January 1, 2004

Mummers Parade

Posted by ryan at 11:23 PM in urban . | 2 Comments

Unless you live in Philly you probobly have never heard of the Mummers. On New Years day about 15,000 mummers participate in a day-long parade / competition. Had I not been nursing a hangover for most of the day I would have liked watching more of the parade, I did catch a bit of it late in the afternoon today.

  • About 15,000 Mummers perform in the parade. $395,000 in prizes will be awarded which is small fraction of the cost of costumes which can cost several thousand each.

  • Mummers tradition dates back to 400 BC and the Roman Festival of Saturnalias where Latin laborers marched in masks throughout the day of satire and gift exchange. This included Celtic variations of "trick-or-treat" and Druidic noise-making to drive away demons for the new year. Reports of rowdy groups "parading" on New Years day in Philadelphia date back before the revolution. Prizes were offered by merchants in the late 1800's. January 1, 1901 was the first "official" parade offered about $1,725 in prize money from the city.

  • The Mummers parade is a celebration of the New Year but is serious business in Philadelphia. Clubs work on the costumes and practice all year for their one day in the sun (...wind, rain or snow). There are many lively discussions over the scoring by the judges and adherence to the complicated set of rules the marchers must follow when being judged. String Bands are judged on their musical presentation as well as the costumes. Seeing and hearing a String Band performing live in the parade is a one-of-a-kind experience.

  • Comic clubs tradition from ancient Greek god Momus who was the personification of mockery, blame, ridicule, scorn, raillery and stinging criticism. Momus was expelled from heaven for his/her criticisms and ridicule of the gods. The comic clubs continue to raise controversy over these themes they use in the parade that make fun of current issues and news stories such as issues involving religion, ethnicity, and feminism. Many Mummers parade controversies over polices, such as the exclusion of women and the use of black-face, lasted many years.

  • The outdoor parade was postponed in 2003, the first time in 13 years . There have been 22 weather-related postponements since 1922. There was no parade in 1919 due to WW1 and in 1934 due to the depression and the lack of prize money.

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    Comments

    I could use a mummer about now.

    Posted by: villageidiot at January 3, 2004 2:06 AM

    Local city traditions are important to the vitality of cities, even/especially if they involve dope and boobs.

    Posted by: Anonymous at January 3, 2004 3:30 PM