Wow! This is a parade like no other. What an interesting and unique way to spend the first day of a New Year. Something to experience for sure. The costumes. The enthusiasm. The music. The people. The energy. Wow. Growing up in Massachusetts, I remember watching this event on television. Though it is no longer available to view on TV in my area, it can be streamed online which is just as good. This became a bucket list item for a loved one so when the opportunity arose to make this trip happen, I jumped on it. So glad we could take part in this long-standing Philadelphia tradition. Entering into this experience with casual interest, I left floored by how entertained I was throughout the day. Wenches, Comics, String Bands, Fancies, and Fancy Brigades. I had a whole culture to learn about and immerse myself in. Interested in catching the live performances, I bought $20 stands tickets and claimed a spot early for the best views (the rest of the parade route is free but I was on vacation! Why not splurge!). From 9 AM until the late afternoon and early evening this parade dances down Broad Street. Come prepared! I experienced snow, sun, and varying temperatures throughout the day. It's outdoors in January after all! Honestly, I'm not sure my review can do this procession justice. If I lived in the area, I would absolutely join in with this institution. If you ever find yourself in downtown Philadelphia on New Years Day, check. this. out. read more

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The Mummers Parade! Oh what fun this parade was. We finally had a chance to watch this great parade which had a long history in the City of Philadelphia. Lots of community pride in display. We enjoyed seeing all the pageantry and dedication that these people have. Lots of fun talking to people who come every year to this wonderful event. read more

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Visiting from the West Coast. Bought grandstand tickets online. Seats were okay for watching each performance however they were off center, to the left of the performance area. Parade was fun but several hours long. String bands were closer to early afternoon. Fancy Brigade Finale is outstanding but pacing between performance was too long due to TV broadcast. read more

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It's PHILADELPHIA HISTORY good, bad and all, it's what we do! It's a parade of great pageantry, themes, music fun and tradition. Once on Broad Street regardless if its hot, cold or it's simply not your 'thing' you can't help but stop look and be part of the action. I commend all of the hard work put in all year long practicing their steps to be synchronized as one and designing the costumes. The dancing and elaborately decorated 'floats' are my favorite. Almost every neighborhood or Philadelphia region is represented. Each group struts, THE MUMMER STRUT down Broad Street with the pride of all being the best. read more

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I can't say I'm the Mummers Parade's number one fan, but it does draw me back every year for a day of debauchery and lawlessness. You can drink right next to police officers and they won't bat an eye. Tradition is considered here more than diversity, and I think that's something that really needs to change with the times. The parade only seems to cater to certain demographics which really doesn't correlate with the actual city's population these days. I wish it could be a more inclusive celebration. Like many in the area, I grew up attending this parade. My family is the classic multi-generational South Philly Irish/Italian mix (my full name is super Irish but I'm really mostly Italian), so I was one of those kids who loved going to the parade with my parents. By my teenage years, I lost interest in attending or watching it from home, but five years ago I was corralled into visiting once again. Talk about nostalgia overload. This year especially was a lot of fun. Unlike the last few years, it was fairly mild outside, so I spent most of the day stopping by the parade between bar hopping and rest breaks. Since I had a selfie stick attached to my phone, the mummers kept approaching me for selfies....especially near the end of the day when they were likely more drunk than the crowd. Also like many, I prefer the string bands to the comics. It's also fun to walk down the route on Broad and then all the way down Washington to Two Street. That was a first for me this year. Usually I tap out by mid-afternoon! I'd say to be careful if you do attend the Two Street portion. It can get pretty rowdy and dense with crowds. People were drunkenly fighting and getting hauled away by cops when we arrived right after the parade's commencement. I wish there was a less-intense alternative to Two Street, especially since the parade ends fairly early. If you haven't been to the parade yet, I'd say go and make your own opinion. It's something you certainly need to see for yourself. read more

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I'm so sick of Mummers Parade. No one doesn't celebrate with them anymore. The government is given too much problems to our citizen to even enjoy it. I'm waiting in the bus it's about 20 people waiting for the bus that had to go to work and all buses stop because of this parade. We are trying to survive and stop all buses because ridiculous parade this parade does not help us pay our rent or mortgage our bills. A lot of people that was waiting for the bus for hours got so pissed it's not there and it's not right! See read more

