Surry Business

“Mayberry Days,” the Surry Arts Council-sponsored celebration of “The Andy Griffith Show” and all things Mayberry, returns this week for its 18th year in Mount Airy, actor Andy Griffith’s boyhood home.

Although “Mayberry Days” officially begins with Thursday’s annual golf tournament, dinner and entertainment at Cross Creek Country Club, the festival really gets under way on Friday, Sept. 28.

Upwards of 10,000 visitors are expected for the weekend’s activities, many of them free for all.

Friday’s main events (not free, and in some cases already sold out) include “A Tribute to Patsy Cline with Erica McGee” at 2 and 7 p.m. in Cross Creek Country Club, The Dillards in concert at 3 and 7:30 p.m. in the Andy Griffith Playhouse (the evening show is sold out), The VW Boys’ “Tribute to Mayberry” concert at 7:30 p.m. and Michael Hoover’s “Tribute to Elvis” at 9 p.m. in the Downtown Cinema Theatre on Main Street and Jeff & Sheri Easter in concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Blackmon Amphitheatre on Rockford Street.

On Saturday, Professor Brower’s Lecture and the TAGSRWC (“The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club) annual meeting will begin at 2 p.m. in the Downtown Cinema Theatre. Colonel Tim’s Talent Time shows will be at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the Andy Griffith Playhouse. “The Voice of the Blue Ridge” concert featuring Rodney and Beverly Dillard and The Carolina Travelers begins at 7 p.m. in the Downtown Cinema Theatre. Jeff & Sheri Easter, The Lewis Family and The Easter Brothers will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Blackmon Amphitheatre.

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. You can enjoy a bottle of pop while playing checkers, relax to music from many local bands playing the same songs that Andy Griffith grew up with in Mount Airy. There is much to do during the festival, but there is always time to slow down and enjoy what Mayberry means to you.

The Mayberry Days Information Station will be set up on the grounds of the Andy Griffith Playhouse all day Friday and Saturday. The festival program is included in “Mayberry Confidential,” a tabloid “newspaper” widely available around town. You can buy special-events and concert tickets online. For hotel and motel information and a guide to other area events and sights worth seeing, go to www.VisitMayberry.com. News stories, photos and features will be presented in print and online by The Mount Airy News and the Surry Messenger.

This year’s special “Mayberry Days” guests will be Betty Lynn, who played Thelma Lou; Doug and Rodney Dillard, The Darling Boys; Elizabeth MacRae, who played LouAnn Poovie; James Best, who was Jim Lindsey; Jackie Joseph, “Sweet Romena;” George Spence, Frank the Fiance; Maggie Peterson, Charlene Darling; LeRoy McNees of Mayberry on Record; and David Morris, son of Howard “Ernest T” Morris.