"O DEM GOLDEN SLIPPERS!!!" NEW YEARS DAY IN PHILADELPHIA!!

Hello friends :-))

Time sure flies...I can't believe it's already Jan. 4th!

Cliff and I had such a blast at the Mummer's Parade held annually here on New Year's Day in Philadelphia that we wanted to share some pictures with you.

The Mummers Parade is something you MUST visit at least once in your life! We were so dissappointed to have missed the comics, but were blessed to see every string band parade down the street. And hearing a Mummer's stringband live? Simply astounding. In the words of one strongly Philadelphia-accented South Philly parade goer, "Dare ain't nuttin' like it!"

What a fantastic day!

If you're super interested in the history of the Mummers, here's a very cool article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummers_Parade

Enjoy! And happy new year!







Women used to not be allowed to parade, so themes often include parodies of women.













This is a shot of "Fralinger String Band", the winners this year in the String Band division and past winners for many, many years!










That's me with the banjo player!











This is where the judging takes place now, in front of the Union League on Broad Street. Many attendees were smart to bring ladders and chairs and step stools to place on the sidewalk so they could actually SEE the bands performing for the judges! We were not so forethinking....







The Union League is actually a private and very exclusive club in Philadelphia. You must pay large sums of money to be a member. The building is enormous and elaborately decorated inside. I've been lucky enough to be invited to parties inside twice. Simply first class!










The amount of people at the parade was astounding! It felt so special to be a part of it! Lots of Philadelphia Pride on this day! Everyone is smiling and happy. There is so much love!








Two sexy wenches and me! This is the typical costume one thinks of for the comic division. Golden Slippers, of course, dresses, umbrellas and painted faces doing the Mummers Strut, a dance where you pump your arms to "O dem golden slippers", you feel a ton of pride and just feel marvelous!











My Cliffy and me at the parade! I'm wearing my new hat that my singing student, Shannon, gifted to me for Christmas! She KNIT it! Isn't it fantastic?











Headmaster of the Fralinger String Band!











This was a lucky moment!













Cliff in front of the winning band!













This was one of my favorite string bands although i don't know the name of them. They were dressed like indians. Look at those colors!










Women are now allowed to parade in the various clubs. What beautiful costumes!












There's those golden slippers!















Another comic wench!

Talk about colors! These outfits looked like Russian or Polish royalty, amazing.

What do we have here, wizards and witches?

Look closely at this ringleader's face. He's a lion!

And here is the band. These costumes were outstanding. Or were they leopards?

One of my favorite costumes!

Ole'! A bearded Rachero woman sax player, beaming Philly pride!

Three Amigos! Can you imagine having to carry those instruments for literally 10 hours at least??? Philadelphia's Mummers Parade is the longest parade in the entire country, beginning at 9 a.m. and not ending until well after midnight!

Fantastically colorful! But the music? Even better!

A female accordianist!

Love this picture and all of the frills on these costumes!

I spotted this Mexican clown on the street.

Next year we'll have to get to the parade even earlier to catch the clown division. They are a favorite. The clowns are all inibriated and do the mummers strut with such joy and happiness!

The mummers work ALL YEAR to prepare for the parade. Only a few short days after this parade, they'll begin preparing for next year.

Here's my Cliffy. He insisted we go to the parade this year as we haven't gone in several. What a treat it was! I should listen to him more often...

One of the first stringbands we saw and heard. Amazing!

Three more wenches!

xoxoxo michelle joy