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Tag: Mummers

  • Lou Capozzoli, steward of Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar in South Philly, has died at 86

    Lou Capozzoli, steward of Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar in South Philly, has died at 86

    Lou Capozzoli, 86, of Southwest Philly, a dive bar owner and band front man with a penchant for telling jokes, died Sunday, Feb. 1, after battling a brief illness at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital while surrounded by family.

    Mr. Capozzoli, born April, 4, 1939, was just one year younger than the bar he would eventually take over at the intersection of East Passyunk Avenue and Federal Street, then called Ray’s after the nickname bestowed on his father, Anthony.

    Almost immediately, the bar became the center of Mr. Capozzoli’s life. He grew up in the apartment upstairs and as a toddler would sit quietly on the bar downstairs, eating cornflakes, while his mom poured beers. His dad, meanwhile, would wish every customer a happy birthday, even if it wasn’t theirs to celebrate.

    It was a gesture that stuck with Mr. Capozzoli, who would go on to spend the rest of his life doing whatever he could to earn smiles from strangers, whether it meant serving birthday shots of cake-flavored vodka with a candle or performing to crowds as a singer and saxophonist across Las Vegas, the Jersey Shore, and South Philly.

    Mr. Capozzoli with a drawing of his father, Anthony “Ray” Capozzoli, who opened Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar in South Philadelphia in 1938. Mr. Capozzoli took over the bar when his father died in 1997.

    “That’s all he wanted, for his father to be proud of him,” said Rose Capozzoli,Mr. Capozzoli’s wife.

    And he would be, Rose is certain. Mr. Capozzoli took over the bar when his father died in 1997, rechristening it Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar in honor of his dad’s slogan. Under his stewardship, Ray’s would go on to become the gold standard of Philly dive bars, known for $4 citywides, Friday night karaoke, staying open on Christmas, and an unwavering adherence to theme. Mr. Capozzoli would call regulars on their birthdays to wish them well and maintained a calendar of seemingly all the birthdays in the world to help his staff keep tally on the outdoor chalkboard.

    As a boss, Mr. Capozzoli was “pretty silly,” said bartender T.C. Cole, who also played guitar in Mr. Capozzoli’s band. “He would call you at 1:45 in the morning when you’re trying to close just to tell you a joke.”

    The inside of Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar. Mr. Capozzoli was known for calling regulars on the mornings of their birthdays.

    If jokes were a currency, Mr. Capozzoli was a billionaire, friends and family said. He’d fire them off incessantly — during closing shifts, band performances, family dinners — and had enough discretion to whisper the most risqué in your ear. Mr. Capozzoli’s style was modeled after that of Buddy Hackett and Rodney Dangerfield, his favorite comedians, but the punch lines didn’t matter as much his delivery.

    Mr. Capozzoli “would laugh with the person he was telling the joke to,” his son Anthony Capozzoli, 55, said. “If you weren’t laughing with the punch line, you were laughing at how much he enjoyed getting to it.”

    More recently, Anthony said, his father would call him just to workshop material, most of which isn’t fit to print. Mr. Capozzoli’s favorite jokes were set to music in 2023 for a five minute-long comedy track as part of a studio EP for the Rage Band, the seven-piece group that Mr. Cappozoli sang with for 41 years alongside a rotating cast of characters.

    Low Cut Connie front man Adam Weiner recorded the EP. He and Mr. Capozzoli grew close after Weiner played a gig at Ray’s in 2012, bonding over their shared love of captivating a crowd.

    “Not everyone is about joy when they perform … People care about their ego, people care about fashion,” Weiner said. “But Lou was always about fun, just radiating 100% joy.”

    Mr. Capozzoli started performing professionally when he was 14, sneaking into clubs to accompany bands on the alto sax. The stage was a calling that helped him fall in love. It also took him to the edge of celebrity.

    After serving in the military in the early 1960s and playing for Sophia Loren as part of an army band, Mr. Capozzoli told jokes and sang standards at the Stardust and Flamingo casinos in Las Vegas. At the peak of his fame, he opened for Diana Ross at the Riptide Club in Wildwood in 1965. That same year Mr. Capozzoli met his wife, Rose, who was charmed by his talents at another Wildwood concert. They wed three years later.

