Mayor Cuts $355,000 Subsidy For Mummers
By Wyatt Earp | November 9, 2008
Do we really need more of these?
Finally! A budget cut I can agree with!
Philadelphia City Hall’s economic crisis is going to affect the strut of the Mummers parade, on New Year’s Day.
The $355,000 city subsidy for the Mummers parade is gone:
“I think it’s ridiculous. We put the parade on for everybody. We do it out of our pocket.”
On that famous strip of ‘two street’ in Pennsport, where most of the mummers divisions hang out, Brian Banning lamented the loss of what amounts to all of the prize money handed out to the Comics, Fancys, string bands and fancy brigades:
“The city can help a little bit. These organizations spend $100-140,000 putting their costumes together, not counting the man hours. You’re talking $100,000 just for costumes.” (H/T – KYW1060)
And whose fault is that? No one told you people to dress up like Richard Simmons on holiday!
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, and I am one of the few people who think the “tradition” of the Mummers Parade is idiotic. It’s nothing but yet another excuse for drunken Philadelphians to make asses of themselves. In my opinion, it’s a tradition we can lose.
Topics: Philly | 21 Comments »
November 9th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Don’t suppose you want to explain exactly what a “mummer” is, to those of us who have no clue. Maybe it’s something I have heard about, but mother nature has taken her toll on my northern brain cells, they won’t thaw ’till next spring
November 9th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
It’s an old tradition of masked and costumed people going door to door at Xmas, mooching booze, singing songs, telling jokes, and sometimes giving out silly little prizes, if their identity is guessed. There are about a hundred variations of the tradition, so no one set of rules really applies except for the crazy outfits.
The Newfies do it pretty much for free every year, but it costs you Phillies $350,000?
November 9th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
E.L. – It’s not worth knowing, but here’s the explanation, courtesy of Wikipedia. Short version: they’re similar to a cross-dressing string band. Heh.
Mox – That’s exactly why you’re the superior race. We can’t handle the economics of it all.
November 9th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
I like the string bands, but the rest of it can go for all I care, especially the comics.
November 9th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I’m with RT.
November 9th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I’d consider throwing them a dime if they ALL parade up Broad Street. Get the hell out of the convention center; bunch of pansies.
November 9th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
(They should also make a rule that songs can’t be repeated by everyone throughout the day about a million times.)
November 9th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Oh dear God in heaven, where;s my white face.. I can do that, gis a job!
November 9th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Oh come on Wyatt, I like The Mummer’s Parade. It’s something to do while I’m waiting for my hangover to wear off.
November 9th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
What is a mummer’s parade, and why did you put a picture of a 1980s television street gang over the article?
November 9th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
RT – Just dozens and dozens of useless people, in my opinion.
Trixie – Agreed.
Randal – I guess it’s too cold for the drunks.
TBB – The problem is that anyone can do that. Takes absolutely no talent – except for drinking terrible beer.
Mrs. Crankipants – That’s what College Bowl games are for.
Marvin – It’s like The Warriors, without the entertainment.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Come on Wyatt. I never got the Mummers either but every Philadelphian desperately needs their own drunken tradition!
Without that (i.e you have your annual golf outing Heh) what the heck are we left with?
November 10th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Looks like I have an additional reason to be thankful be southern. If anything that remotely looked like that traipsed into my yard, it would be considered a target. Especially if it was drunk.
November 10th, 2008 at 11:20 am
AJ – Philadelphians already have those days. They’re called “Weekdays.”
Snigs – Lock and load!
November 10th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Wow. I just went “WTF” (unabridged form that is). Those getups make some gay pride outfits look classy and tasteful.
I’m just sayin’.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Dorkelina – Unabridged? The Hell you say!
November 10th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I like the “mooching liquor” part.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
If it was just about mooching liquor, it would be fine. As it is, it’s a tradition I’ve never understood either.
November 10th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
A gang of
drunken moronsMummers came down to Tampa andstumbled throughmarched in the Gasparilla parade (a local drunken pirate fest) with my wife’s krewe a couple of years ago. For the most part, they were a decent group of guys, but a couple of them were complete and utter dickweeds who, apparently, were such an embarrassment to their even their barely-conscious Mummers group, that they were unceremoniously kicked to the curb when they returned to Philthydelphia.Wyatt, just be glad that they wear the Liberace costumes and don’t go “commando” like the dorksnorkelers in San Cram Crisco do.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
JimmyB – Not all fun and shots, chief. Trust me.
Sebastian – Amen to that.
B.C. – Commando. *shudder*
November 12th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
[...] it had planned and will be taking some fire equipment out of service. Nutter also announced a $355,000 cut in subsidies to the Mummers. Now, if that would result in chopping the Mummers’ Parade down to just the String Bands, [...]