Reflecting On 15 Years of “Mayberry Days”

2004's 15th annual Mayberry Days celebrated the 44th anniversary of “The Andy Griffith Show” and included an appearance by Andy Griffith, who unveiled a bronze statue of himself as Sheriff Andy Taylor with his son Opie, as played by Ron Howard. The bronze sculpture, a duplicate of a statue erected in Raleigh's Pullen Park last October, was donated by cable network TV Land, which still shows the enduring TV classic for an average of 27 million viewers each month. TV Land and Nick at Nite President Larry Jones joined Griffith in unveiling the statue at a special dedication ceremony held Saturday, September 2004.

"Welcome home!" Griffith said as he turned to greet his bronze likeness. "I want to thank Larry Jones and the folks at TV Land for putting this statue in Mount Airy."

Other cast members, including Betty Lynn who played Deputy Barney Fife’s girlfriend Thelma Lou, and Doug Dillard, who portrayed Jebbin Darling, one the bluegrass playing Darling family on the show, appeared at this year's four-day celebration, which was held from Thursday, September 23 through Sunday, September 26. An estimated 10,000 people attended the 2004 festivities.

Griffith’s 2004 appearance marked a high point in the illustrious history of the festival, which began as a small, one-day event that has grown into a four-day festival held annually for more than a decade.

The genesis of Mayberry Days was a chance meeting between Tanya Rees, executive director of the Surry Arts Council and Jim Clark, president of “The Andy Griffith Show” Rerun Watchers Club (TAGSRWC). Rees met Clark in Raleigh at the 1990 estate auction of the late Frances Bavier, who played Aunt Bee on the show.

Clark told Rees that he wished "somebody in Mount Airy would do something in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the show."Following that meeting, Clark urged his club's members to call the Surry Arts Councils, asking what was being planned to commemorate the show's 30th anniversary.

“People started calling and we basically responded… to their questions,” Rees said.

The first Mayberry Day festival was scheduled the last weekend in September 1990 to avoid conflicts with a 30th anniversary “The Andy Griffith Show” cast and crew reunion being held in Charlotte.

“It totally was just going to be a one-day thing, one-time thing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show, and we really could not believe the response,” said Rees. The event drew the attention of such media giants as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, NBC's The Today Show and The Oprah WInfrey Show.

“The media attention the first year was a big deal and that’s why it was so successful,” Rees said. “And, Jim Clark was a huge inspiration. I recognized early on that he truly was the resource that I needed to make it right.”

The first year's festivities featured walking tours of downtown Mt. Airy, including the real-life counterparts of the Snappy Lunch cafe, Floyd’s Barber Shop and the Old City Jail. Other events included Aunt Bee’s bake sale, checkers, the Ernest T. Bass rocking throwing contest and kids games.

Doug Dillard, a renowned bluegrass musician who portrayed one of the beloved Darling family from “The Andy Griffith Show” also agreed to play during the first Mayberry Day festival. “That was really a big deal because we had absolutely no money,” Rees said. “We ended up selling out the concert. We owe a huge debt to Doug.” Dillard has played in every festival since.

In its second year, “Mayberry Day” was extended to “Mayberry Days,” which has grown to include a third day of events, such as a Thursday afternoon golf tournament. 2004 year also marks the first time the Surry Arts Council has sponsored events on Sunday, now making Mayberry Days a four-day festival.

"It’s just been amazing to watch it grow over the years,” Clark said. "It’s basically a four-day event now. And, there is not a dull moment. The whole time, there’s just things going on all over town."

“There was a big effort on our part not to block off the streets and make it the anywhere festival U.S.A.,” Rees said. “We wanted to leave the streets open and share the downtown and share the small town atmosphere and let the local merchants have a successful weekend and not outside vendors.”

The event is typically held the last weekend in September because it is the closest weekend to the actual anniversary of the show, October 3, 1960. The name “Mayberry Days” was trademarked by the city because other places wanted to use the name.

Rees said. “There is a lot of mimicking our successes, but nobody else can be Andy Griffith’s hometown. No one else can host their event at the real Andy Griffith Playhouse. And certainly, this year, it’s a once in a lifetime thing. Andy Griffith and the statue validates that this is really a special place to Andy Griffith himself."

For more information about Mayberry Days, go to www.surryarts.org
or call 336-786-7998 or 800-286-6193.

by Burt Dellinger with Julie Pharr