The Mummers Parade is such a beloved Philly tradition for many, including our fam. To me, it's the only way to celebrate on New Years Day in the city! You can't help but get caught up in the action as it touches a number of various parts all over town. If you live in town, you know. If you don't, it's a must try at least once in your lifetime! Many come from out of state to join in the festivities! There are many local brigades and string bands who dress in elaborate costumes and chose a new, fun theme each year for their floats and act! The costumes are incredible! Froggy and Fralingers are always fan favorites. The Mummers are usually those who have grown up in the scene as it's a generation thing which is neat to see. The Mummers take a lot of pride in their craft. The main parade route is down Broad Street starting at JFK and making a left hand turn on Washington Ave. This is new actually. The route used to travel all the way down South Broad to Oregon. I must say it makes more sense now. There are many stopping points along the way where the troops actually perform. The Union Trust is one and the corner of Broad & Washington is another. These will be the best views for a great performance, but also tend to be the most crowded. Washington has the four corners so your best bet is there, but the partying is heavier towards City Hall. Everyone is out on the streets, greeting each other with New Years wishes. It's so, so nice to take part in. There's plenty of drinking and silliness, but never anything I have felt was too much to bring my children around. Plus, there are a great number of police force keeping the party in check. Mummers are very friendly and will stop and take photos with you so if you have children, they will enjoy meeting them! There are gates, even bleachers set up around the route as well as Porto Potties too. There are soft pretzel vendors as well as those selling silly string and other festive goods in the streets. Many local spots have viewing parties, some even kid friendly. The party really doesn't end until January 2nd because after the groups make their way down Broad, they head over to 2 Street. (Don't you dare call it second!). The scene here last for hours and hours with what I can best describe as a Mardi Gras type atmosphere. Lots of fun and craziness!! A must experience! The Mummers Parade is a don't miss experience! read more

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Waking up after New Year's Eve was rough, but I did it. There was the Mummers Parade to look forward to. And that was something. It always is. Watch out Philadelphia , because when it's time to enjoy the Mummers Parade live, many locals don't leave home without their cold one....Yep, this richest, longest, funnest annual tradition. Simply a mini-Mardi Gras without the big floats. Make the most of Mummers Parade: I was thrilled that the Parade returned to its original route down South Philly. I like to leisurely stroll and follow the parade- it fast it forward. If you're unlike me and would prefer to stand in one spot, your best viewing area is the steps of the University of the Arts, and your best performance locations are City Hall and Union League. Men, women, children and elderly are attending the parade. It's for everyone to attend. Having said that, there's plenty of colors, feathers, sequins, happy people, and silly behavior as well. A one of a kind experience. Four and Half Yelp read more

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I went to my first Mummer's parade ever this year even though I've been in Philadelphia for the long run. Since I have cousins who have lived close to Broad for a long time, and friends who live on second street in South Philly I don't know why it's taken me so long either! But I was in awe over it the entire time. it's one of those things that you can only really see in person to fully believe no matter how much you hear about it. Due to the three hour delay it took awhile to get the parade part on Broad fully revved up. but it was a trip watching the various bands come across, as well as seeing the drunken behavior of the crowd. The best part of of the entire day was definitely going to 2nd street. It's the home base for a lot of the mummers clubhouses so it's party central. We're talking the Philadelphia version of Mardi Gras - all kinds of music on the street, many acts of public drunkenness but nothing too rowdy, and plenty of people celebrating the New Year in good spirits. It might just be my pick for one of the best outdoor parties ever, no matter how cold it is! read more

I have been hearing about this so called "Mummers Parade" since the day I moved to Philly. DO NOT MISS THE MUMMERS PARADE. In fact, I am trying to convince my friends from NY to journey across the state of NJ to come to Philly on New Year's Day next year. I must say, the parade is hilarity at its finest. It makes me want to not drink on NYE and save my liver for a all day binge fest for the Mummers Parade on NYD. I repeat, do NOT miss the mummers parade... You will be missing out on KEY philly culture. read more

Mummers Parade - Festivals Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This is very similar to Mardi Gras in New Orleans but on New Yeats Day. Great marching bands with a wide variety of music. Better than Mardi Gras in my opinion as it's not as crowded, better music bands and a sober audience (unlike Mardi Gras). This is a must do if you are in Philadelphia on this day. As good as the parade is the online information is POOR. In simple terms: watch it by city hall at 12 on (after the small local bands finish). Or watch the super show in the convention center with pre purchased tickets. read more

The Mummers Parade has a long and storied history. It has its roots in European Christmas and New Year's celebrations, and its unofficial origins in Philadelphia are centuries old. There's nothing else like the parade and it's definitely one of the most archetypal Philadelphian institutions. I go way back with the Mummers. My uncle lives a stone's throw from Broad Street, and when I was a kid my family would always spend New Year's Day going back and forth between shivering outside at the parade and warming up inside watching on TV the bands who had marched by twenty minutes earlier. The parade has changed somewhat since the old days, but it's still a one-of-a-kind spectacle that really should be experienced in person. Tip: Check out the parade route beforehand. Gone are the days when it was reliably held on South Broad. Philly.com is probably your best bet. Then, you can use Yelp to find bars where you can take breaks from the cold. Remember: drinking in public is not allowed. Be discreet. Tip: State liquor stores are closed on New Year's Day. read more

