Hope everyone survived the New Year festivities! A good time all around here at the Casa du Borghese. Another one in the books, and another delish Pork and Sauerkraut dinner. Don't worry if you didn't partake... I ate enough to bring us all good luck in the New Year. Of course, the other tradition was the Philadelphia Mummers with their literally, all day and night parade, which didn't disappoint. It's become a tradition each New Year's Day what with living in Bucks County for those 24 years, and before that my uncle lived in Philly, so we'd see the parade then when I was a wee one. Wouldn't be New Years Day without seeing the parade or hearing, Oh Dem' Golden Slippers. It started in 1901 and is now the longest running folk parade in the US but has ties in one form or another way back to President George Washington who carried out the official custom of New Years Day calls during the seven years he occupied President's House in Philadelphia. It was then that 20-30 Mummers went door to door shooting and shouting and adapting little stories with music. Eventually in the 18th century going pub to pub demanding free ale. But in 1901 is when it became a first official parade, we now see, with its first string band. And while there are women in the Mummers, it still blows my mind that many of these mummers are straight males...longshoremen, doctors, mechanics, craftsmen, contractors, lawyers, electricians and union workers... that they will prance down the city streets in full on theatrical make up, and decked in sequins, plumes, feathers, beads, jewels, and all things shiny, and very detailed I may add, and put on choreographed dance and string band performances that are nothing short of Broadway production numbers. Not to mention all ages from a year old to some in their 80's, with 3 and 4th generations of families involved. Long Live the Mummers I say!
Duffy String Band is always one of my favorites. This year their theme was Where the Wild Things Are. Their Captain Jake Kudrick is only 17 and took over at the age of 11 when his father passed away. I can recall him being on the news when I lived in Bucks County, and in tears talking of his father's passing, so quite amazing to see him still in the reigns and growing up before our eyes.
Looks like fun! Who doesn't like to dress up and act a fool once in a while?
ReplyDeleteApparently, Trump does it 24/7!!! Oh shit. Oh shit!!!! Well, my not swearing and not being mean lasted a whole day.
DeleteHey, it ain't mean if it's true! LOL.
DeleteVery flashy!
ReplyDeleteI used to read Where the Wild Things Are to my daughter every evening before she went to bed.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember it being staged in an arena for a few years, good to see it's back out on the streets where it belongs.
ReplyDeleteStill is! The final part of the day, The Fancy Brigades, from 8-11:30pm is held inside the Convention Center. These are the most elaborate of costumes and sets.
DeleteSuch a marvelous tradition! My blogging buddy Anne would have been strutting her stuff yesterday with the Two Street Steppers (I believe her crew is called).
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I think Anne Marie knew her. I think she said she was either in the wench, comic or fancies divisions.
DeleteThat looks like so much fun. It's like Mardi Gras, except no one is flashing the girls for beads.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this. That’s one parade I would LOVE to see in person... in VIP seats!
ReplyDeleteC'est magnifique, une belle tradition en Philadelphia.
ReplyDeleteEscalade à Geneva, Carnavals Nice et Rio et la Mardi-Gras à la Nouvelle-Orleans ferait mieux de se méfier des Mummers.
Philadelphia est une ville historique et magnifique et son hôtel de ville est l'un des plus beaux du monde.
-Beau Mec à Deauville
Je suis d’accord avec vous sur l’hôtel de ville de Philadelphie. C’est l’un de mes bâtiments préférés pour l’architecture quand je vivais à proximité dans l’ombre de Philadelphie. Et le spectacle de Mummers est assez difficile à battre. Êtes-vous allé à Philadelphie ??
DeleteAccording to Wikipedia the Philly parade "... traces back to mid-17th-century roots, blending elements from Swedish, Finnish, Irish, English, German, and other European heritages, as well as African heritage. The parade is related to the Mummers Play tradition from Britain and Ireland.... [in the UK] mummers and "guisers" (performers in disguise) can be traced back at least to 1296, when the festivities for the marriage of Edward I's daughter at Christmas included "mummers of the court" along with "fiddlers and minstrels"... Jx
ReplyDeleteIt looks spectacular, by the way! Jx
DeleteTalk about a fun day with bangles, bugles, and beads and copious amounts of the drink!!!!!
DeleteQuite the spectacle as parades should be!
ReplyDeleteWhere The Wild Things Are is one of my all time favorite childhood books!! I had also heard that although Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is more well known, that Philadelphia also has the oldest Thanksgiving Day parade. Some of the youth in my church's youth group went to represent their school in it. And so I watched it on television. Quite impressive. I hope to find out where it is televised here in Columbus to watch it again.
ReplyDeleteYour correct! Phailadelphia does indeed have the oldest Thanksgiving Day Parade. Gimbels sponsored it and the Santa at the end of the parade would leave the float, from what I understand, and climb up a ladder and into a window into Gimbels. ( Where it was "believed" he would decorate the store and have it ready for Black Friday shoppers.)
DeleteAnd Happy New Year JM!!!!!!
When we lived on the Main Line we went to see the Mummers almost 8 or 9 years in a row, otherwise we watched it on tv. Love seeing the parade, and right your, this is no small flash in the pan parade. They go ALL OUT! I caught t this year too. And the story of Jake Kudrick is amazing. The youngest captain in the whole history of the Mummers I understand. I recall quite well when he was 12 and took over, and remembering his late father. I had tears. Touching.
ReplyDeleteEveryone in these pictures looks like they know how to have fun
ReplyDeleteIt really is one of the most fun and lively parades I've ever seen.
DeleteIt is theater, masquerade, a chance for even straight men to fly their freak flag.
ReplyDeleteTundra Bunny here...
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun parade -- love all the costumes and theatrics! And a tradition to rival the Rose Bowl Parade -- I'm surprised it's never been televised and aired in Canada. Mummers still go house to house in some of the outports (small fishing communities) over the Yuletide season in Newfoundland, but they visit neighbours in disguise for Screech (moonshine) instead of money as was the tradition in England.
I had no idea that the Mummers stretched as far up!!!! Who knew?!?!
DeleteWow! We don't have anything so fun like that here! I didn't know Philly could be such a fun and brightly outfitted place! Great pictures! Happy New Years, darling!
ReplyDeletePhilly is one of the friendliest cities I think, and they are always up for fun in that city I swear.
Deleteso colourful parade! 👏👏👏👏👏
ReplyDeleteSuch color! I too love a hotel esp. if there is a sense of adventure of fateful encounters and happenings.
ReplyDeleteWell, I wouldn't know about having encounters in hotel rooms.
DeleteADORE Betty Boo! My new year's eve was nice... we went out early and I bought drinks and apps for everyone. Included was an area talent agent who heard me play and sing the night before at a four hour cocktail party. I had a blast and she took a liking to me... really likes my original songs. We'll see. But, not holding my breath... (learned long ago to breath through my nose!) Kizzes
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a fun night! And good on you!I love to hear your happy hour offerings...or if you'd rather breath through your nose..... I knew you'd love Betty Boo!
DeleteHappy New Year! I even caught the Mummers Parade up here! What a spectacle!
ReplyDelete