Crowds come out for Montana Mule Days

Spectators and participants from all over the Western United States made their Whitehall last week for the Montana Mule Days event.

Tara Price of the Montana Long Ears Association estimated the attendance for spectators through the gate was between 950 and 1,000.

The local event and Montana's only mule and donkey show featured not only halter, packers, equitation and fun gaming classes, but popular events like log pulls and chariot racing.

Bridget Morse with the Whitehall Saddle Club said she thought the event was excellent and there were three days of a lot of people.

"It was wall-to-wall campers, mules, and donkeys. It was a lot of fun because the bleachers were packed most of the days," she said.

While working the gate on Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Morse said there were 236 people who paid to come in.

She added the electricity worked perfect and the recent outlets installed by the public works department allowed vendors to be able to plug in and be on the bleacher side of the arena.

Jefferson County Events Coordinator Bruce Binkowski also lauded the 2017 event.

"I was very impressed with the Montana Mule Days event this past weekend bringing to the area many out of town guests visiting Whitehall for the first time. A big thank you to all of the people who worked hard to make it happen. Putting on an event of this magnitude is a huge undertaking and congratulations to the organizers on a job well done," he said. " These types of events are very important for many reasons including showcasing Jefferson County to people who might otherwise not have a reason to visit. Many out of county visitors attended Mule Days and they spent money for lodging, at restaurants and businesses, creating a positive economic impact on Whitehall and Jefferson County."

The 2017 Montana Mule Days also featured a variety of vendors including Geri Mason, a local resident and owner of the Montana Hat Company.

Mason had been to the event many times when it was located in Hamilton and said it was a big deal to have the event in town.