Mummers Parade: Philadelphia New Year's Day tradition kicks off 2024
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's not New Year's Day in Philadelphia without the Mummers marching down Broad Street. The more than 120-year tradition kicked off Monday with locals strutting into 2024.
Whether strutting down Broad Street or dancing in front of a packed crowd at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the Mummers kicked off the new year one performance at a time.
"It's more about putting on a show for the people," Mike Jacobs, of the Fancy Brigade Association, said. "We get one day to do it and 364 to prepare for it."
CBS Philadelphia was there as clubs with the Fancy Brigade Association squeezed in last-minute rehearsals and finishing touches on their extravagant costumes before taking to the stage.
"It's like cramming in a four-and-a-half-minute Broadway show together, but it takes 12 months to put together," Anthony Stagliano Jr., a Fancy Brigade Association business agent, said. "It's really something to see."
The production value of each club impressed the audience as dozens of stagehands and lighting technicians helped each performance run smoothly.
"It looks like it just takes hours and hours just to do it," Stephanie Gram, an audience member, said.
"All the stagehand union guys that come work, the security for the center and then all the clubs that do all of this work themselves," Jacobs said.
Once the first round of performances finished up, it was time to take the show on the road as clubs went back out on Broad Street before returning to the Convention Center for their final show in front of the judges.
"It's really just for the love of performing and ringing in the new year, really," Jacobs said.
Even though the festivities end Monday, the Mummers said that preparations for next year start during the second week of January.
Mummers Parade winners
- String Band Division: South Philadelphia
- Fancy Division: Golden Sunrise
- Wench Brigade: American