    Mr. Capozzoli bonded with Low Cut Connie’s Adam Weiner over their shared love of performing.

    Mr. Capozzoli’s steadiest gig began in 1984 with the Rage Band, once the house act for Sea Isle City’s now-shuttered Springfield Inn. There, Mr. Capozzoli settled into his larger-than-life style, commanding a crowd of roughly 1,000 people a night on summer weekends. He’d serenade Burt and Ernie puppets for a medley of Sesame Street songs and show tunes, or don outlandish masks for a Mummers tribute. Both brought down the house, but never as much as when Mr. Capozzoli would cover “Those Were The Days” or ”Sweet Caroline,” which were always punctuated with jokes.

    “I call him the showman’s showman,” said Brian Saunders, one of band’s saxophonists. Tony DiMattia, a bassist for the band, concurred: “He didn’t just entertain the crowd. He entertained us as musicians.”

    The Rage Band stopped their Sea Isle residency in 1999, only to pick up at new one at Ray’s in 2003, where they have performed on the first Saturday of every month from October through April ever since. The band never rehearsed, DiMattia said. Mr. Capozzoli’s stage presence could smooth over just about any kink.

    Mr. Capozzoli played in The Rage Band for 42 years, performing for packed houses at the Springfield Inn in Sea Isle City and Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar.

    “There is no Rage Band without Lou,” Saunders said. “He was the glue that kept us together.”

    Outside of music, Mr. Capozzoli’s greatest loves were his wife and children. He was a dedicated father who enjoyed cooking large French toast breakfasts, organizing tee ball games, and ensuring the family always had a rescue dog to snuggle. Laughter — and his wife’s minding — kept Mr. Capozzoli going, even as the decades of working in a smoking bar wore on him.

    “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Lou angry,” said Saunders. “I don’t think he’d ever not had a smile on his face.”

    Mr. Capozzoli was an accomplished saxophonist who started playing professionally when he was 14 years old.

    In addition to his wife, Rose, and son, Anthony, Mr. Capozzoli is survived by his daughters, Dyan Wixted and Luann Capozzoli, and three grandchildren: Louis, Daniel, and Delaney.

    Visitation with the family will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 6, and from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Feb. 7 at Pennsylvania Burial Company, 1327-31 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19147. Services will follow Saturday at 11 a.m.

    Donations in Mr. Capozzoli’s name may be made to an animal shelter of your choosing or ACCT-Philly, c/o Development, 111 W. Hunting Park Ave, Philadelphia, Pa., 19140. Alternatively, his wife said, stories about Mr. Capozzoli or jokes he would’ve enjoyed can be sent to the family via email at rayshappybirthdaybar1@gmail.com.

  • In the String Band Spectacular, Mummers give their all at the chilly Linc

    In the String Band Spectacular, Mummers give their all at the chilly Linc

    Nearly a month after dangerous winds snarled their New Year’s Day performances, a dozen Mummers string bands got their encore.

    The slate of bands reimagined their Jan. 1 routines Saturday on the snow-covered Lincoln Financial Field. It was a break from the norm — but perhaps the start of a new tradition for the 125-year-old Mummers.

    “This is how we do it in our city,” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker rallied the chilly but boisterous crowd. “When we set our minds to get something done, we won’t let the weather or anything stop us.”

    The mayor suggested: “I think we might be on to something big.”

    Folks applaud the bands during the 2026 String Band Spectacular at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

    While the musical magnum opus of the Mummers Parade strutted down Broad Street to kick off 2026, the competitive portion of the spectacular was postponed due to unexpected squalls that damaged props and sent five people to the hospital with minor injuries.

    It was not the first disruption to the century-old holiday parade, but it was the first time that the popular string band division was suspended. The reenvisioned judged portion — dubbed the String Band Spectacular — on the Philadelphia Eagles’ home turf was announced weeks later.

    “Thousands of people are out here cheering like it’s New Year’s Day all over again,” Sam Regalbuto, president of the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association, said. “The cold isn’t keeping the fans away, and it’s definitely not keeping the energy down out on the field.”

