone who comes into contact with visitors to the area,” she said. “Our venues are constantly changing, and we want to keep people up to date, so they know what’s going on when asked what there is to do, but it also helps local folks to understand what’s available.”

The tour will begin at the Andy Griffith Playhouse, and the Good Time Charlie trolley will transport guest to and from the Historic Earle.

About 20 minutes will be spent at each venue.

Prizes and drawings for special holiday gifts and even season passes for next year will be given away during the tour, Jones said.

She touted the new decor at the Earle as a stand-out this year.

“Since last year we’ve made huge changes to the theater,” Jones said, noting that its status as a venue for old-time music makes it special.

“In Western N0rth Carolina, there is currently a major focus on traditional music, and we’re hoping that these changes not only catch our Mayberry visitors and introduce them to our musical heritage, but we also want to start bringing in more people who travel to Mount Airy for the traditional music,” she said. “We think this county is hugely unique in the old-time music world, and we want to make sure that everyone is aware that the venue is there and what’s offered in it.

In addition to the new decor at the theater, Jones said visitors on the tour will notice new additions at the Andy Griffith Museum.

“We recently added the trunk that Eng Bunker used on his last visit to Europe,” Jones noted. “There are a lot of new things we want to share with the public.”

Reach Keith Strange at kstrange@heartlandpublications.com or 719-1929.