The first time they met, he chased her around his pool in San Fernando Valley. The second time they met, they became lifelong friends.

John Huston actually played a small part in Ava’s breakout role in The Killers, having adapted the Hemingway short story to screenplay with Anthony Veiller. But it was their work on The Night of the Iguana that brought the two Hollywood legends together. Ava said of the film that it was the "start of my relationship with John, one of the greatest and most enduring friendships of my life, one that lasted until the day he died."

They later worked together on other projects, including The Bible and The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. "The director I trusted most of all was John Huston. Working with him gave me the only real joy I’ve ever had in movies," recounted Ava in her autobiography Ava: My Story.

To celebrate their friendship, the Ava Gardner Museum will offer "Buy One, Get One Free" admission Thursday, August 5th – John Huston’s 104th birthday. Visitors only need to mention that it is John Huston’s birthday to receive this special discount.

The Night of the Iguana will be shown during the 2010 Ava Gardner Festival, scheduled for October 8-9, which marks the 10th anniversary of the Ava Gardner Museum.

Activities scheduled during the Ava Gardner Festival include the Gala on Friday evening, October 8, when the Museum’s newest exhibit, Ava on the Small Screen, will be unveiled. Items from Ava’s television projects The Long Hot Summer, Harem, A.D., and multiple appearances in the television series Knot’s Landing will be featured.

On Saturday, October 9th, heritage tours will be scheduled throughout the day.  Visitors will be shown points of interest in Ava's hometown, including　Ava's birthplace, the Teacherage where she grew up, the Howell Theater where Ava first went to the movies, and will end with a visit to her gravesite at Sunset Memorial Park. Heritage tour passes are $10 per person.

During the Festival, the classic Ava Gardner films The Barefoot Contessa and The Night of the Iguana will be screened at the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield during the afternoon of Saturday, October 9th. That evening at 7:30 PM, the musical Show Boat will be screened at the Neuse River Amphitheatre, 200 Front St., Smithfield Town Commons. All film screenings are free to the public.

For accommodations, two local hotels are offering special Ava Gardner Festival discounts. The Best Western Smithfield Inn (919-989-4047) is offering a special rate of $64.00 + tax and the Sleep Inn & Suites of Smithfield (919-209-2360) is offering a 15% discount on rates. Call the hotel directly and mention the Ava Gardner Festival to take advantage of these special discounts.

For more information about the festival, including Festival Package rates, please call the museum at 919-934-5830.

Each year the Ava Gardner Museum celebrates Ava's life and career by hosting the Ava Gardner Festival.  This annual event includes heritage tours, screenings of classic Ava Gardner films, and special exhibits. 　

This year’s festival will kickoff during the Ava Gardner Festival Gala on Friday evening, October 8th and will continue Saturday, October 9th from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.  The 2010 Ava Gardner Festival marks the 10th anniversary of the Ava Gardner Museum.

On Saturday, October 9th, heritage tours will be scheduled throughout the day.  Visitors will be shown points of interest in Ava's hometown and will end with a visit to her gravesite at Sunset Memorial Park.　

The Little Brown Jug

The Little Brown Jug, located at 100 West Market Street, has long been THE corner bar in Downtown Smithfield.　 Earlier this year there was a threat that The Little Brown Jug may be torn down for the new bridge to be built over the Neuse River, but thankfully, the distinctive building was saved. Jack Gardner, Ava's brother, built it in the 1940s.

Howell Theatre

The Howell Theatre, located at 141 South Third Street, was built in 1922 by Mr. Rudolph Howell as a one-screen cinema, seating approximately 600 movie-goers. It was built in the heart of downtown Smithfield, NC, becoming an integral part of the downtown business community.

In 1932, Ava's mother, Mollie, took Ava to see Red Dust starring Clark Gable and Jean Harlow at the Howell Theatre in downtown Smithfield. Little did Mollie or Ava realize that Ava would later star with Gable in the successful remake of this picture: Mogambo.

Ava Gardner’s Birthplace

Ava Gardner was born at 740 Avenue Road in the Grabtown area of the Brogden community southeast of Smithfield. As a toddler, she climbed out onto the porch roof and had to be coaxed back into the house with the promise of a bowl of peaches. Today the home is owned by the Allen family and is their residence.

Brogden Teacherage

From ages 2 to 13, Ava and her family lived in the "teacherage"---a boarding house for young lady teachers at the local Brogden school.　 Jonas Gardner labored as the caretaker and Mollie Gardner served as the cook for the residents of the house.　 The Gardners lived here until effects of the Great Depression forced the Teacherage to close.

In the early 1980s Dr. Tom Banks saved the Teacherage from being demolished, and operated the first Ava Gardner Museum within this building during the summer for nine years.　 Located at 7209 Brogden Road, this home is owned by the Wayne White family and is their residence.

Sunset Memorial Park

Ava Gardner requested that her remains return home to be laid to rest along side her parents and siblings. Ava’s gravesite is located one mile from the museum, at the intersection of Highways 70 Business and 210.

Heritage tour passes are $10.00 and will be available for purchase October 8th.

For accommodations, two local hotels are offering special Ava Gardner Festival discounts. The Best Western Smithfield Inn (919-989-4047) is offering a special rate of $64.00 + tax and the Sleep Inn & Suites of Smithfield (919-209-2360) is offering a 15% discount on rates. Call the hotel directly and mention the Ava Gardner Festival to take advantage of these special discounts.

For more information about the festival, including Festival Package rates, please call the museum at 919-934-5830.　

Each year the Ava Gardner Museum celebrates Ava's life and career by hosting the Ava Gardner Festival.  This annual event includes heritage tours, screenings of classic Ava Gardner films, and special exhibits. 　

This year’s festival will kickoff during the Ava Gardner Festival Gala on Friday evening, October 8th and will continue Saturday, October 9th from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.  The 2010 Ava Gardner Festival marks the 10th anniversary of the Ava Gardner Museum.

The Ava Gardner Museum is offering a special Festival Package for Two for $99 that includes: access to the Festival Gala, festival-long museum admission, heritage tour passes, and movie tickets to all films. Purchasing the Festival Package is a savings of more than $30.

The Ava Gardner Festival Gala, scheduled for Friday, October 8th, is an exclusive event with a guest list held to only 150 attendees. The Museum will unveil its newest exhibit, Ava on the Small Screen, allowing attendees of the Gala to be the very first to see the new exhibit. Items from Ava’s television projects The Long Hot Summer, Harem, A.D., and multiple appearances in the television series Knot’s Landing will be featured. This exhibit will run through the end of May 2011.

On Saturday, October 9th, heritage tours will be scheduled throughout the day.  Visitors will be shown points of interest in Ava's hometown, including　Ava's birthplace, the Teacherage where she grew up, the Howell Theater where Ava first went to the movies, and will end with a visit to her gravesite at Sunset Memorial Park.　

During the Festival, the classic Ava Gardner films The Barefoot Contessa and The Night of the Iguana will be screened at the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield during the afternoon of Saturday, October 9th. That evening at 7:30 PM, the musical Show Boat will be screened at the Neuse River Amphitheatre, 200 Front Street, Smithfield Town Commons.

For accommodations, two local hotels are offering special Ava Gardner Festival discounts. The Best Western Smithfield Inn (919-989-4047) is offering a special rate of $64.00 + tax and the Sleep Inn & Suites of Smithfield (919-209-2360) is offering a 15% discount on rates. Call the hotel directly and mention the Ava Gardner Festival to take advantage of these special discounts.

For more information about the Ava Gardner Festival or to take advantage of the Ava Gardner Festival Package, please call the Ava Gardner Museum at 919-934-5830.