The Surry Arts Council will host its 20th annual Mayberry Days Thursday through Sunday in Mount Airy. Tanya Jones, executive director of the Surry Arts Council, expects this year’s event to be the biggest in the history of Mayberry Days.

This year, there will a special feature with the ribbon cutting for the Andy Griffith Museum that will be held on Saturday at 10:45 a.m., following the parade that begins at 9 a.m., starting at BB&T and ending at the Andy Griffith Playhouse.

Mayberry Days is the biggest annual event celebrating “The Andy Griffith Show.”

“It has always been for the fans, but you never know who else will be there. This is the annual festival of the Surry Arts Council that brings fans and friends from all over the country together in Andy Griffith’s hometown of Mount Airy. Mayberry Days is held annually during the last full weekend of September to commemorate the anniversary of the premier of ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ on Oct. 3, 1960,” said Jones.

The festival first started as a one-day event in 1990 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show. Since then, it has grown into more than three full days that bring thousands of friends and fans in from around the world — from California to Florida to Ontario, Canada, and beyond.

“The days are filled with family-friendly events, with music, reruns, trivia contests, kid’s games, food, a parade, concerts, a talent show, and, best of all, the opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones,” Jones said.

“Mayberry Days is a festival for the whole family with activities and events for the fans to those who long for the days when life was simple and the sheriff didn’t carry a gun. Enjoy a bottle of pop while playing checkers, relax to music from many local bands playing the same songs that Andy grew up with in Mount Airy, and be sure to get your picture with the TV Land statue of Andy and Opie. There is so much to do during the festival, but there is always time to slow down and enjoy what Mayberry means to you.”

While events do take place on Thursday, Mayberry Days officially begins on Friday morning when Mount Airy Mayor Jack Loftis and other distinguished guests gather at the Blackmon Amphitheatre to recognize this annual event.

The Mayberry Days Information Station will be set up on the grounds of the Andy Griffith Playhouse all day Friday and Saturday to assist guests with festival information and tickets, contest entries and more. Mayberry Days T-shirts, Ernest T. hats, and SAC cookbooks will be available for sale.

Special guests scheduled to attend the 2009 Mayberry Days include: Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), Doug and Rodney Dillard (The Darling Boys), LeRoy McNees (Mayberry on Record), James Best (Jim Lindsey), George Spence (Frank the Fiancé), Karen Knotts (daughter of Barney, the late Don Knotts), Maggie Peterson (Charlene Darling), Jackie Joseph (Ernest T. Bass’ love interest) and many more.

For more information, to purchase tickets and to view a complete schedule of events, visit the Surry Arts Council Web site, www.surryarts.org, or call the SAC at (800) 286-6193. For lodging information and general Mount Airy questions, contact the Mount Airy Visitors Center at (800) 948-0949 or go to www.visitmayberry.com.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.

Schedule of Events

Thursday

Mayberry Days Golf Tournament will be held at Cross Creek Country Club. Registration, rules and introduction of special Mayberry guests will be at 12:15 p.m. The “Ernest Tee Off” will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Thad Daber will be giving a golf demonstration for ticketed guests only before the tournament. He holds the Guinness Book of World Records record for the lowest round of golf played with one club. He will be playing in the Maybery Days gold tournament with only his six iron.

Mayberry Days Golf Tournament Awards and Entertainment will be hosted by David Browning, the Mayberry Deputy. The event will be held at Cross Creek Country Club and begins at 6 p.m.

Friday

Mayberry Days Proclamation — Mayor Jack Loftis will officially open Mayberry Days with a proclamation at the Blackmon Amphitheatre at 10:30 a.m.

Tied up in Knotts — As a special treat for the 20th annual Mayberry Days, Karen Knotts will perform her one woman show “Tied Up in Knotts” on Friday, at the Downtown Cinema Theatre. The Surry Arts Council presents this celebration of all things Knotts, based on Karen’s life with famous father, Don Knotts. The show starts at 12:30 p.m. and tickets are $15. Contact the Surry Arts Council for tickets (800) 286-6193 and visit www.tiedupinknotts.net for more details.

