The John A. Walker Center: A Cultural Gem of Wilkesboro

The John A. Walker Center: A Cultural Gem of Wilkesboro

For almost 40 years, the Walker Center has served as a cultural hub in the middle of Wilkesboro. As part of Wilkes Community College’s mission to enhance the quality of life of our area through “community development through a variety of services, cultural activities and recreational opportunities,” the auditorium and events center opened to the public in 1984. Since then, the stage has played host to many great performances, from big-name country music stars such as John Michael Montgomery and the Oak Ridge Boys to tribute bands of greats such as The Beatles and Elvis to Broadway musicals, magic shows, dance troupes and more.

It's easy to take for granted the cultural gem the Walker Center is for a town the size of Wilkesboro, but it is something we here in Wilkes County are proud to have in our community. Where other small towns are limited to community theater productions and concerts from local schools, we have the opportunity to see high-level entertainment of the caliber of bigger cities such as Charlotte or Raleigh, without the high ticket prices or the hassle of travel.

Making it All Happen

Each season the Walker Center brings a great line-up of entertainment to the town of Wilkesboro, and this year was no exception. The 2021-22 slate of shows included:

The Haggard Brothers with EmiSunshine

Dailey & Vincent’s Christmas Show

Jimmy Fortune

The Return -- Beatles Tribute Band

The Platters

The Beat Goes On

With additional feature shows of:

Ernie Haase and Signature Sound

Travis LeDoyt with Presley Barker Opening

The process of getting to this final line-up is the end result months of planning and preparation. Tabitha Hudler, director of the Walker Center, begins planning each season about a year in advance. In the fall she and her team go to conferences along the east coast where various groups and artists come to showcase their work. In addition, there are booths to talk with agents and meetings with other community groups to corroborate on pricing and route schedules.

Hudler takes into account a variety of factors when deciding who to invite to Wilkesboro. “We are very lucky to have a dedicated customer base in our season ticket holders, and I definitely keep them in mind when thinking about who to invite to perform,” Hudler says. “For example, music shows and Broadway performances play well in our area.” In addition, Hudler looks at the timing of shows, the other cities where performers will be working, and budget considerations when making the decisions on what will be part of each season.

The Walker Center is a member of the North Carolina Presenters Consortium, which helps improve the leverage of attracting some of the big-name acts. “We often work together to get better pricing and better routes, because the artist has the opportunity to play at more venues within a short timeframe,” Hudler says.

Once Hudler has her list of hoped-for shows, she puts together a presentation for the committees that play a role in making the final decision. With their approval, Hudler starts the process of making offers and filling out the calendar of events. “It’s like putting together pieces of a puzzle at that point, figuring out what times are available for them and us and trying to get a schedule of events for the season that will work for everyone.”

Luckily Hudler is talented at putting those puzzle pieces together, and each year the season full of shows at the Walker Center bring a variety of music, dance, drama and sometimes comedy and magic to Wilkesboro.

Reaching Out to the Kids

In addition to the regular season shows and special feature shows, the Walker Center also plays host to a season full of school shows. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic halted the offering of these shows for a couple of seasons, but plans are in the works to get it back live for the 2022-23 school year, building on the three-decade long tradition of entertaining the kids of Wilkes County.

The school shows bring artists and performers in for curriculum-specific entertainment for kids in groups according to grade -- K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-7. Each grade level has the opportunity to see two shows per year, one in the spring and one in the fall, for a low cost of admission of under $5. “We work with officials from Wilkes County Schools to find performances that will complement what the kids are learning each year, and many of the artists also build study guides so the teachers have a way to enhance the learning from each field trip,” Hudler says. “These shows provide a great way for Wilkes Community College to enhance its cultural reach in our community by providing arts and entertainment to an audience who many times wouldn’t have these types of opportunities available to them.”

Hudler herself was a beneficiary of these school shows, having grown up in Wilkes County. “I remember going to the Walker Center when I was a student at Traphill Elementary and being so excited to see people performing for us up on stage. Now I get to be a part of that from the organizer’s perspective, and it’s one of my favorite parts of my job. I love when the kids come in, it’s so much fun to talk with them, hear their comments, and get their perspective on the shows.”

More than an Auditorium

In addition to live performances, the Walker Center’s facilities provide a great local venue to host corporate events and training sessions, weddings, receptions and reunions. The facility is equipped with tables and chairs, moveable wall partitions for flexible meetings space and audio-visual equipment and production services. An on-site chef also provides catering options with a full menu from breakfast to dinner and snacks for break-out sessions.

“Having this facility available is a big draw for companies looking to expand operations to the Wilkesboro area,” Hudler says. “Recently we’ve hosted events for Wilkes Chamber of Commerce and ECMD.”

The events and shows hosted at the John A. Walker Center draw audiences from Wilkesboro and beyond. “People travel from all over to see shows here, from as far away as New York and Florida,” Hudler says. “I think we’re really fortunate to have this place. It’s not only a great way to bring culture to our community, but also to introduce our great community to other people and encourage travel and tourism for the shows we present and all the other great activities in the Wilkesboro area.”