New Year's Day parade tradition

[prettytoes]

There is a parade in Philadelphia every New Year's Day called the Mummer's Parade. It consists of lots of extremely ornate costumes, string bands, and comedy groups. It pretty much goes on all day long, and it is televised.
Most of the costumes are "dress" like. Almost all of the comedy troups were men in short skirts and dresses. How many of these men do you think continue this all year long?
The parade announcer even made the comment "It takes a real man to wear a dress"!

[Mollyanne]

There is a parade in Philadelphia every New Year's Day called the Mummer's Parade. It consists of lots of extremely ornate costumes, string bands, and comedy groups. It pretty much goes on all day long, and it is televised.
Most of the costumes are "dress" like. Almost all of the comedy troups were men in short skirts and dresses. How many of these men do you think continue this all year long?
The parade announcer even made the comment "
It takes a real man to wear a dress"! AND IT DOES!!!!!!

MOLLYANNE

[Josie M]

I'm a transplanted mid-westerner living in the mid-atlantic region for years now. I still don't know the background and history of the mummers. I could just use google I suppose, but I'd love to hear a Philadelphian's take on it.

[Phoebe]

Yes remember seeing the Mummers parade on Television years ago as a teenager. Think it was back in the black and white era before color TV. I thought the Mummers kind of looked like they were wearing 'dresses'. Some of the costumes were quite ornate and some of the 'head-dresses' were so large I wondered how they kept the head dress on?