    Laksumi Sivanandan, 27, and Carter Davis, 30, of East Passyunk, were at the parade on New Year’s Day but were excited to see the string bands with different scenery — and have the rare opportunity to be feet from the Eagles sideline at an accessible price. (More than 5,000 tickets, ranging from $12 to $25, were sold, according to Regalbuto.)

    “It’s fun to see it in a different environment — usually you’re sitting on a lawn chair on Broad Street.”

    But the rescheduled event was not without its own weather woes: On Friday, at least one string band pulled out of the performance, citing the frigid temperatures. A total of 14 bands make up the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association, according to its website, but only 12 were scheduled to take the stage Saturday.

    A coastal “bomb cyclone” was expected to douse parts of New Jersey and Delaware with some snowfall this weekend, while stinging winds and arctic air in Philadelphia pushed temperatures into single digits and plunged wind chills to as low as 10 degrees below zero. At the height of the show Saturday, temperatures barely eclipsed 20 degrees at the open-air Linc.

    For spectators, who were clustered in the stadium’s lower bowl and sprinkled in suites, the keys to staying warm: layers, hand warmers, and beer jackets.

    But the event offered Mummers enthusiasts and newbies alike an opportunity to enjoy the bands’ jovial music, unique sound, and elaborate costumes — with performances taking the audience from the sights of Las Vegas to New Orleans, a funhouse, and the Beauty and the Beast mansion — outside of New Year’s revelry.

    “This is the moment each of the string bands work so hard for, and we’re so thrilled,” Regalbuto said. “This all came together to give them their shining spotlight out on that field in an unprecedented way. We couldn’t be more excited.”

    The Fralinger String Band performs during the 2026 String Band Spectacular at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.
  • Dan McQuade, award-winning writer, tireless community activist, and ‘Philadelphia institution,’ has died at 43

    Dan McQuade, award-winning writer, tireless community activist, and ‘Philadelphia institution,’ has died at 43

    Even as a child, Dan McQuade let his imagination run wild. “What are you doing?” his mother, Denise, would ask if she hadn’t heard any noise from his bedroom for a while. “I’m making stories,” he would reply.

    Later, as a young man about town, his compassion for fellow Philadelphians inspired his father, Drew. Dan volunteered to give blood often, donated brand-new sneakers to other guys in need, and continually reached out to people he saw struggling with drug abuse and homelessness. “His kindness was what I loved about him the most,” his father said.

    Dan McQuade was already an award-winning writer, blogger, and journalist when he met his future wife, Jan Cohen, online in 2014. To her, his jovial humor, wide-ranging intelligence, and shoulder-length hair made him unique in her circle. “I thought he was too cool for me,” she said.

    As it turned out, they were all spot on. Mr. McQuade used his quirky creativity to write memorable blogs and freelance stories about culture and sports for The Inquirer, the Daily News, the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and other publications. He was a cofounder and visual editor at Defector Media and worked previously for Deadspin, Philadelphia Magazine, Philadelphia Weekly, and other outlets.

    His empathy, likely inspired by his parents, his wife said, led him to toil tirelessly for charitable nonprofits such as the Everywhere Project, Back on My Feet, and Prevention Point. “Service was always part of his life,” his wife said.

    His coolness, as unconventional as it sometimes was, made those he encountered feel cool, too. Molly Eichel, an Inquirer editor and longtime friend, said: “He was annoyingly smart and incredibly kind.”

    Dan McQuade died Wednesday, Jan. 28, of neuroendocrine cancer at his parents’ home in Bensalem. He was 43. His birthday was Jan. 27.

    Mr. McQuade’s annual Wildwood T-shirt report was a favorite of his many readers and fans.

    “It’s incredibly hard for me to imagine living in a Philadelphia without Dan McQuade,” said Erica Palan, an Inquirer editor and another of Mr. McQuade’s many longtime friends. “He understood Philadelphians better than anyone because he was one: quirky and funny, competitive and humble, loyal and kind.”

    A journalism star at the University of Pennsylvania in the early 2000s, Mr. McQuade was a writer, sports editor, and columnist for the school’s Daily Pennsylvanian, and managing editor of its 34th Street Magazine. He earned two Keystone Press awards at Penn, was the Daily Pennsylvanian’s editor of the year in 2002, and won the 2003 college sports writing award from the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association.

