New years day parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.

The Mummers Parade has officially been a New Year’s Day tradition in
Philadelphia since 1901.

It is all amateur; there is little or no corporate sponsorship. About 15,000
Mummers perform. Comic clubs, the heart of Mummery, stem from the ancient
Greek god Momus, the personification of mockery and raillery. In today’s
parades much of contemporary life is made fun of. Other categories include
String Bands and the Fancy Division and the Fancy Brigades.

Preparations of costumes, floats and performances are made throughout the
year by the many clubs who march. Substantial prize monies are at stake -
$395,000 in prizes this year. Yet this is a small fraction of the cost of
costumes, which can cost several thousand dollars each.

The parade begins at 9 a.m. in south Philadelphia and heads north up Broad
Street to City Hall, where the judges are. It generally lasts close to
twelve hours