77th Annual Mule Days Brings Crowds To Benson

BENSON — Large crowds and pleasant weather helped make the 77th annual Benson Mule Days a busy four-day celebration this past weekend.

The annual festival ran Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 24-27, with activities held throughout downtown Benson and other areas of town.

Mule Days included carnival rides, live music, rodeo events, mule competitions, vendors, family activities and the traditional Saturday morning parade.

Crowds lined Main Street Saturday morning for the Mule Days Parade, one of the signature events of the annual festival. The parade featured a variety of entries and drew spectators from across Johnston County and surrounding areas.

Throughout the weekend, visitors also gathered at Chamber Park, the Benson Singing Grove and other festival locations for entertainment and activities.

Benson Police Chief Greg Percy said the event was largely uneventful from a law enforcement standpoint despite the large number of visitors.

“The 77th annual Mule Days Festival was blessed with great weather and lots of attendees,” Percy said. “From a law enforcement perspective, it was largely uneventful, with only a handful of incidents over the four-day event.”

Percy also thanked the agencies and personnel who assisted Benson Police during the festival.

“The Police Department appreciates how friendly and respectful everyone was, and as Chief, I’d like to say a sincere thank you to all the agencies, officers, and Telecommunicators who helped make this a safe and fun event,” Percy said.

Mule Days has been a longtime Benson tradition and remains one of the town’s largest annual events, drawing visitors to the community for a weekend centered around its agricultural heritage and mule tradition.

Benson Area Chamber of Commerce Director Loretta Byrd said an official attendance estimate was not yet available because the Chamber was waiting to receive counts from the Johnston County Visitors Bureau.

Byrd said, however, attendance “greatly surpassed” the past few years.

She said this year’s Mule Days parade included 120 registered entries, along with an additional 150 to 200 horses and mules that rode at the end of the parade.

According to Byrd, it was the largest Mule Days parade in 15 years.

“This year’s Benson Mule Days was truly one for the record books,” Byrd said. “Blessed with beautiful weather, festival-goers packed downtown Benson for an unforgettable weekend. The signature parade delivered a historic turnout as our largest in 15 years, while both night rodeos completely sold out.”

Byrd said local businesses also benefited from the large crowds. She said brick-and-mortar stores reported stronger sales than in recent years, nearby hotels reached peak occupancy, and designated campsites and RV hookups had filled months in advance.

The large number of visitors also increased traffic at local gas stations, convenience stores and along major travel routes, Byrd said, extending the economic impact beyond Benson into other areas of Johnston County and surrounding communities.