Mayberry Comes to Westminster

The City of Westminster will again transform into the town of Mayberry for the sixth annual Mayberry Comes to Westminster Festival May 6-7.

The festival, after just five years, has been designated as one of the Top 20 Festivals in the Southeast for May 2016 by the Southeast Tourism Society.

Prior to the opening ceremonies on May 6, the “Finding the Way Back to Mayberry” Bible study will take place Thursday, May 5, at Westminster Baptist Church at 7 p.m. Also on May 5, the third annual Crime Stoppers Mayberry Open Golf Tourney will be held at Oconee Country Club.

Mayberry look-a-likes, or tribute artists, will be back to entertain folks during the weekend. Headlining is David Browning, the Mayberry Deputy, who for the last 27 years has portrayed Barney Fife all over America. Along with the Mayberry Deputy will be Allan “Floyd the Barber” Newsome, Tim “Goober” Pettigrew, Phil “Ernest T. Bass” Lee, Kenneth “Otis Campbell” Junkin, Michael “Gomer” Oliver, Bob “Briscoe Darling” Mundy, Christy "Andylina" McLendon and Keith “Col. Harvey” Brown. Many of these talented artists appeared at the first five events.

Also joining the festivities again this year will be the daughter of the late, great Don Knotts, Karen Knotts. She will serve as parade marshal of the two-day event and will present her show “Knott, Knotts, who’s there? Getting to know the man behind Barney Fife" twice during the weekend.

Several other events are planned, including two Mayberry Day parades Saturday, a cruise-in featuring vintage autos and tractors, whistling and trivia contests, a “Salute to Elvis” dinner show starring Wayne Euliss on Wednesday night, May 4. The award-winning bluegrass band Trinity River will perform on the downtown stage Saturday afternoon. Also planned are arts and craft displays, food vendors, silent auction, pancake breakfast and more.

For more information and tickets, visit www.mayberrywestminster.com or call the Westminster Chamber of Commerce at (864) 647-5316.