    He went on to create Philadelphia Weekly’s first blog, “Philadelphia Will Do,” and was a finalist for the Association of Alternative Newsmedia’s best blogger award. He served an internship at the Bucks County Courier Times in Levittown and worked for a while at the Northeast News Gleaner.

    Often irreverent, always inventive, he filed thousands of notable stories about, among other things, the Wildwood T-shirt scene, the origin of “Go Birds,” sneaker sales, Donald Trump, Wawa hoagies, the Philly accent, parkway rest stops, the Gallery mall, soap box derbies, and Super Bowls. His stories sparkled with research and humor.

    An avid reader himself, Mr. McQuade enjoyed reading local tales to his son, Simon.

    “Dan was a truly authentic and engaging person,” Tom Ley, editor-in-chief at Defector, said in an online tribute. “His curiosity was relentless, and his interests were varied and idiosyncratic.”

    For example, Mr. McQuade wrote in Philadelphia Magazine in 2013 that Sylvester Stallone’s famous training-run montage in Rocky II — it started in South Philly and ended two minutes of screen time later atop the Art Museum steps — actually showed city scenes that would have had the actor/boxer run more than 30 miles around town. “Rocky almost did a 50K,” Mr. McQuade wrote. “No wonder he won the rematch against Apollo!”

    In 2014, he wrote in Philadelphia Magazine about comedian Hannibal Buress calling Bill Cosby a rapist onstage at the old Trocadero. The story went viral, and the ensuing publicity spurred more accusations and court cases that eventually sent Cosby to jail for a time.

    When he was 13, Mr. McQuade wrote a letter to the editor of the Daily News that suggested combining the Mummers Parade with Spain’s running of the bulls. Crossing Broad’s Kevin Kinkead said he had “an innate gift for turning the most random things into engaging reads.”

    This story about Mr. McQuade appeared in the Daily News in 2014.

    “Without Dan’s voice, Philly Mag wouldn’t be Philly Mag,” editor and writer Brian Howard said in a tribute on phillymag.com. “And, I’d argue, Philadelphia wouldn’t quite be Philadelphia.”

    Other colleagues called him “a legend,” “a Philadelphia institution,” and “the de facto mayor of Philadelphia” in online tributes. Homages to him were held before recent Flyers and 76ers games.

    “Sometimes,” his wife said, “he inserted himself into stories, so readers had a real sense of who he was because he was so authentic.”

    Daniel Hall McQuade was born Jan. 27, 1983, in Philadelphia. His father worked nights at the Daily News for years, and the two spent many days together when he was young hanging around playgrounds and skipping stones across the creek in Pennypack Park.

    Mr. McQuade (left) and his father, Drew, shared a love of Philly sports and creative writing.

    Later, they texted daily about whatever came to mind and bonded at concerts, Eagles games, and the Penn Relays. He grew up in the Northeast, graduated with honors from Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bensalem, and earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Penn in 2004.

    He overcame a serious stutter as a teen and played soccer and basketball, and ran cross-country and track at Holy Ghost. He married Jan Cohen in 2019 and they had a son, Simon, in 2023. They live in Wissahickon.

    Mr. McQuade was a voracious reader and an attentive listener. “He never wanted to stop learning,” his wife said. He enjoyed going to 76ers games with his mother and shopping for things, his father said, “they didn’t need.”

    He was mesmerized by malls, the movie Mannequin, the TV series Baywatch, and his wife’s cat, Detective John Munch. During the pandemic, he and his wife binged all 11 seasons of Baywatch.

    Mr. McQuade doted on his wife, Jan, and their son, Simon.

    He could be loud, his mother said, and Molly Eichel described his laugh as “kind of a honk.” His friend and colleague Alli Katz said: “In 50 years I’ll forget my own name. But I’ll remember his laugh.”

    He was a vintage bootleg T-shirt fashionista, and his personal collection numbered around 150. He named Oscar’s Tavern on Sansom Street as his favorite bar in a recent podcast interview and said he would reluctantly pick a pretzel over a cheesesteak if that was the choice.

