Mummer's Day Parade

Apparently this is something that only happens in Philadelphia. Well, maybe in other countries too, but in the US, it's restricted to Philly.

Having spent my first New Year's Eve in the Philly area, I was able to spend my first New Year's Day at the Mummer's Day Parade.

And I knew nothing about it.


I heard 'parade' and thought it'd be worth attending. And what a sight. The colors and kitsch are spectacular, but the more interesting thing is the culture behind it. Aptly described by one of my friends as 'middle-aged, working-class fraternities,' these groups of fabulously dressed men cavorting in formation are a shock to the status-quo-numbed mind as well as the winter-dulled eye.

An hour of shuffling through crowds and dodging Uhaul trucks in frosty January temperatures satisfied my curiosity for this phenomenon, and I left to attend a more humble New Year's celebration. But I was fueled with plenty to talk about and to inquire about later. What a unique experience.