Welcome 2009 at the Philadelphia Mummers Parade
The New Year Starts with a Bang in the City of Brotherly Love
Nov 30, 2008
The History of the Mummers Parade in Philadelphia reaches back to the Old World and stems from a variety of places. The oldest account of a parade dates from around 400 BC when the Romans celebrated the festival of Saturnalias, and the day was marked by satirical plays performed throughout various cities and gifts being exchanged.
As the parade evolved and took on different names throughout history, it later combined the seasonal celebrations of Finnish, Swedish, Irish, English, German and African-American origin into its Roman roots. More specifically, the parade is thought to have evolved from Mummers Plays, seasonal folk plays that acting troupes put on to entertain villagers. Other theories surmise that the parade tradition stemmed from French and German carnival customs.
Parade Brought to Philadelphia
As the Swedes were among the first settlers to the City of Brotherly Love, they brought with them the custom known as 'Second Day Christmas'. On December 26th it was customary to travel from house to house and spread the joy that overflowed from Christmas Day. Gradually, this single day celebration was extended to last until New Year's Day, and participants began to wear costumes and play music.
On average, the number of participants is somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 each year. The many clubs, (all of whom have labored for a year to get read for this ceremonial strut), are divided into four categories.
- Comic Division
Send in the clowns for this category. Whether they're prancing, shuffling or teasing the crowd, this is the comic relief section where characters swing around multi-tiered parasols, teeter on stilts and amuse the crowd with satirical, yet smaller scale floats, than what will be seen later.
- The Fancy Division
The name says it all. Brigades in the Fancy Division come out in elaborate costumes that would daunt a seasoned Vegas showgirl. With huge plumes of feathers on their backs, thick silver and gold make-up and glitter galore, they bring a sense of otherworldiness to the celebration.
- The String Band Division
The String Bands are the musical heart of the parade. With instruments such as the tamborine, banjo and glockenspiel, (an instrument of German origin that is also know as orchestra bells and resembles a xylophone), this group is often the biggest crowd please. Wearing thematic, gorgeous costumes, the bands' focus is on their costumes and their music, rather than on larger-than-life props.
- The Fancy Brigade Division
What divides the Fancy Division from the Fancy Brigade Division mainly has to do with props and floats. Up until the 1970s, the two groups were one, but the tendency for some clubs to create grandiose props as well as vibrant costumes made it necessary to divide the groups so that judging could be more fair. Since 1998, however, the Fancy Brigade Divison no longer marches in the parade, thanks to their cumbersome larger-than-life props and backdrops, but now perform indoors. Past winners have undertaken such themes as 'India Land of the Tiger' and 'Aliens: A Futureistic Encounter'.
Visitor Info
- Remember, it's cold outside this time of year and in that neck of the woods. Multiple layers is key, especially if the winds are up, as they can whip around corners and blast one in the face with what feels like an Artic kiss.
- Bleacher seating is available and information on that is determined by the Philadelphia Government Recreation Department.
Mummers Parade 2009 Details
- Comics will line up at Washtington to Morris
- Fancies will line up from Morriss to Snyder
- String Bands will gather at Shunk Street
- Fancy Brigades will meet at Oregon Avenue
- The parade starts at 8:50am on 1/1/09
 |
