Mummers Parade - Wikipedia The Mummers derive their name from the Mummers' plays performed in Philadelphia in the 18th century as part of a wide variety of working class street celebrations around Christmas
2026 Mummers Parade in Philadelphia: What to Expect | Visit Philadelphia Mummers are Philadelphians of all ages who belong to more than 40 organized clubs that make up the parade participants The clubs — split into five categories (Comics, Wench Brigades, Fancies, String Bands and Fancy Brigades) — exist mainly to stage their playful performances each New Year’s Day
Home - Mummers Museum The Mummers Museum opened in 1976 as part of Philadelphia’s celebration of America’s Bicentennial The Museum is dedicated to celebrating the tradition of Mummery in Philadelphia Inside are costumes, oral histories, video and audio archives, and even an exhibit to teach anyone how to “strut ”
History of the Mummers - Mr Mummer - Philadelphia Mummers News and . . . Philadelphia, which had a sizable Swedish population, was the center of America’s mummers’ celebrations In 1790, Philadelphia became the capital of the United States, and President George Washington initiated a tradition of receiving “calls” from mummers at his mansion
Mummers - Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia Known variously as mummers, shooters, belsnickles, fantasticals, and callithumpians, these masqueraders traced their roots to immigrants from England, Sweden, and Germany who introduced mumming to pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia
The Mummers | Philadelphia Visitor Center The Mummers are comprised of 40+ organized clubs, categorized into five divisions that each have their own performance specialty, and compete against each other for bragging rights, the Comics, Wench Brigades, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades
The Insider’s Guide to the Mummers Parade, Plus Tips Mummers, groups of lower-class workers, would go door-to-door asking for money and booze, like a kind of adult trick-or-treating The tradition has evolved into neighborhood or interest-based organizations or social clubs
Mummers: South Philly’s Glittering Pride - Experience Pennsylvania The Mummers are not just performers; they’re neighbors, friends, and families who pour their hearts into this annual celebration Many Mummer clubs are based in South Philly, with names like Ferko, Quaker City, and South Philly String Band evoking a sense of local pride