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Grand Marshals of Mule Day: The Mountain Mule Packers’ Inspiring Story

Issue #382

18 Mar

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🌤️ Columbia’s Weather - Partly cloudy w/ high of 73 & low of 53

📰 Grand Marshals of Mule Day: The Mountain Mule Packers’ Inspiring Story

📰 National Weather Service Issues Flood Warning For the Duck River At Columbia

🌷 3/20: Liberty Grace Farms U-Pick Tulip Festival Begins

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Tuesday, March 18th

Wednesday, March 19th

Thursday, March 20th

Friday, March 21st

Saturday, March 22nd

Grand Marshals of Mule Day: The Mountain Mule Packers’ Inspiring Story

Columbia’s Mule Day is proud to welcome the heroic team from Mountain Mule Packer Ranch, whose efforts saved lives during the devastation of Hurricane Helene. When the storm struck East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, causing widespread flooding and destruction, Mike and Michele Toberer and their mules sprang into action, delivering aid to those stranded in remote areas.

Mike’s mule packing career began in Northern California, where he guided visitors through the rugged Sierra Nevada backcountry. For years, his focus was on tourism and hunting expeditions, but everything changed after 9/11. Through military connections, he was recruited to train soldiers in mule packing, preparing them for operations in Afghanistan’s challenging terrain. By 2012, he and Michele relocated to North Carolina to be closer to the special forces teams they were training.

In September 2024, just as they were preparing for another training mission, Hurricane Helene devastated the region, wiping out roads, bridges, and entire communities. With their mission canceled, they turned their focus to rescue efforts, using their mules to reach areas that had become inaccessible. Their work quickly gained attention, and an outpouring of support followed, with volunteers donating supplies, transporting goods, and ensuring aid reached those in need.

Mike, Michele, and their mules will be at Maury County Park on Friday (4/4) and Saturday (4/5), meeting fellow mule enthusiasts and the public. Visitors will even have the opportunity to take photos with the mules that played a crucial role in relief efforts. On Saturday, the team will lead the 2025 Mule Day Parade as Grand Marshals, a fitting tribute to their dedication and heroism.

Join the celebration and give a warm Maury County welcome to these remarkable heroes and their hardworking mules at the 2025 Mule Day Parade & at the Park! 

National Weather Service Issues Flood Warning For the Duck River At Columbia

FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM EARLY THIS MORNING TO EARLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

...The National Weather Service in Nashville TN has issued a Flood Warning for the following rivers in Tennessee...

Duck River At Columbia affecting Maury County.

For the Duck River...including Manchester, Shelbyville, Pottsville, Milltown, Columbia, Centerville, Hurricane Mills...Minor flooding is forecast.

Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.

The next statement will be issued Tuesday afternoon at 1230 PM CDT.

* WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Duck River at Columbia.

* WHEN...From early this morning to early Wednesday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...At 35.0 feet, Flood waters continue to impact areas along the Duck River and adjacent tributaries, including Snow Creek Rd - Hwy 247 at Leipers Creek east of Hwy 50, Martin Dr at Lytle Creek, and Carpenter Bridge Rd east of Sowell Mill Pike.

These roads may be impassable. In Columbia, Riverwalk Park is flooded and water approaches the Tennessee Valley Packing building.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

- At 5:00 PM CDT Monday the stage was 35.2 feet and cresting.

- Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 35.3 feet just after midnight tonight. It will then fall below flood stage Wednesday morning.

- Flood stage is 32.0 feet.

3/20: Liberty Grace Farms U-Pick Tulip Festival Begins

Join us for our 8th annual U-Pick Tulip Festival in Columbia, Tennessee starting March 20th! 

Come and enjoy the beautiful tulips in the most picturesque setting with rows and rows of flowers and colors. New this year, you will get to enjoy a newly built authentic Dutch windmill!

We hope to be open 2-3 weeks but are unable to predict an ending date based on how picked over our fields get during the festival.

Weekeday Admission (Mon.-Fri.):

•$15 per person (5 and under free)
•3 Free tulips with online ticket purchase

Weekend Admission (Sat.-Sun.):

•$18 per person (5 and under free)
•Free hamburger or hotdog with online ticket purchase
•Bounce houses and petting zoo

Get your tickets online at libertygracefarms.com

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Tuesday, March 18th

Def Leprechauns, The Rebel Bar & Grill, 6 PM
Rob Harris, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Wednesday, March 19th

Austin Gray, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Thursday, March 20th

Rhonda Funk, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM
Todd Ciprian, Tito's Spring Hill, 6-9 PM
Murph Ridge, McCreary's Irish Pub, 7-9 PM

Friday, March 21st

Kenny Durham Trio, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM
Josh Keas, Grinder's Switch Winery, 6-8 PM
Tom Saffell & Robert Johnson, McCreary's Irish Pub, 7-9 PM
L'80s Night, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Saturday, March 22nd

Band Masters, The Rebel Bar & Grill, 5:30  PM
Johnny Jameson & The Empty Pints, McCreary's Irish Pub, 7-9 PM
The Road Crew, Puckett’s, 7:30-9 PM
South Bound Crows, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM
Laura Drake, The  Boondox, 8-11 PM

Sunday, March 23rd

Todd Ciprian, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 4-7  PM
Phoenix Rising, The Rebel Bar & Grill, 4 PM
Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

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