Spectators watch as mules pull covered wagons through the street during a previous Mule Day parade.

One of the biggest, most unique local festivals is set for Saturday in Calvary. The Calvary Lions Club will lead a annual celebration of mules and agriculture.

Calvary, an unincorporated community, is home to only about 200 people. During Mule Day weekend, however, the population swells to 60,000-90,000. Keep in mind, this is not counting the mules.

Activities for the day a parade with mules, horses and antique tractors; contests and all-day entertainment with gospel groups and cloggers; more than 450 arts and crafts exhibitors; sling shot shoot; petting zoo; kids zone;, visiting the flea market; cane juice and syrup making; and grinding corn meal.

All proceeds for the event will go to Lions Sight programs and local charities.

The Mule Museum that contains historical documents, photographs and farm items from the past 300 years will also be open for guests. It is a place where the history of Calvary can be learned through pictures and other items in the museum.

The museum is housed in one of the original buildings and was moved to the Mule Grounds as a permanent home. 

Friday features the Mule Day Kickoff, which begins at 5 p.m. with a chicken pilau dinner, an auction in the Mule Show arena at 5:30 p.m. and entertainment (stage one) at 7 p.m.  Events for Saturday begin at 6 a.m. with a Sunrise Breakfast, invocation and national anthem at 10 a.m., parade at 11 a.m., and a mule show at 1 p.m.

Mule Day is to celebrate the mules significant contribution to the area’s agriculture. Calvary’s Mule Day began in 1973 when the Lions Club wanted to hold a festival to celebrate how mules shaped the southern United States.

To make Mule Day a safe and fun environment, the Lions Club asks that visitors follow a few rules:

• No alcoholic beverages on the Mule Day grounds

• Dogs will not be permitted on the grounds

• Unofficial 4-wheelers, golf carts and similar types of vehicles are not allowed on the Mule Day grounds

• Questions or assistance while on the grounds can be obtained from the Information Booth located at the main entrance to the Mule Day grounds.

For additional information on the parade and mule show, visit the web site at www.calvarylionsmuleday.com.