    Dan McQuade collected over 100 bootleg sports T-shirts and showed them off as art.

    In September, Mr. McQuade wrote about his illness on Defector.com under the headline “My Life With An Uncommon Cancer.” In that story, he said: “Jan has been everything. My son has been a constant inspiration. My parents are two of my best friends, and I talk to them every day. Jan’s parents have been incredible.”

    He also said: “I believe there are no other people on earth with my condition who are in as fortunate a situation. … For the past thousand words you have been reading about a bad break I got, but if only everyone in my position had it this good.”

    Mr. McQuade and his wife, Jan Cohen, married in 2019.

    His wife said: “He was truly the best guy.”

    In addition to his wife, son, and parents, Mr. McQuade is survived by his mother-in-law, Cheryl Cohen, and other relatives.

    Survivors give advice about mourning their loved ones, as told to The Inquirer’s obit writer

    Visitation with the family is to be from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at St. Martha Parish, 11301 Academy Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19154. Mass is to follow from 10 to 11 a.m.

    Donations in his name may be made to the Everywhere Project, 1733 McKean St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19145.

  • Mummers string band competition will duke it out at the Linc

    Mummers string band competition will duke it out at the Linc

    While the postponement of the Mummers’ string band competition could have put a damper on an otherwise joyous New Year’s Day in Philadelphia, the string bands may have gotten a sweeter prize out of the ordeal.

    The judged string band competition will now take place at Lincoln Financial Field on Jan. 31 at 2 p.m., after 30 to 60 mph winds on Jan. 1. forced organizers to reschedule, parade officials announced on Sunday.

    The annual competition is still open to the public, with tickets available on Ticketmaster for $12 to $25, and will be broadcast on the same channel as the parade, on WFMZ-TV. WFMZ has not announced a time for the television broadcast but said it will be later in the day on Jan. 31.

    City officials and parade organizers decided to postpone the competition once extreme wind and unexpected snow damaged several performance props and contributed to a few minor injuries, according to the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association (PMSBA).

    Despite the postponement of the competition, string bands continued to perform for paradegoers in full costume and makeup, honoring the parade’s historic milestone of 125 years, said Sam Regalbuto, PMSBA president, in a statement.

    How to watch

    The Mummers’ rescheduled string band competition can be watched in person, online, or on television.

  • 2026 Mummers Parade drew thousands to a Philly tradition despite disruptive high winds

    2026 Mummers Parade drew thousands to a Philly tradition despite disruptive high winds

    With sequins and glitter, music and pageantry, the nation’s oldest folk parade strutted through downtown Philadelphia on Thursday, delighting thousands who lined Broad Street despite fierce, damaging, and bitter winds.

    Over 125 years, there have been weather events — postponements because of cold, rain and snow and, in 2021, a COVID cancellation. But for the first time in Mummers history, one part of the parade was suspended.

    The popular String Band Division called off its competition because of punishing winds that destroyed props and sent five people to the hospital early Thursday morning during parade setup. Each of the 14 string bands marched later Thursday, playing music in costumes and makeup, but solely for entertainment purposes and not with their planned routines.

    A full string band competition, with judges and routines the clubs have spent a full year devising and practicing, will happen on a yet-to-be-determined date, after logistics and finances are worked out.

    Still, the 2026 parade was quintessentially Philadelphia — not perfect, but full of heart-on-its-sleeve scrappiness.

    Ryan Echols, president of the Hegeman String Band, said the group had shortened its performance and packed up props due to the gusty wind, but still came to play.

    “The parade still goes on, regardless,” said Echols. “We’re still here to perform for the city of Philadelphia.”

    The cancellation had thrown a wrench in the day, said Nick Magenta, captain of the Polish American String Band.

    “You get used to all these years — how the parade goes, how the morning goes,” he said. “When you have something like those, it kind of throws you off your focus.”

    Still, Mummer morale remained high, he said.

    “You can’t change it, regardless,” said Magenta. “Everyone is just looking forward to being out here and celebrating the new year.”

    Musicians with the Uptown String Band arrive on buses, to play for their theme of “From Script to Screen,” highlighting the golden age of Hollywood movie making.

