For the past two years, my friends and I started a new New Year’s Day tradition: spending the day celebrating with the Mummers. Since this celebration only takes place in Philadelphia, many people don’t know about the Mummers Parade.

The Mummers Parade started in 1901 and is the longest-running continuous folk parade in the United States. Every year local clubs, typically called “New Years Brigades,” compete in one of five different categories: Comics, Wench Brigades, Fancies, String Bands and Fancy Brigade. Each club marches down Broad Street dressed in elaborate costumes and performs elaborate routines for prizes and placements.

Our new tradition formed because now some of our friends participate in the parade each year. Since they have to be there bright and early, we don’t go to Broad Street for the parade, but instead we watch on TV and then meet them at a local bar to celebrate.

We got there a little before the rush, so we decided to get some drinks while we waited. Once the Mummers got there, the bar was packed! We greeted our friends and congratulated them on a job well done. After hanging at the bar for a couple hours, it was time for the Mummers to make their way down Second Street, otherwise known as Two Street. We decided to join them, as this is where the real is. Family and friends can do the march down Two Street with the Mummers, so we took advantage!

The whole street shuts down, food trucks set up along the road, a crowd forms behind the barricades and music blasts through the streets. We had so much fun marching along with the Mummers, I even got to hold one of their umbrellas.

After the march ended, we headed back to the bar to dance and have fun with our friends before going home to get some rest. The past two years have been so fun, I can’t wait for next year’s celebration.

— Mary Melnick, social media and editorial coordinator