The Mummer’s Parade is a Philadelphia New Years tradition dating back hundreds of years. It is a day of music, costumes, and strutting (the dance mummers do while pumping an embellished umbrella up and down) made possible by countless rehearsal hours from the Comic, Wench, String Band, and Fancy Brigades.
Traditionally, Mummers hail from South Philadelphia (2 Street), but their base and performance topics are broadening. Take, for example, two groups who took Saturday’s parade as an opportunity to call attention to some hot button environmental issues.
Comic troupe the Vaudevillains NYB were awarded a 5th place prize for their performance of Philly Phantasy Phorest in which hydraulic fracture in the Marcellus Shale was played out by a natural gas drill and a forest of pink zebras, vibrant trees, caterpillars, birds, and William Penn on the back of a unicorn.
The Venetian NYA of the Murray Comic’s performed a BP themed bit to Earth, Wind & Fire in which all manner of the elements temporarily succumbed to “Big Profit Oil.” The day is saved of course, and the strutting continues.
Thanks to the 2010 Mummers for the sequins, the strutting, and the green mummeries.
