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Mule Festival Just Around The Corner

It is once again time for the Clark Co. Mule Festival on September 20th, 21th, and 22st, 2013. It will be the 28th annual. This event is held at the Clark Co. Fairgrounds outside of Kahoka, Missouri, located in the northeast corner of Missouri. On this weekend, this community event will entertain us with mule shows, crafts, flea markets, coloring contest by our area children, trail rides, and a rodeo. This event, brought to you by the non-profit Mule Festival committee is held to bring enjoyment to people of all ages, bring commerce to our community, and give our state animal lovers a chance to show off their mules. Food and camping is available. The main gate is a cost of $2.00 per person for a commemorative button or band (10 yrs and under are free) for a weekend of entertainment. So come join this unique opportunity for a fun time.

 

This year’s Mule Festival will open on Friday, September 20th with the vendors opening at 8:00 a.m.. A Fish Fry will be held at suppertime, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., by the Fine Arts Booster Club in the 4-H Pavilion near the entrance to the fairgrounds. The Friday night entertainment will start at 5:30 p.m. with the Mule Polo. This event is held in front of the grandstand. Anyone wishing to participate and be on a team should sign up at 5:00 p.m. under the announcer stand. Also on Friday night following the Polo match will be team penning and roping. For more information contact Becki Krueger . All mules MUST have a current Coggins test and current health papers if out of state.

 

Saturday will begin with a trail ride, meeting at the north end of the infield and leaving at 7:00 a.m. Sunday’s ride will leave at 6:45 a.m. at the north end of the infield. These rides are open to horses and mules, but all must have current Coggins test to enter grounds and 30 day health papers if out of state. Expect anywhere from 100 to 200 mules and horses to be there. It is a 2 to 3 hour ride south of the fairgrounds. Ralph and Mary Ann Plenge are in charge and may be contacted for more information.

 

The Mule show on Saturday will begin about 10:00 a.m. At this time the Clark Co. High School Marching Band of Kahoka, Mo. Will open the festivities by preforming several songs. The flag presentation will follow along with the Grand Entry of mules. The band will play the national anthem. The Mule Show will start on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. with our Mule Grand Entry. Events in the shows are held at random. Some of the events are Back-to-Back, Dumb Waiter, Dotty Parton race, Mule Jumps, tack on a trailer, pantyhose race, musical tires, monkey in a tree, coon hunter race, pick up race, and maybe a surprise event. Some Sunday events are the costume contest, halter class , mule pull at noon, and the arena race at the end of the day. Linda Chockley will be back to entertain the crowds as our clown, as she has in the past years. There is no entry fee for participants. Participants must register under the announcer stand for a number and contestant prize drawing. Hand made trophies and ribbons are awarded. For more information contact Mike Schantz and Becki Krueger.

 

Church service will be held on Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. by the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys. Service is held in the grand stand.

A free contestant prize drawing will be held on Saturday and Sunday to thank our many riders who come every year to provide us with laughter and memories. Prizes are donated by local and national businesses who support the Festival. For more information on the drawing or you would like to donate, contact Mary Rhodes.

 

The Rodeo is our most popular event. It is held on Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. , first come first serve accommodations. There will be a balloon release before the Rodeo for MIA and POW by the Kahoka VFW Ladies Auxiliary to commemorate National MIA and POW week. Next will be the presentation of flags. Some rodeo events will be Bulls – 16 and over, Steer buck out, Bareback Mule riding, Steer Dogging, Women’s Barrel Racing, Girls – 15 and under- barrel racing, break away roping, wild cow catch, and team penning. Books will open at 2:00 p.m. under the announcer stand until 4:00 p.m. A number of clowns will be available for entertainment and the safety of the riders. Contestants will be limited to the availability of the livestock. Contestants 17 and under must have parental consent and 18 and over need picture ID. 100% payback will be awarded to the winners. Entries are open to the public at a fee. For more information contact Mike Schantz.

 

Another main attraction of the Mule Festival is the crafts. These open on Friday at 8:00 a.m. till evening and Saturday and Sunday at 8:00 a.m. in the big craft barn. About 23 crafting businesses will be there to display  and sell a variety of items such as plastic or canvas crafts, quilts and rugs, wood crafts, metal art, baskets, ceramics, wildlife pictures, mule drawings(pen and ink), home made jewelry, homemade soap, other hand made items, and elk sticks. There are lots of neat thing to buy! For more information call Jamie Edmondson and Tina Sedore who are in charge of inside crafts.

