MOUNT AIRY, N.C. — Thursday kicks off the 25th annual Mayberry Days. Thousands of fans of The Andy Griffith Show, some from around the world, are expected this weekend to celebrate anything and everything Mayberry.

“We planned our vacations around it to come down here for Mayberry Days every year,” said Darrel Miles, who loved the event so much he and his wife moved to Mount Airy eight years ago and opened Mayberry on Main. “[Mayberry Days] gets bigger every year.

“There are a lot of new people who have never been here before and we get a lot of the same people who’ve been coming since day one.”

The couple’s store has everything for Andy Griffith Show fans, who they’ve noticed isn’t confined to just one generation.

“We thought we knew the show fairly good, but we don’t even know it compared to these younger kids and they really study it.”

Organizers believe the growth in new, younger fans comes down to fans of the show simply passing on their love of the 1960s hit show to their children and grandchildren.

“It’s existing to see all the tourist come in,” said Mount Airy resident Ashley Cooke, who believes the show, safe for kids to watch, is why more parents are turning it on for their kids. “I love that the younger generations are growing into it.”

For a complete list of events visit mayberrydays.org.