Quick! National Mule Day is here and you are running out of time to come up with creative ideas to celebrate! Don’t worry, there are some wonderful party ideas and creative tips to put you in the right direction. First let’s go over some interesting facts about this wonderful hybrid!
1. A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. The offspring of a female donkey and male horse is a hinny.
2. October 26, 1785 marked the arrival in America of a Spanish donkey, specially requested by George Washington to breed American mules…
3. …the donkey was named Royal Gift and was a present from the Spanish King Carlos III.
4. The date of National Mule Day was officially proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan on the 200th anniversary of the gift, October 26, 1985. (Boy do I remember this day!)
5. A horse has 64 chromosomes and a donkey has 62. Mules and hinnies end up with 63.
6. A male mule is called a john or horse mule; a female mule is called a molly or mare.
7. Mules are almost always infertile but very rarely female mules have been known to give birth.
8. In Morocco in 2002, a donkey was introduced to grass the first time in his life. Locals feared it signaled the end of the world. In Albania in 1994, it was blamed on the spawn of the devil.
9. Aristotle was worried by the mule’s inability to reproduce as it contradicted his view of what constituted the essence of a species.
10. Around 1950, Muffin the Mule became the first toy marketed under license after TV appearances.
To celebrate National Mule Day or Mule Days with a bang, check out mule enthusiasts that already have been there, done that. Remember, these are mule competitor professionals; only pull off what your skillset will allow, or you will make a donkey of yourself.
First be aware that the dress code is rather flamboyant; the more creative your costume, the more fun you will have. Silly straw hats with mule ears attached will you define the mood for your mule days party, or you could go all out and dress in the full mule costume! Don’t skimp on your wardrobe because you don’t want to get lost in the crowd! While you’re at it, go ahead and dress up your donkey!
Every mule festival will include a group of weekend warriors that will try their athletic skills at dare devil events such as, mule chariot racing and yes, a roman helmet is required! A mule hitched to a home designed chariot vehicle, racing to a barrel pattern while at full speed, you won’t get that on ESPN!
The mule races on a dirt track is breathtakingly serious, just sit and watch! Of course, watch the race in style while sipping on a Kentucky Mule!
Kentucky Mule Recipe: Ingredients – 2.5 oz bourbon, 5 oz ginger beer, 1/2 oz fresh lime juice, Lime wedge and mint for garnish. Directions: Add bourbon and lime juice to Moscow Mule mugs with ice, fill with ginger beer; garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a lime wedge.
No party is complete without the real-deal-mule or at least an inflatable one. I truly believe no life is complete without a mule, fuzzy, plastic or otherwise. This mule inflates to over six feet! An air compressor would be ideal for inflation or have a friend go with you to air up at a gas station, strap it down in your pickup truck … or hang on to your donkey while driving the convertible back home. Happy National Mule Day everybody!!!!
