'It's A Living Tradition': Mummers Strut Through City For 120th Annual New Year's Day Parade
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It's not New Year's Day without the Mummers Parade, and this year marks a big anniversary. The parade is celebrating 120 years.
It's marking the new decade with a lot of pomp and circumstance.
Thousands of people crowded onto the sidewalks of Center City to get a glimpse of the glitz and glam of the parade - and the mummers strutting down Market Street.
Roughly 10,000 mummers danced their carefully choreographed routines in lots of colorful costumes down Market Street Wednesday morning, welcoming 2020.
Mummers work for a year to develop their costumes and skits, all to try to see who's the best. There are plenty of crowd-pleasers, like lobsters, clowns and more.
"It's amazing, it's super cool!" a paradegoer said.
"I love seeing everybody fancying and having a fun time and everything. And all the sparkles and glitter," Kelly Carnall from Media said.
The 2020 Philadelphia Mummers parade is the longest-running traditional folk parade in the country.
"It's the greatest thing ever. It's a living tradition," another paradegoer added.
For many families coming to watch is an annual event.
"We all have a great time, all the mummers are wonderful. If you've never done it you should come and try it's our 15th year," Kathy Lanahan from Lumberton, New Jersey said.
And despite all the competition, it's all about coming together.
"The friends, the family, the party, it's a celebration. It's what it's all about," Kevin Casey from South Philadelphia said.
A performance will take place inside the convention center at 5 p.m.
