I
Mule Days Again
On ihe Ion weekend in September e»ery yeor Ben-
ion’i Mule Doys celebrolion attrocti participants —
mon ond bcoil — ond spectators from oil o«er Ihc
country.
14
OiH4‘ ilu indling' toward extinction.
\orih Carolina** mule population is
making* ai sptkctncular comrhac'k.
«1/
AW IS W AR l> JACKSON
In 1 949, in the small, sleepy town of
Benson. North Carolina, a man named
Nowell Smith. Jr. conceived an idea
for a festival which he felt would liven
both the spirits and the economy of
Benson. He called the festival Mule
Days and with the help of a livestock
dealer. Willis McLamb. Smith con¬
vinced the Benson Chamber of Com¬
merce that the idea was feasible and
possibly profitable for the town’s busi¬
nesses.
Since that first Mule Days celebra¬
tion. thirty years ago. the festival has
gained such momentum, it is now a
widely publicized four day event.
Thousands of campers with horse
trailers, in tow. roll into Benson,
sometimes days before the event be¬
gins on the last week-end in September
each year. The festival draws partici¬
pants and spectators from all over the
nation.
Competition
The week before the festivities, the
titles of Miss North Carolina Mule
Days, and Little Miss Benson arc
competed for by dozens of lovely girls.
The winners serve in their capacity as
queens by attending the festival and
being on hand to bestow trophies and
ribbons upon the judges choices in the
many categories of competition.
Friday begins the first competition
for the mules, including: pulling, con¬
formation. youngest, oldest, ugliest,
smallest, largest, and even a prize for
the mule that came from the farthest
distance away!
Also on Friday comes the first of a
three-day full-fledged rodeo, a live¬
stock sale, spitting contest and a street
dance which begins at 9:00 p.m. and
lasts until 1:00 a.m.
Saturday begins with a parade at
10:30a.m. through downtown Benson.
Mrs. Nowell Smith, wife of the late
Nowell Smith. Jr. heads the parade as
Grand Marshal. Thousands of festival
goers line the streets in anticipation of
the well organized parade that includes
the best of area high school bands,
exotic floats sponsored by local mer¬
chants. beauty queens in the tradi¬
tional convertibles, clowns, antique
cars, horse and mule drawn wagons
and many other exciting units. Bring¬
ing up the rear are hundreds of horses
and riders. Some are clad in their finest
parade regalia while others ride in
faded jeans. But through them all runs
a ripple of excitement that is height¬
ened by the cheering crowds.
Fulfilled
After a luncheon in Benson’s Sing¬
ing Grove. Saturday afternoon is filled
with the best of bluegrass music and
doggers. North Carolina’s Attorney
General Rufus Edmistcn has become a
Mule Days regular, serenading the
crowd each year with his rendition
of the country tune. "Honky Tonk
Angel!"
Later in the afternoon comes the
Governor's Mule Race, horseshoe
pitching, the second segment of the
rodeo and on Saturday night another
street dance.
Sunday morning is for resting up and
then the Championship Rodeo begins
at 2:00 p.m. and caps off the fourth and
final day of the festival. By late eve¬
ning the campers begin to dwindle. By
nightfall there is little evidence that
such a festival has taken place, except
tire marks where campers parked and
the grass which remains crushed and
trampled in the Singing Grove.
There are thousands of fulfilled
souls returning home, who have par¬
ticipated in an event that is reminiscent
of a simpler life style when man relied
on a living, breathing animal instead of
an impersonal machine.
The success of Benson's Mule Days
can be credited in part to the many
people who make up the Committee.
Through their united efforts, the festi¬
val draws more and more spectators
and participants each year. And. not
THE STATE. September 1981