Only Philadelphia throws a huge party first thing in the morning after New Years Eve!!! It took me years to finally be in town for the parade, but I LOVED IT! It was sooo much fun. We got up and had a healthy breakfast of pizza and beer in the apartment, and on the way out the door the first encounter was two random mummers walking down the street in full attire, asking us if we wanted to smoke some pot with them. Totally set the tone for the whole day. We passed, but they did let us get a picture with them. When we got to Broad Street I was blown away, by the parade, by the energy of the crowd, just so much fun! People in the streets were selling beers, feather boas, and other carnival gear. I just had a blast. Four stars because there are no bathrooms, which was essential. You can duck into a Starbucks, but the lines are atrocious. Also be prepared for pretty serious cold-- you might not feel it at first if you pre game, but eventually you'll realize you're numb. Just a great day, even better than NYE! read more

Mummers Parade - Festivals Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Words cannot describe the weirdness that is the Mummers Parade. Maybe you have to be from Philadelphia to truly appreciate it, but it did provide several hours of entertainment. We really only stuck around for the wench and comic brigades which were drunkenly raucous and highly amusing (some even had brass band accompaniment). Other groups/individuals seemed slightly political and there were a lot of Lady Gaga references. We were also treated to a rap about staying in school from a clown/hobo type character. Keep in mind that you can totally stay in bed and nurse that NYE-induced hangover because the parade seriously lasts 7 hours (we dvr'd the entire thing and the commentary is pretty hilarious). Definitely watch it on tv if it's super cold (we lucked out with very mild temps and sunshine this year). The fancy brigades and floats come later in the day (which we didn't stick around for, but saw on tv when we watched the recording later). Anyway, it's an experience for sure and I would highly recommend that you check it out if you ever find yourself in Philadelphia on NYDay! read more

Mummers Parade - Froggy Carr - Festivals Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Ruckus beyond imagination and it just goes on and on! I was told not only is it 8-10 hours long but "officially" stops when the police start arresting people. Wow, this subcultural event is nothing I'd even heard of before so when we booked a hotel room above the parade Main Street we had no clue how loud and long it was going to be going. Costumes, floats, and even big band entertainment really has never been better. Think Mardi Gras all day long and in a much more metro environment with a splash of Thanksgiving Day parade added for crowd density! Our solution was to buy tickets to a sit down indoor performance that showcased the best performers. 2 1/2 min each, 3 hours of entertainment, daunting. read more

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This parade was a lot of fun and was full of entertainment. The costumes are all so bright and nicely designed. It's nice that everyone is in a happy mood watching them. Even more fun was 2 street at the very end of the parade. The streets are full of people drinking (open in public, which is totally fine at this event) and it's hard to even stay with your group because there's so many people. Make sure you bring beer in a bag to this event, because it can be expensive buying beers at the bars along the way. Definitely something to see if your in Philadelphia for NYE. Like another said, it's almost worth not going out on NYE to be able to see this on New Year's day. read more

Philadelphia at its finest. The Mummers parade is a New Year's tradition I just can't live without. It is an entire day filled with wild colors and sounds and people you just can't find anywhere else. Absolute MUST SEE if you're in town on New Year's Day. You are guaranteed to enjoy yourself and meet many interesting characters along the way! read more

This was the worse parade I've seen in years - you can't go down Broad Street- go back to going up Broad- once they are judged they don't care. Hated how fancy mixed in with String Banda so confusing! Once we moved around to City Hall parade much better. But it's not a parade any more just a show! I've been going for 53 years might be my last #very disappointed read more

I have watched it on TV and live in the freezing cold. Both are great fun - and this is one heck of a LONG parade. It takes the whole day. Nothing like watching Sou-filly plummers and electricians wear feathered headdresses and shake their butts to the beat. My little girl ADORES them. Fancy Brigades are my faves - and she loves the comics especially Froggie Carr's crew. Also Fralinger's and the South Philly Vikings! Oh and the string bands are fun, too. read more

I was there! I rolled up to Broad and Washington around 10:45am and was able to get standing space on the gate in about 20 minutes. We were just south of washington and we weren't able to really see the Mummers doing their routines because we were too north. We did get to see them parading happily though. This is definitely something you have to check out if you're in Philly New Year's Day. Also....if you're driving, this SUCKS because Broad St. is overtaken. read more

Yea I am a Broad & Snyder crowd lol Great time here for over 40 years now read more

Mummers Parade - Photo by Carlucho - Festivals Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Should be great weather, parade is always a blast, the more people that are actually there (and not reading about one or two idiots on social media) always love and enjoy the parade. I highly suggest if you haven't been you come to city hall and check it all out! read more

