Storms Can’t Stop Mule Day: Parade and Events Continue as Planned

Issue #399

April 05, 2025

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

☁️ Columbia’s Weather - Cloudy, windy, rain in evening w/ high of 79 & low of 58

📰 Storms Can’t Stop Mule Day: Parade and Events Continue as Planned

👉 Today at 11 AM: Mule Day Parade

📌 Tonight: Mule Day Barn Bash

🚧 Road Closure Notice 

🎵 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!

Saturday, April 5th

Sunday, April 6th

Monday, April 7th

Tuesday, April 8th

Wednesday, April 9th

Thursday, April 10th

📌 Mark Your Calendars…

April 1-6: Check Out Our List of Mule Days Garage Sales!
April 11: Cruisin’ the Co-op
April 19: Columbia Cars & Coffee 

Storms Can’t Stop Mule Day: Parade and Events Continue as Planned

Part of the team from Mountain Mule Packers at Maury County Park

The 51st annual Mule Day officially kicked off Thursday at Maury County Park, continuing its tradition of events leading up to the popular Mule Day Parade on Saturday. Despite rainy conditions earlier in the week, festivities began as scheduled at 10 a.m., featuring crowd favorites like the Mule Day Dog Show, the Classiest and Trashiest Wagon competition, and the Little Miss Mule Day pageant.

After the day’s events wrapped up, severe weather prompted a temporary evacuation of park campers to Columbia Central High School due to a tornado warning. The storm later passed without further disruption.

Emergency personnel remain active across the county, evaluating the impact of multiple rounds of storms, including high winds and heavy rain that swept through on Wednesday night. This comes just days after two tornadoes touched down on March 31, one of which caused significant damage to a home in Mt. Pleasant. Churches across Maury County opened their doors as shelters for those affected.

The Mule Day event continued on Friday as planned. While Saturday may bring gusty winds, rain is not expected until later in the evening, allowing for daytime activities to proceed.

Local officials emphasized that public safety remains a top priority during the event. Emergency operations teams from the Maury County Sheriff's Department and Columbia Police Department are coordinating with the Office of Emergency Management and monitoring conditions from a command center set up at the Ridley 4-H Center.

Saturday’s schedule is packed with events, including the Maury Regional Mule Kick 5K, a craft fair, the knife auction, and the highlight: The Mule Day Parade. Attendees will also have the chance to meet the 2024 Grand Marshal, Mountain Mule Packer Ranch, recognized for their disaster relief efforts in North Carolina and East Tennessee following Hurricane Helene.

Today at 11 AM: Mule Day Parade

If you live in Columbia and haven’t ever been to the Mule Day Parade, can you really call yourself a Columbian?? If this is your first time or your 15th time, we encourage you to get out there with your friends and neighbors and enjoy this community event!

Yes, the Mule Day Parade is still on schedule as rain isn’t expected until this evening.

If you can’t make it to the parade, tune in to WKOM and see the parade Live on their Facebook page.

Roads close at 9 AM
Parade begins at 11 AM

Refer to this map from the Columbia Police Dept. to know where road closures will be👇

Closures and Roadblocks will begin at 9:00 a.m. until approximately 1:00 p.m. Please be aware and take alternative routes. IF THE ROAD IS CLOSED WITH BARRICADES OR AN OFFICER YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO CONTINUE ON. Be prepared by finding alternative routes of travel now.

Tonight: Mule Day Barn Bash

A Spectacular Americana Celebration featuring David Phelps!

We are excited to join the nearly 200 year old celebration of Maury County’s Mule Day! Enjoy the Mule Day Week festivities and parade – then head over to The Barn at The Phelps Farm for a spectacular night of music, friends, and fun! At 6:30 the concert begins in The Barn. David and the band prep a great concert special for this Americana Celebration with special guests.

David Phelps was part of the Gaither Vocal Band from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2017. Phelps has won twelve Dove Awards (with the Gaither Vocal Band), is a four-time Grammy Award nominee and has had several platinum-selling projects. His recent album Classic has aired on PBS. In 2019, Phelps' song "Catching Santa" from his 2018 album It Must Be Christmas was featured in an advertisement for Google's Pixel smartphone.

🚧 Road Closure Notice 🚧

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will close a portion of Carters Creek Pike (SR 246).

Starting Thursday, April 3, at 8:30 a.m., crews with Eubank will fully close SR 246 from mile marker 0 to Les Robinson Road (SR 247) until 2:30 p.m. This closure will occur daily through Wednesday, April 9, and a detour will be in place, routing traffic to Dr. Robinson Road and Beechcroft Road. Additionally, intermittent lane closures will occur daily on SR 246 from mile marker 0 to mile marker 9.67. These closures are necessary for milling and paving operations.

As always, drivers are reminded to slow down, allow for extra time for travel, and move over when traveling through a work zone. The Move Over Law was passed in 2006. The penalty for violating the law in Tennessee can be up to 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of up to $500.

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Saturday, April 5th

Jason Passmore, Maury County Park - Main Stage, 11 AM
The Sun Bodies, Maury County Park - Main, Stage, 12 PM
MFT, Los Swamp Monsters & Chris Turner, Rebel Bar &  Grill, 12 PM
Nick Bentley, Grinder's Switch, 12 PM
Crossbridges, Amber Falls Winery, 3-7 PM
Clayton Q, Maury County Park - Main Stage, 4 PM
Ryan Keeler, Buck and Board, 5-8 PM
Alyssa Turner, BAD Bakery, 5-7 PM
Savannah Kirby, Maury County Park - Main Stage, 5:30 PM
Cord Martin, The Mulehouse, 7:30 PM
Karly & James, Puckett's 7:30-9 PM

Sunday, April 6th

Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

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