    ‘Things were just being ripped out of our hands’

    String band officials saw the forecasts: possible snow squalls and wind gusts early Thursday morning. They monitored forecasts hour by hour.

    But in the 5 a.m. reality of readying “a mobile Broadway show,” it quickly became apparent that they were not gusts, but, on Broad Street, sustained 30-mile-per-hour winds. As clubs set up their elaborate props, five people sustained injuries that sent them to the hospital. Some clubs had important set pieces destroyed.

    “We did everything precaution-wise — sandbags and all of that,” said Sam Regalbuto, president of the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association. “But as they were trying to assemble, things were just being ripped out of our hands.”

    Regalbuto quickly called a meeting of association delegates, and the consensus was to suspend the competition but still march. Only a little differently, not putting anyone at a disadvantage, because several bands had lost key pieces of their show.

    Sam Regalbuto, president of the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association, pauses for a photo with Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, during the Mummers Parade Thursday. The string band competition was suspended because of high winds that destroyed props and caused injuries during morning setup. The bands still marched and played their music, but did not carry props, and would not be judged.

    Even into the afternoon, winds were still brisk, with temperatures in the 30s. (Cold temperatures are scheduled to continue into the weekend.)

    “We’ve lost sets, we’ve lost props that we’ve worked 365 days to put together to bring you the best possible string band spectacular that we do every year,” he said. “It was very hard for all of us, as a unit, to make this decision.”

    After the last Comic Divisions finished, it was showtime for the strings, with Duffy String Band leading off.

    Crowds seemed unfazed by the amended show. Some Mummers wore beanies instead of their typical elaborate headpieces.

    A jubilant Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s spirits were undimmed by the changes.

    “I want you to remember how much time, energy, and practice and effort goes into preparing,” Parker said. “Don’t forget about the generations of families who are here. We are proud, and this is our Philly tradition.”

    ‘Our thing, together’

    Dressed in handmade, bedazzled Colonial-era costumes, Joe Bongard, 47, and his teenage daughter, Lucy, were the first Mummers to march.

    By parade time, it had almost seemed like they hadn’t slept in days, the Bongards said. Father and daughter had been preparing since September.

    Bruce Platt, a parade marshal for 17 years, holds back the rush of Froggy Carr wenches as they take off for their TV start time march,

    In the final hours before Parade Day, Lucy sewed her bejeweled and sparkled red-white-and-blue Colonial-era woman’s costume. Meanwhile, her father, who is in his first year as captain of Golden Sunrise Fancy Club, applied finishing touches to his Ben Franklin outfit and practiced his knee step for the dance routine.

    Poised in the warming glow of the television cameras, their patriotic sequins and feathers rustling in the icy wind, Joe and Lucy Bongard said this is what they love to do.

    “It’s our thing, together,” Joe Bongard said.

    Proudly watching her husband and daughter from the grandstand, Erika Bongard laughed when she said that, for her, the Mummers Parade represented something else entirely. “Honestly for me, lots of cleaning, because there is sequins and glitter everywhere for months,” she said, recording as Joe and Lucy began to strut and dance to Rocky theme song “Gonna Fly Now,” officially kicking things off.

    “Clearly, Lucy got her rhythm from me, and not Joe,” said Erika Bongard, beaming about her daughter’s smooth steps.

    McKenna Wei, 7, gets help putting on a set of beads given to her by a passing Mummer Wench as the Newtown Square family watches the Mummers Parade Thursday, the 125th anniversary of Philly’s iconic New Year’s Day celebration. From left is grandmother Qin; sister Mabel, 12; mom, Helen and dad, Michael.

    Nearby, Ellie Jozefowski, 75, fought back tears as she strutted in a sequined Flyers jacket. The tears come easily every year for Jozefowski, a parade veteran of more than three decades.

    Thursday was no different. They flowed freely as four generations of Jozefowskis marched together for Golden Sunrise, including Ellie’s 7-month-old grandson, Peter, bundled up in a cheesesteak costume and carried by his mother, Molly.

    “I’m crying because I’m happy!” shouted Ellie Jozefowski.

    Farther back in line, Mummer Brian Creamer, of South Philly, shivered over his coffee. His young daughter, Amita, also a Mummer, had helped him bejewel his pirate king costume. He would not miss it for the cold or the wind, he said.

