Mule Day Wagon Train arrives to warm welcome at Maury County Park

The mules have arrived in Columbia, signaling the official start of this year's Mule Day festivities.

Several riders, drivers, campers and vendors began to show up in anticipation for Columbia's biggest week, with crowds of spectators showing up Wednesday to watch the Mule Day Wagon Train make its way down Hampshire Pike and into Maury County Park.

Mule Day's traditions date back nearly 200 years, when Columbia was known as the top mule trading post in the world. The festival was later revived in 1974 after taking several years off due to World War II.

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Though Thursday marks the start of this year's events and competitions, Maury County Park was abuzz with activity Wednesday, from campers setting up their sites for the week to organizers making any of the necessary final touches.

Mule Day's first few days are also marked with the opportunity for visitors new and old to reunite, share stories of Mule Days past and what it is they are looking forward to this year. It was also a time for some of Mule Day's original founders of the festival's 1974 revival to reflect on those early years, and just how far Mule Day has come in nearly 50 years.

"The first year was very difficult, because none of us really knew what we were doing," Harvey Spann, one of the original organizers, said. "We had some good people to help, really energetic people that wanted to help. Anytime you start a new endeavor, there's going to be a learning phase, and that's what we all had to do."

Spann added that although Mule Day has experienced its share of ups and downs over the years, returning for the second year since the COVID-19 pandemic is very exciting, and he looks forward to seeing returning faces, catching up with old friends, and possibly making a few new ones.

"We've had some green years, some of which we're still working to recover financially," Spann said. "What's great is that there is a family atmosphere with the people you meet at Mule Day. You won't see them for a year, and so it's always nice to see them again, like visiting with family you haven't seen in a long time."

Mule Day is also the type of event to attract visitors from all over the world, from places like Georgia, California, Alabama and other countries.

John Kougher of Ohio said he has been bringing his family to Mule Day for 10 years. As someone who raises multiple mules, Kougher said coming to Mule Day is a celebration of how reliable and tough the animal is on the farm, but like many, he loves the atmosphere and seeing the people most.

"We have about 18 mules back at the house and we do mule races, and I used to pull mules," Kougher said. "I've quit pulling, but we still come down here to do everything. This is a great, family-oriented thing, and we just love messing with the mules. It's why we keep coming."

Other first arrivals spent the afternoon either on horseback or riding in old-fashioned covered wagons, getting the lay of the land with their animals, watching vendors and RVs set up their sites for the week, as well as wait in anticipation for the Wagon Train's arrival.

Phillip Brasfield of Lynnville, who has been coming to Mule Day for more than 30 years, caught up with The Daily Herald as he was leading his two mules, Kate and Nail, through the park's grounds. Like most other Mule Day veterans, one of the big highlights is seeing old friends, saddling up the mules and having a week of fun times and celebration.

This is especially true when he gets the chance to welcome friends to Mule Day for the first time.

"A lot of my friends come every year, and I've got a few friends that are coming here Thursday and Friday to ride," Brasfield said. "That's basically what we do these days. And they've never been here before, but have heard about it."

And as with most years, sometimes the biggest surprises lie in the weather, which can often be completely different from day-to-day, or even hour-to-hour.

"Sometimes it'll be raining, or too cold, and I hear there might be some flooding Friday evening that could roll over into Saturday," Brasfield said. "I like for it to be pretty like today, because that's when a lot of people like to go out and watch everything."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Mule Day: Wagon Train arrives to warm welcome at Maury County Park