Its sad what's happened to the parade over the last few years since the route change - half-hearted, low energy performances with no props (and disinterested band members shedding costume pieces at will), poorly sited performance areas with low visibility (including a virtually inaccessible judging area - now the only place you can hope to catch a full performance), poor planning and management with large gaps between bands and lots and lots of downtime, and a diminished community connection. Supposedly they're concerned with decreasing interest (actual or perceived), but seem to be shooting themselves in the foot, as just about every change that's been made seems to have been for the worse. I'd hate to give up on such a long-running tradition so quickly, but it hardly seems worth it to bother showing up anymore. read more

I only went to the Mummers Parade once. I had pulled an all nighter, and was really hungover/drunk from many shots of tequila the night before. We had stayed up and waited to go to the New Convention Center because they were supposedly giving away free scrapple. Something set into effect by Mayor Rendell. We didn't exactly sober up, but at a certain point we decided that free scrapple wasn't such a good idea. So we went to Mummers Parade. It was really cold and everyone around me was "brown baggin" it. Some people were just blatanly drinking with exposed cans/bottles. The cops didn't seem to care. It was pretty fun, but we didn't stay long as frostbite was starting to become evident. read more

what an amazing way to spend the first day of the new year! very enjoyable...all the mummers work so hard throughout the year to prep for this day...and they definitely made up for the drunk rowdy jerks lining broad st. read more

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One of my favorite things in life to do! If you like to party, this is your day. Either stay in on NYE or don't sleep at all, bc you'll be partying at 10am come new year's day. Once the official parade has passed you by, make your way to 2ndSt where the real party begins around 6pm.. It is Philly's Mardi Gras on 2nd St.. Mayhem and Craziness, not for the faint of heart..BUT A GREAT TIME IS HAD IF YOU GO! read more

The actors playing the dinosaurs were wearing pants that were a different color than the dinosaur costumes. Seeing the actors so clearly really ruined the illusion for me; I had initially believed they were real dinosaurs. read more

At one point in your life, come to Philadelphia with family, friends and kids and watch the Mummers Parade. It's a full day of music, costumes and entertainment. If it's cold, sneak into a local bar that has the parade on TV. Our hotel room did not have the parade on TV otherwise we would have taken a break from the parade and watched the parade in the room. Luckily the weather was a comfortable 50 degrees so it was a full day of walking up and down the parade route. There is a lot of drinking on the streets but easy enough to ignore. Make hotel reservations along the parade route. The parade is on par with Mardi Gras in New Orleans. If you have never visited Philadelphia before, this is a perfect place for celebrating the New Year. Great museums, good food, history, broadway shows,etc. read more

Shit show is the only phrase I can think of to describe the Mummers Parade. There were so many people. Open containers and littering in plain view of the police. Kind of felt like I was on Bourbon in the Big Easy. read more

Of all the years I have lived right outside of Philly, this was the first time I attended the parade. Not only did I attend, but I actually was in it! I had been down to "two street" before for the after party, but never actually went for the strut to city hall. I must say, wow! What an experience! The mummers might get a bad rap sometimes, but this was so much fun! Especially if you like blackberry brandy :) Waking up so early was the only downfall. The dancing, the singing, the string bands, the costumes, the fun, the crowds, and even the nice weather made for an amazing start to the new year! I know this certainly won't be my last time attending a mummers parade! read more

How anyone can give this 100+ year old tradition less than 5 stars is beyond me. I have never seen entertainment this good and I am from an art and musical family! When other performances make you wish it would continue, (and some make you GLAD it's over), happily, this parade goes on and on. This parade ends only when everyone is really tired -- after about 10 continuous hours. The history and organization of this parade is astounding. My favorite part is the string bands -- the only type of performer I've ever known of that really plays all types of music all the time -- classical, jazz, country, rock music from every part of the world -- really everything yet, it's all played in the unique Philadelphia Mummers style. Also everything about the parade changes with the times, as appropriate, yet keeps the traditions. read more

During the 1960s and the 1970s the mummers parades were 100 percent better.The costumes were larger with plenty of large feathers.The string bands had more members.The parade would last for 12 hours starting at 8:00 am.The line up would be in this order,....the clown division,fancy clowns,fancy brigades and the best for last the string bands.On January 1 1980 it took a turn for the worst,...the string bands March 3rd.The music is still great.There was 28 string bands.There is now only 17 string bands.The economy has cause this! read more

I have heard so much about the Mummers Parade. Have not yet seen it in Philsadelphia , however, when they come to New York City and to Connecticut, you can get some good views of their costumes. They are truly beautiful, a photographer's and artist's delight. Definitely see the Mummers' Parade in person if you have the chance to do so. read more