Mud Day attracts thousands to play dirty in metro Detroit

By Emma Tomsich | Special to Detroit Free Press

Hot summer days call for a trip to the swimming pool, but Tuesday, thousands of children from metro Detroit opted to cool off with a mud bath to celebrate the Wayne County Parks & Recreation’s 31st annual Mud Day.

A 75-foot-by-150-foot pit was created in Nankin Mills Park in Westland, then filled with 20,000 gallons of water and 200 tons of topsoil, creating a mass of muck.

Kids were invited to get down and dirty, competing in messy events such as human wheelbarrow races and tug of war.

“Mud Day is for kids to be kids,” said Whitney Lewis, director of communications for the Wayne County Department of Public Services. “They are in delight that they can be messy and dirty and not get in trouble for it.”

Mike Parker and daughter Clara, 8, drove all the way from Monroe to take part in the festivities. Clara Parker came prepared with a swim cap and goggles, ready to slide through the sludge.

“It’s messy fun, and she’s a kid that likes messes,” said Mike Parker. “It was definitely worth the drive.”

Ahmad Hamieh of Westland introduced his daughter Mila, 1, to Mud Day.

“It’s good for her to see other kids and get more social, and it’s good for me to experience this with her,” said Ahmad Hamieh. “It’s going to be a new tradition for our baby.”

Mud Day has become a tradition for all ages and many families, including the Hammond family, who consider it a holiday. Christie, Ralph and their son Corbyn, 16, take the day off work for family fun in the mud.

“I’ve been coming since I was 12,” said second generation Mud Day attendee Ralph Hammond, who was covered from head to toe in mud. “I’m 40 now!”

This year, the event added a bounce house, Italian ice stand and a visit by the Westland Fire Department for cleanup duty.

“Our responsibility is gross decon. Kids go in there and get muddy, and we spray them down just so they don’t have to get their parents’ cars dirty,” said Sgt. Andrew Ellis.

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Wayne County Executive Warren Evans has been involved with Mud Day for about 15 years, working to bridge the gap between the Parks & Recreation Dept. and the community.

“It gives the parks an opportunity to interact with the community, and that’s what we’re here for,” said Evans.

Mud Day! Hines Park, mud, kids. It's a great combination. Take about an acre of mud. Add kids. Hose them down after the fun. What a great day.

As the muddiest day of the year came to an end, Charlie Daviskiba, 3, and Molly Kofahl, 4, were celebrated for being the two muddiest kids, earning the titles of mud king and queen.

Charlie certainly got his hands dirty, camouflaged in mud with a matching mud-hawk.

“Charlie didn’t have a strategy to win,” said his mom Tracie Daviskiba. “He was just having a good time!”

Mud queen Molly was also caked with mud, thanks to the help of her sister, Mackenna Kofahl, who was crowned mud queen last year.

Evans hopes that each parent and child’s experiences at Mud Day will not only bring them back next year, but to the park more often.

“Mud Day is something the kids love to do! It brings them into the park, they see things in the park that they maybe didn’t see before, and they come back for other activities,” Evans said.

Contact Emma Tomsich: ETomsich@freep.com.