FEATURE MOVIES

OLD-TIME MUSIC HERITAGE HALL EXHIBITS

Admission $5 Monday & Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. Friday at 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. Saturday 7:00 p.m., & 9:00 p.m. Sunday 4:00 p.m. & 7:00 pm Call the Information Line at 336.786.2222 Free Monthly Movie Rated G or PG 3rd Thursday 10:00 a.m.

Admission $3 (includes Andy Griffith Museum) Exhibits are open Monday - Friday at 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Saturday at 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sunday at 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

THURSDAY JAM SESSION

Free ~ Weekly ~ Year-Round Every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Bring your instrument and join us!

SATURDAY JAM SESSION WPAQ 740a.m. MERRY-GO-ROUND

Ja.m. Session at 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Merry-Go-Round at 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Admission $5 or 2011-12 Merry-Go-Round Annual Pass $20 or 2012 SAC Season Pass

VOICE OF THE BLUE RIDGE

Every third Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Admission $7 or Surry Arts Council Season Pass Get the full line up of musical guests and more details here

WEEKLY FREE YOUTH FIDDLE AND GUITAR LESSONS

Every Thursday, Year-Round 5:30 p.m. Fiddle 6:15 p.m. Guitar Jimmy Vipperman, Instructor

MONTHLY OLD-TIME DANCE with SLATE MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS

Admission $5 or 2012 SAC Season Pass First Saturday each month at 7:30 p.m. (Break in June for Mount Airy Fiddlers Convention!) Dates and more details here

DOWNTOWN CINEMA CHANGES NAME TO EARLE THEATRE

With the start of its new season, the Surry Arts Council has changed the name of the Downtown Cinema Theatre on 142 N. Main St. in Mount Airy to the EARLE Theater. The name change reflects the expanded scope of the Surry Arts Council's vision for the space along with highlighting the historical significance of the building. Originally known as the Earle many years ago, the theater was built in 1938 by Earl Q. Benbow and Percy A. Boone who also owned the Grand Theater across the street. The cinema gained considerable national attention when it was selected to present the premiere of Shirley Temple's film "Just Around the Corner" in 1938. On March 22, 1940, the cinema hosted one of the southern premieres of "Gone With The Wind." In 1958, the premiere of "A Face in the Crowd," Andy Griffith's first movie, was featured at the Earle. The theater eventually became part of Stewart and Everett Theatres and later Carmike Cinemas. It closed its doors in 1985 and was donated by Carmike to the Surry Arts Council in 1990. After considerable renovations, the Arts Council began showing movies again in 1994. The use of the original name is part of the Surry Arts Council's vision for further expanding the cinema. The theater will house exhibits and artifacts from the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, which is moving from its former space on the lower level of the Andy Griffith Museum. WPAQ's Merry-Go-Round, the second longest-running live radio broadcast in America, will continue to be held in the theater each Saturday from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. along with jam sessions from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. The Voice of the Blue Ridge, a monthly concert with a live radio format, will continue to be held every third Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Movies will still be a big part of the theater with showings each week, and school programs and community events will continue to take place there. The Surry Arts Council also oversees programs at the Andy Griffith Playhouse, Andy Griffith Museum, and Blackmon Amphitheatre.

OLD-TIME MUSIC HERITAGE HALL MOVES TO THE EARLE THEATRE

The Old-Time Music Heritage Hall moves to the EARLE Theatre at 142 N. Main St. in Mount Airy, formerly known as the Downtown Cinema Theatre. The Old-Time Music Heritage Hall opened in 2010 in the lower level of the Andy Griffith Museum with exhibit space, audio guides, and a documentary film of Surry County's most notable musicians. The new move fits with the theater's recognition as a nationally known "Mecca" for old-time music. Every Saturday morning beginning at eleven, radio station WPAQ airs the Merry-Go-Round, the second-longest running broadcast of live traditional music in the nation behind The Grand Ole Opry. Through its broadcasts and archives, WPAQ has greatly contributed to the preservation of American music history. The Surry Arts Council realized that moving the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall would be a natural fit with the traditional music events already hosted at the EARLE Theatre. The Arts Council will focus on centralizing its old-time music and other traditional music events around the theatre, moving its Thursday night clogging lessons, Thursday night jam sessions, and monthly old-time dances to the venue. The new venue for the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall will be equipped with audio guides that will allow visitors to hear the biographies of various oldtime artists whose pictures adorn the theater walls. The lobby will house items and artifacts from Surry County's musical heritage. These additions will be funded in part by a grant from the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. The Old-Time Heritage Hall will be open Monday-Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $3 per person or $5 for those wanting the audio guides. Tickets also include admission to the Andy Griffith Museum and The Siamese Twins Exhibit. Those visiting the Andy Griffith Museum first will have free admission to the new exhibits.