Mayberry Days, the Definitive Top 5 List of Events Not to Miss
Mayberry Days, a multi-day jubilee in Mt. Airy North Carolina, casts a wide net of wholesome fun and happiness every year. Neither a fair, a carnival or a big city festival with all the pomp & circumstance, Mayberry Days is a slice of Americana, relived and celebrated year after year.
In late September, Mt. Airy begins to swell with an air of excitement as a dizzying montage of vintage memories and heavenly procured ciders descend upon the small town. Graciously welcoming more than 40,000 guests to their family room, where the photos on the walls represent family members, friends and unforgettable characters, Mt. Airy is everything you hoped it would be, neighborly, hospitable and intoxicatingly honest.
Coined after 1960’s The Andy Griffith Show, a television treasure that keeps on perforating generation after generation with simple story lines, important morality lessons, and a sense of community that’s rarely been portrayed since, Mayberry Days has been celebrated for over 30 years. At any given moment, you’re privileged to experience a meandering impersonator so true to their classic character you’ll question the current date, or dance alongside a local retiree from the town’s mainstay retirement community, RidgeCrest, to a familiar bluegrass band.
There are so many irresistible shows, bands, performers, contests and food to make good on, it’s not likely a single person can muster the stamina to partake in each one. So, putting all recipes and favorite sticky sweets aside for a moment, here are the Top Five Mayberry Days Events one should not miss.
Top 5 Not to Miss Mayberry Days Events of 2019:
1. Mayberry Days Parade
An eclectic concoction of Potato Queens, Pickle Queens, Pork Princesses, vintage police cruisers and cows with shoes.
2. Historic Earle Theatre
Opened in 1938, The Earle has been host to important cultural movie premier’s, musicians, radio broadcasts, workshops and more.
- KAREN KNOTTS: “A DEPUTY’S DAUGHTER”
- COLLIN RAYE
3. Andy Griffith Museum
This is the place to learn and reminisce all things Andy Griffith.
- The Original Siamese Twins
- LeROY “MACK” McNEES & FRIENDS BLUEGRASS “MAYBERRY STYLE”
4. Andy Griffith Playhouse
The arts hub of Mt. Airy, and showcasing great performances by Doc Watson and David Holt, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Doug Dillard Band, and many more.
- Ballet Magnificat! “Deliver Us”
- DOUG DILLARD TRIBUTE CONCERT
5. Blackmon Amphitheatre
Outdoor live music performances and a multitude of entertainment can be found here. Enjoy casual evenings spent with family and friends.
- LEGACY MOTOWN REVUE
- ENVISION
- THE EMBERS featuring CRAIG WOOLARD
Honorable Mention: Mr. Tucker’s Apple Peeling Contest & Mayberry Days® Whistling Championship
If you can exhibit the kind of strength annual Mayberriers do, typically by refueling at one of the glorious food stands, you’ll have no trouble moseying on over to most of these events. Eat at some pie, skip some stones and make some stories, the Mayberry way.
For the first-timers asking themselves, “What is there to do at Mayberry Days?”, a complete list of events is provided by The Surry Arts Council, who passionately pour in hundreds of hours to make this a truly one-of-a-kind celebration. And for daily updates, visit the Mayberry Days Facebook page.
Photo Sources: Trip Advisor, NCPedia.org, Flickr.com, VisitNC.com
