They’re not zombies. They’re not exactly mummies. But another creature altogether. And for more than 100 years, they come out one day a year, New Year’s Day, much to the delight of the thousands of Philadelphians who line the parade route. If you’re not from Philadelphia, a mummer may need some explaining. The mummers trace […]
They’re not zombies. They’re not exactly mummies. But another creature altogether.
And for more than 100 years, they come out one day a year, New Year’s Day, much to the delight of the thousands of Philadelphians who line the parade route.
If you’re not from Philadelphia, a mummer may need some explaining. The mummers trace their origins back to the 17th century when costumed colonists visited neighbors performing a special dance with a traditional rhyme:
Here we stand before your door. As we stood the year before;
Give us whiskey, give us gin. Open the door and let us in.
These days, revelers wear elaborate costumes and play in string bands hoping to win money awarded to various winners.
Philadelphia viewers can watch this year’s parade, the most consistently watched television event on New Year’s Day, on WPHL, the Tribune-owned My Network affiliate. And viewers from around the world can watch the live streaming of the parade on WPHL’s website.
And this year, WPHL’s subchannel 17.4 will broadcast Mummers Parades dating back to 1995 every day from 6 a.m. to midnight for the four weeks leading up to Jan. 1.
And here’s an excerpt from the 2013 parade.
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