Unfortunately, personnel limitations prevent us from covering Millington as much as we would like. But when we get there, well things can get — shall we say — a bit unusual.

Last weekend, reporter Michael Waddell ventured to North Shelby County for the International Goat Days Festival, a fall staple of the Millington events calendar for more than three decades.

And as the lineup of fall festivals around Shelby County goes, Goat Days fits as one of — if not THE — most unique.

“Goat Days is a little weird, and people like that stuff,” Frankie Dakin, Millington’s city manager, said of the event.

That pretty much sums it up.

Certainly, other festivals have their unusual events, such as the Running of the Weenies featuring waddling dachshunds at the Germantown Festival. And in Millington, the goats have served as the featured attraction, nowadays gathering at the Ed Haley Sports Complex.

For Goat Days, the awards are given for things like Goat Yoga and Best Dressed and the Goat Beauty Pageant. You won’t find those honors handed out at other festivals.

It has been a while since I ventured out to Goat Days, but the annual festivities did seem like more of a community/country atmosphere, from vendors to awards. Perhaps that is what made the whole thing an attraction for 34 years, back when Babe Howard started the goat gathering. Babe was one of those colorful characters of the past who ran the telephone company and was known by just about everyone in North Shelby County.

The longevity of Goat Days is based on family fun, a simplistic approach and just a dang good time. And a nice event to plug into the many fall festivals.

“It’s mostly about celebrating community and getting out and enjoying yourself,” Dakin said.

But I still wonder if the downward dog yoga pose becomes downward goat at the Millington event.

— Suburbs editor Clay Bailey

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