The Andy Griffith Show Trivia — Do you remember the name of the English “Gentleman’s Gentleman” who came through Mayberry on his bicycle? Where did he find Andy’s long-missing police cap? If you could answer the first one, that is a typical question for the children asked by the “She Called Me a Creatster” TAGSRWC Chapter. The second one is just a sample of the memory challenge that the “Hearty Eatin’ Men and Beautiful Delicate Women” TAGSRWC Chapter asks for the annual trivia contest during the festival. If you think you know TAGS, purchase a collectible “Ernest T. Trivia Fan” for $2 at the Information Station; join the fun starting at 3:30 p.m. on Friday at the Blackmon Amphitheatre, and collect stickers for each correct answer. Compete against the King and Queen of Mayberry Trivia and have a great time during this annual event.

The Dillards — Doug and Rodney Dillard appeared in “The Andy Griffith Show” as the Darling boys, part of the mountain family that came in to visit Mayberry. Doug has played at every Mayberry Days, showcasing his talents as one of the finest banjo pickers in the world. The Dillards will give two concerts on Friday: a matinee concert at 2:30 p.m. and an evening show at 7 p.m., at the Andy Griffith Playhouse. Tickets are $25. For more information, call the Surry Arts Council at 786-7998.

Vessels of Clay — Evangelistic southern gospel group Vessels of Clay will perform at Blackmon Amphitheatre on Friday. Tickets are $10 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.. In the event of rain, the concert with be held at the Downtown Cinema Theatre. Contact the Surry Arts Council at (800) 286-6193 or www.surryarts.org.

VW Boys Salute To Mayberry — The VW Boys (Tim White, Larry McPeak and Dave Vaught) make their 13th appearance at Mayberry Days on Friday with an entertaining show of bluegrass and gospel music, sleight-of-hand magic and offbeat humor. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. at the Downtown Cinema Theatre. Tickets are $10.



Saturday

11th annual Barbecue “Cook-Off” — Back for another year of great food and fun, it is the Mayberry Days Barbecue Cook-off. Starting on Friday night, cookers from across the Southeast will be tending the fires to create some of the best tasting North Carolina barbecue this side of Mount Pilot. Showmanship judging is Friday at 8 p.m. and barbecue judging is Saturday morning. Winners will be announced on stage at the Blackmon Amphitheatre at 11 a.m. Sandwiches and one pound containers of barbecue go on sale around 11 a.m. on Saturday in the Andy Griffith Playhouse parking lot. Those interested in competing should visit the Mayberry Days Barbecue Cook-off page on the Surry Arts Council Web site www.surryarts.org for all the details.

Mayberry Days Parade begins at 9 a.m. at BB&T and ends at the Andy Griffith Playhouse. Karen Knotts will be the grand marshal.

Professor Brower Lecture and TAGSRWC Meeting — Asheboro native, Neal Brower, is author of the book “Mayberry 101” and was a regular contributor to The Bullet, The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC) newsletter. His lectures at the Downtown Cinema focus on the behind the scenes aspects of “The Andy Griffith Show” with insight from the writers, directors and other production people involved with the show. “Presiding Goober,” Jim Clark, gives his state of the TAGSRWC address for the club with the latest news, chapter statistics, cast updates, and the “Mayberry Friendship” award is presented to an outstanding Mayberry Fan. Chapters are invited to share their news from the previous year after Brower’s lecture, at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Downtown Cinema Theatre. Tickets are $7 and seats are general admission.

Colonel Tim’s Talent Time will be Saturday at the Andy Griffith Playhouse, and it is the setting for a variety show that rivals the prime-time version of Colonel Tim’s Talent Time. Featuring special guests, local talent, music and good fun, the matinee will start at 2:30 p.m. and the evening show at 7:30 p.m., at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy. Tickets are $25. Visitors are encouraged to purchase their tickets early, this show sells out every year.

Mayberry “Idle” is a talent contest at a much slower pace with a chance to perform to the crowd at the Blackmon Amphitheatre on Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m. Winners will perform at Colonel Tim’s on Saturday night. Space is limited for performers and sign-up begins on Saturday at 8 a.m. at the Information Station in front of the Andy Griffith Playhouse.

Michael Hoover: Memories of Elvis will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Downtown Cinema Theatre. Tickets are $15 for general balcony seating and $20 for reserved floor seating.

Mayberry Amped — This concert at the Blackmon Amphitheatre will feature a variety of talented local musicians including Joshua Moyer, Janus 4-14 and the renowned Dylan Gilbert. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.