 

Other outside vendors at the Mule Festival carry a variety of items such as new and used tack, t-shirts and sweatshirts, hats, flea market items, radios/stereos, decals, belts, health products, Watkins products, knives, yard ornaments, antiques, jewelry, horse shoe gifts, , personalized signs, rodeo hat company, a hot tub vendor, custom leather making, and a trailer salesman. Also several not-for-profit organizations will have booths to raise money for their good works. About 40 vendors will be available. Jamie Edmondson and Tina Sedore are available for more information.

 

Many different kinds of food will be served at about 16 different food booths at the Mule Festival. A full breakfast will be served on Saturday and Sunday starting at 6:00 a.m. Other kinds of food there are honey and candies, tenderloins and fries, shaved ice, corn dogs, funnel cake, kettle corn, tocos, walking tocos, desserts, plate lunch meals, char-broiled rib-eye, chicken breast and butterfly chop sandwiches, home made ice cream, hamburgers, mini donuts, pork rind, strawberry shortcake, and a variety of pop and other drinks. For more information contact Jamie Edmondson.

 

The Mule Festival is also having again the young mule, saddle, and quilt raffle. The young mule raffle chances will be sold at the saddle booth. The saddle is a Dakota brand saddle with a 16 inch seat and dark in color. The saddle was purchased from Nick Reed . The quilt is a queen size, multi colored quilt . You need not be present to win. Tickets for the quilt ( viewed in the office)and the mule and saddle will be sold in the office . Saddle tickets will be sold also across from the office at the saddle booth. For more information contact Wendal & Alice Smith. Winners of the mule, saddle, and quilt will be announced on Sunday afternoon.

 

The Mule Festival Committee will be hosting a 50/50 raffle held on Saturday day.

A Mule coloring contest for the area Clark Co. Elementary children will be held prior to the festival. A funny mule will be colored by the kids, displayed in the office, and judged the week of the festival. Ribbons will be awarded. For more information call Kathy Williams.

 

A children’s mule events will be held on Friday or Saturday afternoon. Look for it!

The Mule Festival has many kinds of souvenirs to be sold at the Main Office. A new design will be offered on the hats, T-shirts, and sweatshirts, and a new Commemorative button design. There will be cookbooks and other small items for sale. For more information call Doris Courtney.

 

Also at the main office will be a historical booth containing memorabilia of past Mule Festivals. Articles and pictures, as well as, past T-shirts, hats, and trophies will be there to see. A video of the first 10 years will be there to watch on TV. If you have any Mule Festival memorabilia you would like to display contact Debbie Logsdon.

 

Camping is available on the grounds and fees will be collected at the front gate. NO reservations. Camping fees will start the first day you park on your spot and is a first come first serve bases! Campers may start setting up on the Sunday before, Sept. 15 at noon. No roping off. Electricity and primitive is available for a fee, may need also an additional electric cord. Please bring a fire ring. Electricity will be turned on the weekend before. For more information contact Kathy Williams or Mary Rhodes. There will be sewer clean out during the week end for a fee. Sign up at office. The infield race track is reserved for livestock and their owner. Some stalls are for rent, for more information call Becki Krueger.

 

Randy Mc Daniel and Debbie and Bill Conger – “Relay for Life” Cancer Society will be selling buttons at the front gate on the weekend. The Future Farmers of America students will help with day time parking. Night time parking and transport will be provided. Parking will be down the old drag strip and in the new field west of fairground . The Kahoka Middle School will help with trash pick up. Handicap port-a-potties will be available as well as other potties over the grounds. Handicap parking is available if asked for. No mules or horses are allowed on vendor alley and not allowed outside the grounds after dark. There is a quiet time after midnight . No ATV’s will be allowed except for official Mule Festival vehicles and Handicap carts(which must have official permission and a sticker upon arrival).

 

This year looks to be the best one ever with calls from all over the mid-west. For more information check our web site at Hope to see you there to make some new friends, new memories, and have a good time. Happy trails.

mule fest