Learn About Mule Day In Columbia, TN

Mule Day is an annual celebration held in Columbia, Tennessee, in honor of all things related to mules. Previously known as “Breeder’s Day,” Mule Day was established in April 1840 as a meeting for mule breeders. On that day, mule farmers would bring their animals to the market to show, buy, and trade. The Breeder’s Day provided an opportunity to conduct the important business of exchanging mules, which were in high demand as work animals. Today, even though tractors have largely replaced mules, the celebration draws more than 200,000 people and spans four days from Thursday to Sunday.

The Mule Day celebrations include a variety of exciting events and attractions. In addition to mules, you can enjoy traditional Appalachian dishes, music, dancing, and crafts. The fun festivities also include everything from a liar’s contest to a chili supper to a parade. Depending on the day you visit, you might also see a mule-driving contest, a crafts festival, a square dance, or even a lumberjack competition. If you plan to be in Maury County for Mule Day celebrations, you can expect to enjoy the following activities.

Wagon Train

The famed wagon train kicks off the Mule Day celebrations, arriving at Maury County Park on Wednesday after traveling across Tennessee. Line up on Lion Parkway with other spectators to see the mule-drawn wagons arrive and to get into the festive spirit.

Mule Day Parade

In 1934, Mule Day began holding a parade on Saturday to attract more people. Other activities have been added over the years to make the celebration more interesting. The parade involves hundreds of local people participating as spectators, some riding mules and others in mule-pulled wagons. People can also enter floats in the parade to compete for prizes. The procession normally winds through downtown Columbia starting at 11 a.m. and progresses west on West 7th Street. If you attend the parade, be sure to wave at the Mule Day Queen, her court, and other local pageant winners.

Mule Shows

As you would expect, these celebrations include a variety of exciting mule competitions. Make sure you have a schedule of the events ahead of time. Examples include:

• Log pulling competition judged by the crowd.
• Mini mania show, in which mules that are around 40 inches tall pull wagons and navigate obstacles.
• Jackpot mule races to crown the Fastest Mule in Tennessee.
• A driving show that demonstrates how well mules work.
• A riding mule show with classes such as barrel racing and Western pleasure.
• Mule pulling championship to determine which team can pull the heaviest load the longest.
• Gaited mule state championship of this uniquely bred, smooth-gaited type of mule.
• Skillington draft mule show, which judges these massive mules on their good looks.

Mule Tales Liars’ Contest

The Liars’ Contest involves competing individuals telling interesting but conniving tales about mules. Stories must be no longer than five minutes, and the individual who tells the funniest, farthest-fetched tale earns the title of best liar in town.

The contest gives storytellers the opportunity to not only present their creative skills but also win cash prizes. The winnings are normally sectioned between adults and students for a fair competition. The Liars’ Contest typically starts at 7 p.m. on Friday and takes place at a local high school auditorium.

Mule State Auctioneer Contest

Tennessee and its surrounding areas are known to have some of the best auctioneers in the business. Watching them in action as they sell items to live bidders can be exciting. Individuals in the auctioneer contest advance through several rounds to get the coveted championship. Check the schedule to find exact times and locations for each round.

Pancake Breakfast

Nothing beats a good breakfast, especially from a place known to make some of the best pancakes in Tennessee. Before attending the parade or going to Maury County Park for the festivities, stop by the Memorial Building for the Culleoka Lions Club Pancake Breakfast. Here you can enjoy a delicious and hearty meal from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Even better, all proceeds from the pancake breakfast go to Lions Club programs that help the blind and visually impaired.

Mule Day Art and Crafts and Flea Market

While attending the Mule Day celebrations, make sure you stop by the Arts and Crafts and Flea Market. The Arts and Crafts area consists of vendors selling pottery, ironwork, woodwork, and more. In the Flea Market, you will find items such as ladies’ accessories, games, toys, and Western apparel. Both run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Charity Knife Auction at Mule Day

If you’re a knife collector, check out the knife auction, in which a select number of special edition Mule Day knives go to the highest bidders. Each year since 1979, a new type of knife and design has been unveiled. The knives are boxed, etched, and given serial numbers, and the money received goes to different local charities.

Music and Dancing in Columbia, TN

If you love music, you’re in luck. The Mule Day celebrations contain plenty of live music and entertainment in genres ranging from bluegrass to hillbilly. You can attend live music shows from local talents like Tony Malugin, Katie Stewart, and Logan Blade. Saturday evening is a particularly fun night of singing, line dancing, and two-stepping. Gospel singing and performances take place on Sunday after the 9 a.m. worship service on the Main Stage.

Now that you know all about Mule Day, you can have immense fun celebrating these hard-working animals and the culture and society surrounding them. Make your experience worthwhile during the Mule Day celebrations by engaging in as many activities as possible. To add to your enjoyment, drive around Maury County in style with our 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD or any other model that impresses you from our Stan McNabb Chevrolet Columbia’s inventory.

Have we left out any of your favorite activities during the Mule Day celebrations? Feel free to let us know what we should include on this list!