Mule Days 2024

Mule Days 2024

By Christina Reed
The Hired Pen

It’s a Mule-a-bray-tion!

Eastern Sierra, CA—Get ready. “Stay Calm and Mule On.” It’s the 54th annual Mule Days’ celebration, May 21-26, 2024, at the Tri-County Fairgrounds, and in and around “The Mule Capital of the World.” And, this year’s line-up promises to give everyone an experience of a lifetime.

“It started as a single day of celebration. Promoting tourism.” Today, “We put on a world-class event. With the focus on local. Thirty thousand people attend,” says Donna Bird, Mule Days’ Manager. “Over the past few years, we’ve been working on [our] 501. C. 3 [charitable designation],” Bird explains. She adds, most of the designation process hinged on telling the world, Mule Days is so much more than a mere “small town equestrian show.” And, after five years of contest surveys, and pointing out the “14 different states the contestants come from,” Mule Days was “granted” its 501.C.3 status.

The “heart and soul of Mule Days,” Bird says, is “When a town becomes a team.” And, at the very heart and soul of Mule Days are the events are put on entirely by volunteers of all ages. “We utilize over a dozen youth organizations,” Bird notes. They work the parking lots, they do painting that’s needed, they create the Mule Days’ pins, and they work numerous booths / displays around the many events at Mule Days. In turn, the businesses, residents, and visitors make “large donations” to the local youth organizations, from all over the eastern Sierra. One good turn, deserves another.

Back by Popular Demand, and Then Some
Grab your day packs, big hand bags, and get ready to spend your days at Mule Days. Tuesday, May 21st, it’s All Things English in the show rings; Wednesday, May 22nd, it’s All Things Western in the show rings; Thursday, May 23rd, it’s All Things Assorted, all over the Fairgrounds, and the Chayce Beckham Concert, with Meet and Greet at 6;30 pm, Concert starts at 7:15 pm, in the Charles Brown Auditorium. Friday, May 24th, it’s All Things Packing,” with the Main Arena Mule Show going on at 7 pm.

It’s All Things Parade, Saturday, May 25th, as the world’s largest, non-motorized parade goes down Main Street, at 10 am. Get there early to get the best seats along the parade route. Then, head off to the Memorial Day Arts and Crafts Show, in Bishop’s gorgeous City Park.

Grab your hats, boots, and coats, Saturday, for an all-in afternoon and evening (maybe late if you’re a grown-up) at the Fairgrounds. “Charro on the Road” are the featured performance Saturday, May 25th, with the Main Arena Show starting at 7 pm. Get your seats early, as you won’t want to miss a moment of the grand mule shows, comedy, Kids’ Boot Race (back by popular demand), Bedroll Race (back by popular demand), and Charro, his son and wife, performing a mesmerizing show of horsemanship, showmanship, and awesome skills. Stay up past your bedtime, adults only, for the Saturday Night Dance, with the very, country western, danceable tunes from Justin Lawrence and the Double Average Band, at 9:30 pm, in the Charles Brown Auditorium.

Rise and shine for Cowboy Church, Sunday, May 26th, at 10 am, in the Charles Brown Auditorium. It’s All Things Ranch on Sunday, including the “Dutch Oven Cooking” with Loni Langdon at 9 am, in the Mule Days Riding Corral. May is Military Appreciation Month, and Sunday afternoon’s Mule Show is a Veterans’ Salute at 4;30 pm, Main Arena. Don’t want to miss the Roeser’s 20-Mule Salute (seen on the cover), with their 20 dark, matching pack mules leading with American flags.

Memorial Day Services are on Monday, May 27th, 11 a.m. at the East Line Street Cemetery, and these services are hosted by the V.F.W. Post #8988 (Veterans of Foreign Wars) and the American Legion Post #118. Thank you to those who served in the military for our country, and those who fought and lost their lives in the service for us all.