Being raised in a Mummer household whenever I hear or travel on Broad Street in Philadelphia my mind immediately thinks of my parents and the New Year’s Day parade. For those of you who are not in the Philadelphia area the Mummer’s Parade is held each New Year’s Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and iIt is believed to be the oldest folk festival in the United States. The first official parade was held January 1, 1901. The first string band, Trilby, was organized in 1898, first paraded in 1902. In the early years of the official parade, the makeshift costumes of most celebrants were gradually replaced by more elaborate outfits. The official parade has been cancelled only twice during its history. The first cancellation happened in 1919 as a result of the aftermath of World War I and the second cancellation occurred in 1934 due to the effects of the Great Depression and a lack of prize money.
