2009, October 10, 29th Mule Day Will Have New Events

Saturday's Mule Day will see two new mule events

There's something about mules that kids really love, and much of Saturday's Mule Day will be aimed at entertaining, informing, and amazing children.
New mule events including a mule pull and a mule race are expected to add to the fun Saturday at the 29th annual Mule Day Southern Heritage Festival.

The event will open at 10 a.m. Saturday and run to 4 p.m. at Callaway Plantation on Highway 78, rain or shine. Admission is $5 a carload.

"We should have quite a few more mules than in years past," said mule czar James Callaway, "including three of my own. We have a specially made pulling sled for mules, so we'll have a mule pulling event, and we're going to have a mule race in the arena if we have enough entrants."

"We really feel we've returned to the Mule Day of old when it was so popular," said Carol Cartledge, who is organizing the event for the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce. "With the return of Ricky Callaway's wonderful old tractors and equipment, and all the mules and mule events arranged by James Callaway, everybody says we'll see a real return to the way Mule Days were in the past."

More than ever before, she said, visitors can see primitive craft demonstrations including apple coring and peeling, blacksmithing, butter churning, candle making, chair caning, hand corn shelling, tomahawk throwing, hand spinning, log hewing, rope making, plowing, quilting, soap making, sorghum syrup making, weaving, and wood shake making.

"You'll be able to participate in select primitive demonstrations," she said. "And docents led by Debra Denard will be giving tours of the homes of Callaway Plantation, and four camps of Sons of Confederate Veterans will be on hand, too."

There will be displays of antique engines, tractors, cars, chainsaws, hand tools, muzzle-loading rifles, and Native American arrowheads. There will be a sawmill, a shingle mill, a grist mill, and a tar still.

"In addition to our mule events, we'll have a pumpkin patch, hayrides, storytelling, historic home tours, arts and crafts, and delicious food," she said. "And as always, we'll have Mule Day t-shirts for sale."

Weather permitting, the Young Eagles and the Washington Kiwanis Club will sponsor free airplane rides for children at the Washington- Wilkes Airport. The day's children's activities are sponsored by First United Methodist Church of Washington. "For entertainment, we'll have Sylvia Walker of Rayle and the Southern Influence Band," she said.

There will be programs and lectures on honey and beekeeping, sheepdog herding, and turkey calling.

Wilkes CountyTourism Director Ashley Barnett said that the Mule Day festival is the work of many hands. "Mule Day would not be possible but by the help of so many people, including the Boy Scouts of Troop 33, Hubert Bailey, Keith Bailey, Shari Bryson, James Callaway, Ricky Callaway, the City of Washington, the DAR, David and Deborah Denard, Tanya Fair, Mark Davis, Kathy Dinnewith, Mike Dyches, Lewis Hall, Geoffrey Hill, Mary Lodwick, Louise McClearen, Tim Miller, Jeff Murphy, G.B. Newsome, the Washington Rotary Club, David Russell, the SAR, Lois Soerster, David Vanhart, Tyler Verdery, and Billy Walker. This is a real community event, and I hope everyone comes out to enjoy it!"
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