Mummers History

The Philadelphia Beginnings

In the late 1700's. When the Swedes came to Tinicum, just outside of Philadelphia, they brought there custom of visiting friends on "Second Day Christmas", December 26. Later they extended their period of celebration to include New Year's day, and welcomed the new year with masquerades and parades of noisy revelers. The traditions of other nationalities were also present. The use of masks and different costumes were carried over from the Greek celebrations of King Momus, the Italian-feast of saturnalia, and the British Mummery Play.

Most people carried firearms for protection in those early days of the commonwealth, and it didn't take long before pistols and muskets joined with bells and noisemakers to create the sound of a new year. Those who shot in the new year became New Year's Shooters and Mummers Association.

Groups would travel from house to house, sing songs, and perform dances-all to be rewarded with food and drink. The practice became so widespread and strong that by 1808 it was considered a problem by the leaders of early Philadelphia high society. An act was passed declaring that "masquerades, masquerade balls, and masked processions were public nuisances" with threats of fine and imprisonment. While the celebrations were quieted, they were not stopped, and the law was abolished in the 1850's with no reports of convictions.

 In the 1870's the nation was recuperating from a Civil War and what had been an uncoordinated group of neighborhood celebrations turned into an area wide parade with two main groups of participants: Fancy Dress clubs and Comic Clubs. Early forms of the parade were present in 1888. Sponsorship by the City of Philadelphia began with the turn of the century in 1901, and was followed by the entrance of the String Bands in 1902. It was not until the 1970's that another group emerged-the Fancy Brigades broke as a separate unit from the Fancy Clubs. Today the parade consists of four divisions: the Comics, the Fancies, the String Bands, and The Fancy Brigades.

Birth of the String bands

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