What daughters of Andy Griffith and Don Knotts say about Tennessee Mayberry Lucy Days

“The Andy Griffith Show” and “I Love Lucy” are iconic television programs with an enduring comfort food-like quality for many that will soon come to life in Jackson County.

Mayberry Lucy Days will be held April 12-13 in Historic Granville – a vintage village set up as a community museum with a number of historical attractions already branded as “Tennessee’s Mayberry Town.”

But the Mayberry Lucy Days festival is all about the shows named for Andy Griffith and Lucille Ball and their characters. Around 3,000 people attended last year's festivities and this year's fourth annual event has planners expecting about 4,000.

“It’s becoming known,” Granville Museum – Historic Granville President Randall Clemons said about Mayberry Lucy Days, which draws people from all over Tennessee and outside the state.

“People are happy at these events,” said Dixie Griffith, daughter of Andy Griffith, who returns this year to participate in the festival. “It’s a wonderful way to honor my dad’s memory, to be part of something that meant so much to my dad and to thousands of people.”

Karen Knotts, daughter of Don Knotts, known for playing Barney Fife in “The Andy Griffith Show,” is part of this year's expansion and will attend Mayberry Lucy Days for the first time.

“My dad’s character was just magic,” Karen Knotts said. “He was hilarious, but he was vulnerable, too, and I think men really relate to Barney Fife in a special way. In a way, he was picked on. He let the audience see that hurt and tried to compensate for it.

“Andy Griffith was the one who kept the integrity of the show. No matter how funny a joke was, if it wasn’t true to any character it had to be thrown out.”

Insights into the shows will also be provided by Keith Thibodeaux, who played Johnny Paul Jason on “The Andy Griffith Show" and Little Ricky on “I Love Lucy” as well as Dennis Rush, who played Howie on “The Andy Griffith Show” as part of the schedule.

A Mayberry Dinner Theater on April 11 kicks off Mayberry Lucy Days.

The number of tribute artists has also grown with characters who play Andy, Barney, Floyd, Opie, Aunt Bee, Otis, Gomer, Mr. Darling, Lucy, Ricky and more doing reenactments. A number of contests are scheduled.

Both daughters will be doing segments with stories and memories. Karen Knotts does standup comedy with her touring show, “Tied up in Knotts!”

For more information, visit www.granvilletn.com or call 931-653-4151 or 931-653-4544.

Schedule highlights

Thursday, April 11

5:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.: Mayberry Dinner Theater – “Floyd the Deceiver” and “Alcohol & Ole Lace.” Reserved tickets are $35, including the dinner and play.

Friday, April 12

10 a.m.: Opening Ceremony – A Mayberry Good Morning.

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: A Walk About Mayberry – Visit the Ten Venues of Historic Granville.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Take a Little of Mayberry Home with You – craft booths, shops and artisans.

11 a.m.: “Floyd’s Two-Chair Barber Shop performed by Allan Newsome and Randy Harris.

11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Lunch in Aunt Bee’s Dining Room at Sutton Genera Store featuring a meat and three plus dessert at Bluebird Café Restaurant and Counter and sandwiches at Sutton General Store.

11:30 a.m.: “Opie decides to keep Aunt Bee.”

Noon: “Nip it, Nip it in the Bud.”

Noon: Stories & Memories of Andy Griffith by Dixie Griffith at Granville United Methodist Church (tickets $5 each).

Noon and 2:30 p.m.: “The Best of the Musical Hillbillies.”

1 p.m.: “I Love Lucy Memories” (tickets $5 each).

1-3 p.m.: Play the “I Love Lucy” Slot Machine – five minutes of free play. Top score each day wins a prize.

2 p.m.: Stories and Standup with Karen Knotts at Granville United Methodist Church (tickets $5 each).

2:30 p.m.: “Memories from Wally’s Service Station.”

3 p.m.: “Under the Lights with Little Ricky” (tickets $5 each).

5:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.: Mayberry Dinner Theater – “Floyd the Deceiver” and “Alcohol & Ole Lace.” Reserved tickets are $35, including the dinner and play.

Saturday, April 13

9 a.m.-5 p.m.: A Walk About Mayberry – Visit the Ten Venues of Historic Granville.

9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Take a Little of Mayberry Home with You – craft booths, shops and artisans.

10 a.m.: “Flashbacks of the Andy Griffith Show” by Mayberry tribute artists.

10 a.m.: “Stories & Memories of Andy Griffith” by Dixie Griffith at Granville United Methodist Church. Tickets are $5.

10 a.m.-noon: Play the I Love Lucy Slot Machine at the I Love Lucy Museum. Five minutes of free play.

10:30 a.m.: “Opie decides to keep Aunt Bee.”

10:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 2 p.m.: “The Best of the Musical Hillbillies” at Pruett Stage.

11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Lunch in Aunt Bee’s Dining Room at Sutton Genera Store featuring a meat and three plus dessert at Bluebird Café Restaurant and Counter and sandwiches at Sutton General Store. Hamburgers, hot dogs and barbecue sandwiches will be served at Mayberry Event Center.

11 a.m.: “Memories from Wally’s Service Station.”

11 a.m.: “Under the Lights with Little Ricky” featuring Keith Thibodeaux, who played Johnny Paul Jason on “The Andy Griffith Show” and Little Ricky on “I Love Lucy,” and Dennis Rush, who played Howie on “The Andy Griffith Show.” Tickets are $5.

Noon: Reminisce with Griffith & Knotts; Dixie Griffith and Karen Knotts at Granville Methodist Church. Tickets are $5.

Noon: “Nip it, Nip it in the Bud.”

1 p.m.: “I Love Lucy Memories” (tickets $5 each).

1 p.m.: “Floyd’s Two-Chair Barber Shop.

1:30 p.m.: Mayberry squad cars from across the nation to compete. Awards at 2:15 p.m.

2 p.m.: Stories and Standup with Karen Knotts at Granville United Methodist Church (tickets $5 each).

2:30 p.m.: Lucy Look-A-Like Contest, Chocolate Candy Wrapping Contest and Vitameatavegamin Commercial Trials.

3 p.m.: Keith Thibodeaux in concert at Presbyterian Church. Tickets are $5.

3:30 p.m.: Mayberry Lucy Day Parade.

5 p.m.: “Wrap it Up: Mayberry – Lucy Grand Finale. Dinner and best moments by actors, family and tribute artists in progressive event with programs at four locations. Each group is limited to 75. Tickets are $40.

Unless otherwise specified, tickets are $7 per person. Ages 6-12 are $5, and children 5-under are free. Some designated events require a separate ticket.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Daughters of Andy Griffith and Don Knotts to be at Mayberry Lucy Days