Mummer’s Parade 2014

First celebrated as early as the 1800’s, the Philadelphia Mummer’s Parade is truly a Philadelphia tradition.  Join thousands of others—locals and out-of-towners—in watching troupe after troupe of dedicated mummers waltz, dance, sing, and slide by.  If you were curious, a mummer is by definition a costumed reveler and entertainer who welcomes in the New Year.  A tradition that finds its roots in ancient Egypt and Greece, Philadelphia’s own Mummer’s Parade came to be in the early 17th century.  The city officially adopted the party on January 1st, 1901.  These days, nearly 10,000 marchers and mummers participate in the parade, which weaves its way from South Philadelphia to Center City.

The parade’s four distinct divisions—Comic, Fancy, Fancy Brigade, and String Band—wind their way through the city streets; the most elaborate costumes are found on mummers marching in the string bands.  It typically costs around $50,000 to clothe a 64-piece string band! A great amount of time—up to 2,000 hours—is put in to each production, as at the end of the parade, each division is judged to find a winner.  At the end of the parade, mummers are greeted with food and drink—which gives The Rittenhouse a fantastic location from which to join in the ending party! Come see the 2014 Mummer’s Parade and become a part of Philadelphia history.