Imagine a eight -hour long celebration involving
10,000 marches. Add to that pictures, costumes
of slipper satin, with thousands of gold and silver
sequined braid and ostrich plumes and you
experience a festival like none other -- The
Philadelphia Mummers Parade.

The city of Philadelphia  celebrates each New year by turning it's main streets into a magical kingdom of comedy, elaborate costumes, music and revelry
namely The Philadelphia Mummers Parade!

It started in the late 1700's when the Swedes
came to Tinicum just outside Philadelphia; they
brought their customs of visiting friends on
"second Day Christmas." December 26.

Later they extended their period of celebration to
 include New Years Day and welcomed in the
 new year with Masquerades and parades of
 noisy revelers the traditions of other nationalities
 were also present.

The use of mask and other costumes were
 carried over from Greek celebration of King
 Momus [Greek god of ridicule], the Italian feast
 of Saturnalia [Ancient-Roman festival of Saturn --
 a time of unrestrained merriment], and the British Mummery plays.

Most people carried fire arms for protection in
those early days of the commonwealth, and it
didn't take long before pistols and muskets joined
with bells and noise makers  to create the sound
of a new year. Those who "shot in" the new year
became the New Year's shooters and mummers
 of today.

Groups would travel from house to house sing
songs and dance to be rewarded with food and
drink. The practice became so widespread and
strong that in 1808 it was considered a problem
by leaders of early Philadelphia high society.

An act was passed declaring that Masquerades,
and masquerade balls and masked processions
to be public nuisances with treats of fines and
imprisonment. While the celebrations were quiet-
ed they were not stopped, and the law was abol
ished in the 1850's with no reports of convictions.

In the 1870's the nation was recuperating from
civil war, and what had been an uncoordinated
group of neighborhood celebrations turned into an
area wide parade with two main groups of partici
pants: Fancy dress clubs and comic clubs...

Sponsorship by the city of Philadelphia began
with the turn of the century in 1901, and was
followed by the entrance of String bands in 1902

Mummer Divisions
It was not until the 1970's that another group
emerged. The Fancy Brigades separated as a
unit from the fancy clubs. Today the parade
consist of four divisions: the comics, the fancies,
the string bands and the Fancy Brigades.

The Comic Clubs
The Comic Clubs exist to make people laugh and
they are experts at satire. Individuals and groups
dance their way along a parade route making fun of anyone and everything.

Events of the time, TV shows athletes, Hollywood
Stars, national and international  political figures,
none escape the mockery of the comics. Add to
this the traditional clown activity of mayhem, dan
cing and fooling with the crowds and you get a
goon view of their comic division.

A site particular to the comics area large groups of
brigades called wenches coming up the streets
dancing to the tune of "Oh them golden slippers,"
with costumes that resemble colonial dress their
unique three-tiered umbrellas bouncing along in
rhythm with the song.

Comics are judged in various categories of individuals
and groups for their originality  and how well they play
out the theme they have chosen.

Fancy Divisions
The bright and glorious rainbow of colors in the fancy
division follows the simple clown and hobo outfits of
the comics.

Their names reflects their mission, to bring dazzling
display of colors, form and texture to life. Magnificent
in style and beauty their costumes takes one's breath
away.

The fancy divisions are judge on how well they play
out in color and grandeur the traditional fancy dress
theme, i.e., king jockey, trio clowns, handsome trim,
pantomime clowns and even female impersonators.

The captain of each Fancy club competes in a separate category to decide the "Best Dress " of the
clubs captains.

Fancy Brigades
The Fancy Brigade are groups acting as units rather
than individuals in competition. The brigades presents
choreographed  shows with members in elaborate
costumes depicting a central theme.

Staging these presentations that include Broadway
stage like scenery carry on flatbed trucks along the
parade route  and assembled each time the brigade
presents their show has become almost impossible.

The brigades are now judge, indoors at the Pennsyl-
vania convention center, on how effectively and spec-
tacularly they present their portray their chosen theme in costume and performance

Performance in the brigade concentrate on the dance
steps and use a separate group of individuals, not in
competition to provide the music.
 

String Bands
Many parade watchers regards the string bands
division, as the most exciting part of the day. One
element that makes the string bands unique is the
combination of instruments present. Their string
violins, banjos, and string bass; accordions, drums,
a glockenspiel (bells) and many saxophone-alto,
tenor. baritones, and bass are also used.

The bands compete for prizes based on how well
each portray it's selected theme through the categor
ies of music, presentation or show and costumes.

Over time the presentation of the bands have changed
dramatically. In the early years the bands simply
marched in formation pausing to play for the crowds
and judges, later the entire band would add dance-like
steps to the music. Today the influence of Hollywood
and and New York's Broadway are evident in the
presentations.

While the entire band is moving to depict different
scenes of the show. Small groups of three to six
members perform specialty acts in front band  all
working with music and costumes to represent the
chosen theme

Competition is demanding, and the rivalry to be "the
best in the land" is high!... viewers celebrate the start
of the New Year with an experience of excitement and
grandeur  that warms the cold days of Winter for
months to come.-- Mummers Museum
   

 See Information Page for more on 'Philadelphia's Mummers.'