It’s almost Thanksgiving so that means Christmas is here. The beloved local winter attraction Winterhaven is going to make some ethical changes to its wagon rides this year. The official website says the winterhaven wagons will be “mechanized” and the mules have been forced in to retirement.

Simply put, it is time we decide whether the wagons rides should continue with mules at the front or is it time to convert to vehicles out of respect for the safety of those on our wagons, people walking around in winterhaven, and our mules. We love our mules. We love having them in winterhaven. We love promoting the beauty and work ethic of the mules. We love advocating for their amazing talents by driving them in winterhaven. However, as heartbreaking and disappointing as it is, we believe that change is inevitable.

Will you guys support this effort of change towards a safer Festival of Lights? We believe so! We have faith in you! The Food Bank has faith in you! Still, the biggest question of all is will we be making the right choice? Will we be able to sleep at night?

I know I will…

But I’ll cry a little for the winds of change…. Julie…

I applaud this change and hope to make it out this year because I have never experienced the magic that is Winterhaven. My family would make the trip but give up because of the long wait and traffic. It makes me feel better knowing that no animals will be forced to haul me around for my amusement.

This article appears in Nov 7-13, 2013.

9 replies on “Winterhaven is Coming, And There Will be Changes.”

  1. Oh brother!
    I can’t wait for the lion to lay down with the lamb eigther, but reading the comment “It makes me feel better knowing that no animals will be forced to haul me around for my amyusement” is a bit on the shallow thinking side. I’ll take the mules over the exhaust thank you.

  2. “…make some ethical changes to it’s wagon rides …”

    its the pronoun is the correct word, not the contraction of it is.

    Auto E.

  3. Sounds like they were coming up with a lot of lame excuses . Why not say “I don’t want to do this anymore” and just stop all of it. I am sure there are other places that would welcome the people to go on old fashioned rides around the neighborhood to see the lights.

  4. It’s (see what I did there?) the car exhaust that keeps me out of Winterhaven lately.

    On the other hand, mules are not without their exhaust problems either. On balance, though, I’d prefer to see fully employed mules, full employment becoming such a rarity these days.

  5. I love the tags on this article. I think its a smart move – there is so much congestion between the animals and the humans running around. i always thought it was a bit overwhelming and scary – both as a walker and a rider.

  6. If you say that 15 feet on either side of you is not enough room or safe enough then maybe people should ask their mom and dad to teach them to walk on the sidewalks or on the rightmost side of the street next to the curb. We live in the southwest not the midwest! Why change the ways of the environment of the event now. Horses burros donkeys mules whatever you want to call it, makes this event what it is with the old southwest feel. I think what it is is the owners of the carts and animals didnt make the money they expected and therefore gave in!

  7. Just as Tucson is quickly going to Hell in a hand basket some nimrod pulls this crap (surely meant as a pun…not to mention the increase in traffic and noxious fumes
    Gee…why don’t they use the manure left by the mules to fertilize their “precious” grass. (Insert vision of Gollum caressing his “precious” ring. AUGH!

  8. Mules have been around for a long time. Mostly they are bred as work-animals and as the article mentions, have an excellent work ethic. I think that without demand for mules as work-animals there will be little rational for breeding them, since most people prefer horses for riding.

    We need to figure out how to reduce the risks and let them continue to be present at the event. There are children, even here in Tucson, that will never see a live mule outside of Winterhaven.

    btw: The animal in the picture is a donkey -half a mule.

  9. I am glad the mules get a break. Just in case anyone was wondering…it is not New England and 6 feet of snow all around-get out and walk-enjoy your desert Christmas 🙂

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