Uwishunu.com

Tweet

 

Get a bird’s eye view of the parade on Broad Street from the Kimmel's balcony, open to the public. (Photo courtesy Kimmel Center)

You may still be unsure how to spend your New Year’s Eve — for some guidance, check out our top picks — but your New Year’s Day plans are certainly set.

Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade, January 1st, is a one-of-a-kind celebration in which 10,000 men and women dressed in lavish costumes twirl, sashay, pirouette and strut through the city, starting at 10 a.m. at Broad and Washington Streets in South Philadelphia, and heading north to City Hall in Center City.

Three comic clubs, two fancy division units, 17 string bands, 10 fancy brigades and eight wench brigades are expected to march. Translation: plan ahead to find a great viewing spot. And the early forecast calls for temperatures in the 50s (!!) so you won’t have to brave frostbite while you wait.

This year the viewing arrangements are facilitated by the city’s pledge to host a more family-friendly Mummers extravaganza. Expect more performance sites, and bathrooms, bleachers and food vendors at each of them.

Places to watch — six free performance zones:

• Broad and Shunk Streets
• Broad and Wolf Streets
• Broad Street and Washington Avenue
• Broad and Pine Streets — new this year!
• Broad and Sansom Streets
• 15th and Market Streets

Ticketed seats:

• City Hall judging station: Seats on bleachers at City Hall cost $19 and are available in advance at the Independence Visitor Center or Fairmount Park Welcome Center.
• Fancy Brigades shows at the Pennsylvania Convention Center: Rather than a full strut up Broad Street, the Fancy Brigades stop at Washington Avenue then head to the Convention Center for ticketed shows at noon and 5 p.m. (tickets are $17, available online).

Note: Also check out the MummersFest, today through the 30th from 4 to 9 p.m. and December 31st noon to 7 p.m. at the Convention Center, for an insider’s look at the Mummers’ year-long preparations. Tickets are $4.

Mummers Parade:

When: January 1st, 8:50 a.m. until about 7 p.m.
Where: Parade runs along Broad Street, beginning at Oregon Avenue and ending at City Hall
Cost: Free along main route; $17 for Fancy Brigade shows
More info: www.mummers.com