After a freezing New Year, the Mummers String Band Spectacular debuts at the Linc

This was the first-ever String Band Spectacular, an unprecedented performance at the storied football field of marching bands who usually perform at the Mummers Parade on New Years Day. The event, complete with TV commentators from WFMZ and a full judges panel, was designed to replace the annual January 1 String Band Division competition, which was postponed due to safety concerns when strong, frigid winds led to scenery-related accidents that ended with five people being sent to the hospital with minor injuries.

A grand Mummers moment

Like most mummers and their fans, Polish American String Band dancer Robert Gregario was disappointed but understanding when the original competition was cancelled. And so, the chance to perform on the “Linc” was a silver (or rather, sequined) lining: “When we were practicing, just looking out of the tunnel into the giant stadium…it was just an unworldly experience,” he told Broad Street Review. “It feels a lot grander than what we normally do.”

To meet the grandeur of the moment, shivering crowds were treated to a performance of the American National Anthem by the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus before 12 of the 14 String Bands of the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association (PMSBA) took the snow-encrusted field in all of their riotous glory. (At least one band bowed out, stating that the “extreme cold predicted for this weekend” could have been dangerous for their performers.) Feathers were fluttered, balloons were released, and confetti fired into the air as hundreds of performers played their instruments, danced, sang, and rolled huge pieces of scenery across the stage to conjure visions such as old-time music shop, Bourbon Street in New Orleans, and a “Nifty Fifties Jukebox Jamboree”.

A mayor’s love for the Mummers

Between the Beauty and the Beast-themed performance from the Durning String Band (“Be Our Guest”) and the winning entry by the Quaker City String band (“The Joker’s Funhouse”), Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker addressed the crowd. “This is how we do it in our city. When we set our minds to get something done, we won’t let the weather or anything stop us.”

“I’m so proud of her,” said Larry Mendte, one of the WFMZ-TV commentators, "And I’m so proud of the Mummers, that the two of them can join together like this. Because”—turning to another commentator, Jim Donio, host of the Mummers-themed String Band Sessions podcast—“you haven’t always had that type of relationship with City Hall.”

Facing racism

The subtext here was difficult to mistake: in 2020, Mayor Jim Kenney threatened to cancel the Mummers Parade entirely after two participants marched wearing blackface. While there have been no further incidents of blackface, racism in other forms has still persisted, particularly in racial impersonation (for example, a performance this year within the Fancy Brigade division that included yellowface) which some have traced back to the minstrel-show origins of the Mummers themselves.

At the same time, some Mummers organizations have made a conscious effort to not simply avoid offensive costumes but also welcome non-white Philadelphia cultural organizations into the parade who, previously, may have even avoided the event. So while eliminating racism in this enormously multifaceted event is still a work in progress, it’s more than enough for the Mayor’s office. “For her to be so undying and effusive about how much she loves the Mummers,” Mendte continued, “It really touches my heart.”

“Listen, I want people to see us,” Mayor Parker said in her remarks, “because I think we may have started something. If we tried to do this again next year, would you all come back to see us?” She was answered with cheers and applause.

“This is our culture”

If there was one snag in Saturday’s festivities, it wasn’t inappropriate behavior or the icy temperatures. When the commentators praised the sound quality, some attendees chuckled and shook their heads. “You can’t hear them as well,” said Dana, a South Philadelphian who has been attending the Mummers parade for 54 years. “So it takes some getting used to.” But when asked if she would return if the event was repeated next year, she was emphatic: “Absolutely.”

This crowd, largely made up of South Philadelphians with relatives performing on the field or who “strut” as Mummers themselves for hours on end on New Years Day, would withstand much worse than bitter winds and sub-par acoustics to see their neighbors perform. Fortunately, curious fans can catch the festivities from the warmth of home: the show is available in full on 69News WFMZ-TV’s YouTube channel.

“When you're a lifelong South Philadelphian, you support lifelong events,” Dana said. “It’s one of our positive things. It’s what makes Philadelphia, well, a lot nicer than some other cities. This is our culture.”