Mummer's Parade - Thinking about going to your first Mummer’s Parade? Here is everything you need to know to make sure you get the most out of this whacky day.

Mummer's Parade 2025 – January 1, 2025

You have not truly celebrated a new year until you see the Mummer’s Parade, which takes place on New Year’s Day, January 1, every year in Philadelphia. It’s a magically crazy event that takes over the streets of Southern Philadelphia and celebrates the incredibly diverse and culturally rich history of the U.S. Thousands of people from the local communities take part and spend months leading up to the event training, learning choreography, and performances for the big day to showcase and represent their districts or clubs. It’s a celebration of dance, music, and costumes and serves as a fantastical start to the new year and what’s to come.

History of Mummer's Parade

If you live in the Philadelphia area or plan on spending your holiday there, the Mummer’s Parade is the place to be, so don’t go too wild the night before. This 120-year-old parade is a staple of the Philadelphia cultural scene, with tens of thousands of people taking part, making it one of the most exciting events on the U.S. calendar. It all started in the mid-seventeenth century when the first parade was created, infusing dance, music, and costume styles from Swedish, Irish, German, and African cultures and heritages to celebrate art and tradition. It was also loosely based on the British and Irish Mummer’s plays, which were folk plays performed by troupes of amateur actors, almost like pantomimes, but with more of a mythical narrative.Naturally, through the years, it has grown and evolved into a massive celebration that today symbolizes the amalgamation and coming together of different cultures in America and pays homage to those rich backgrounds and heritage of the people that chose to participate in the actual parade events.Today, local clubs — who have started referring to themselves as New Year’s Brigades — collectively will compete in one of five categories, including comics, wench brigades, fancies, string bands, and fancy brigades. They spend months creating elaborate costumes, performance routines, and movable scenery. This is done in clubhouses, many of which are located on or near 2nd Street in the Pennsport neighborhood of the city’s South Philadelphia section and serve as social gathering places for members.

Mummer's Parade timeline

1778
A Worthy Farewell

The first-ever documented mummer-like parade takes place in America during the Revolutionary War as a farewell send-off given to William General Howe.

1808
No More Mummer’s

The public grows tired of mummer’s and their antics, and as a result, masquerading is declared a public nuisance.

1901
Mummer’s: The Comeback

The Mummer's Parade is formally adopted by Philadelphia, which transforms it into what is now known as the modern version of this beautiful festival.

1970
Bring in the Women

For the first time, women are officially allowed to participate in the parade and bring with them various new tools, capabilities, and performance opportunities.

Mummer's Parade FAQs

How do you become a mummer?

You can become a mummer by contacting any mummer organization and asking about their membership process.

What's another word for Mummer’s?

Mummers can also be known as masquerade, quizzers, maskers, harlequins, clowns, and pantomimes.

Are there female Mummer’s?

The participation of women in the mummer’s parade is as essential as the song “Alabama Jubilee.”

Mummer's Parade Activities

  1. Attend the parade

    Celebrate the festivities of the official Mummer’s Parade with the public and applaud the months of prep work put in by the communities. This is a great way to learn about the culture and traditions of a specific state and the various cultures of the U.S.

  2. Plan your own parade

    Organize your parade at home with your neighbors. It doesn't have to be on the same scale as the official parade, but with a few participants and some music and dance instruction, it can be a fun event that could even become a new tradition.

  3. Celebrate your culture through music or dance

    At the heart of the Mummer’s Parade are the musical and dance elements used in creative ways to tell stories and showcase art, tradition, and myth. Put together a performance as a way to showcase your heritage.

5 Interesting Facts About Philadelphia

  1. It’s rich in theatre history

    The Walnut Street Theater, located in the Trenton district, is the English-speaking world's oldest continuously operating theater.

  2. Art thrives there

    Philly plays host to the most impressionist paintings housed in a city outside of Paris.

  3. History was made there

    Philadelphia is home to the Declaration of Independence.

  4. Philly went digital first

    The first general-purpose computer in history was kept in Philadelphia back in 1946.

  5. It’s the City of Brotherly Love

    It is known as the City of Brotherly Love, honoring it as a place of religious freedom.

Why We Love Mummer's Parade

  1. It’s an artistic celebration

    This parade is the ultimate place of creative expression. Participants from all backgrounds get to see and learn about one another's creative decisions, as well as respect one another.

  2. It ensures tradition lives on

    When tradition endures, it means that our heritage is passed on for future generations to discover and enjoy. That’s why events like the Mummer’s Parade in Philly are so important.

  3. It brings communities together

    A globe is a huge place, and the Mummer’s Parade is no exception. Many different individuals from varied origins coexist and learn about one another.

Mummer's Parade dates

Year Date Day
2022 January 1 Sunday
2024 January 1 Monday
2025 January 1 Wednesday
2026 January 1 Thursday
2026 January 1 Friday
National Hangover Day
Global Family Day
Polar Bear Plunge Day
Solemnity of Mary
Universal Hour of Peace
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Euro Day
Z Day
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Apple Gifting Day
New Year’s Dishonor List Day
Public Domain Day
World Day of Peace
Copyright Law Day
New Year's Day
National Bloody Mary Day
Triumph of the Revolution
Rose Bowl Game
International Public Domain Day
National First-Foot Day
Sudan Independence Day
Tournament of Roses Parade
Haiti Independence Day
Mummer's Parade
Ring a Bell Day
National Shepherd Day
Junkanoo
Poppy's Birthday
George Washington Carver's Birthday
Morris Chestnut's Birthday
Diet Resolution Week
Celebration of Life Week
National Silent Record Week
New Year’s Resolutions Week
National Time Consciousness Week
The World Series of Beer Pong
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