    “It’s about spreading the new year joy,” he said.

    Even farther back, wenches Ricky Dinaro, 35, and his pal, Anthony Putnick, warmed themselves on the regenerative powers of Miller Lite.

    They’d been born into the parade, they said, and marched all their lives. They had been drinking for hours.

    “I stayed up all night,” said Putnick, of the MGK Outsiders NYB.

    Others had found their way into the longest-running continuous folk parade.

    Cheyenne Cohen, of Golden Sunrise, grew up in Northern California before joining the Mummers three years ago after she moved to Philly. There was nothing like the Mummers in Santa Cruz, she said, adding that she now also works at the Mummers Museum in South Philly.

    “Absolutely, the most welcoming community,” she said of her sequined and feathered found family.

    It was a parade of firsts for the Mummers of the Philadelphia Chinese Community Organization United troupe.

    Celebrating its inaugural year, the Chinatown Mummers danced traditional Chinese folk dances, which many members practiced late nights after their restaurant jobs.

    “We want to welcome people to Chinatown and show our culture,” said member Holly Ming.

    In the crowded grandstands, new and old fans shivered.

    Kenzie McBride thought what better year to score front-row grandstand seats for her stepmother, Jennifer Smithson, than the 125th anniversary?

    Smithson, bundled in a blanket, approved.

    “It’s been on my bucket list,” she said.

    And though some would-be parade-goers stayed home because of the string band news, plenty came out to enjoy the iconic parade anyway.

    In the grandstands as darkness fell, Patrick Finnegan, 46, of Oreland, danced with his son, Dylan, 6, on his shoulders. His 8-year-old twins, Arielle and Melody, were by his side.

    It was the first time he had brought the kids to the parade.

    The cancellations didn’t affect their fun, Finnegan said.

    “It’s all about riding the train downtown to see the Mummers,” Finnegan said, mid-strut. “My wife thinks I’m crazy.”

  • She’s 93, from Wales, and obsessed with the Mummers. She flew to Philadelphia to meet them.

    She’s 93, from Wales, and obsessed with the Mummers. She flew to Philadelphia to meet them.

    Seeing the Mummers’ New Year’s Day parade became something of a running joke to Avril Davidge and her family.

    You see, they live in Wales and Davidge is now a 93-year-old grandmother who rarely leaves her flat. She didn’t have a passport, nor had she been on a plane in 30 years. She’d never been to the United States and she jokes she could die tomorrow.

    But after going down a YouTube rabbit hole and becoming what can only be described as obsessed with the tradition two years ago, she would often say things like “when we go to Philadelphia” or “when I see my Mummers.”

    “It’s done a lot for me,” Davidge said. She had her granddaughter set her Mummers YouTube videos on autoplay since she can’t figure out the search function. “Even having breakfast, I put it on. It starts the day right for me.”

    While the Mummers Parade can draw drastically divergent opinions at home, where some see it as a beloved multigenerational tradition and others paint it as an excuse for people to get drunk on Two Street, Davidge sees it as a connection to her late husband. She doesn’t know anyone in Wales who has even heard of Mummery, but deep in her heart, she knows it’s something her husband of 70 years would have loved. He died two years ago and she discovered her first Mummers video weeks later.

    Quaker City String Band Captain Jimmy Good pushes the wheelchair of “Queen Mumm” Avril Davidge doing a Mummers strut. Davidge is a 93 year old Welsh grandma who came to the United States for the first time to see the Mummers.

    Eventually, her family decided to give Davidge the trip of a lifetime to witness the 10,000-person spectacle that has ushered in the new year for Philadelphians for 125 years. Davidge will be among the many spectators watching the Mummers Parade take Broad Street on Thursday.

    Using the power of social media and propelled by her family, Davidge landed Tuesday at Philadelphia International Airport, greeted by a Rocky statue — another bit of culture she loves. On Wednesday she was surprised with a trip to the Mummers Museum in South Philadelphia, where she delighted in a private tour: Yes, they’re real ostrich feathers on the costumes, and one of the more elaborate costumes can weigh 150 pounds.

    Then she met Jimmy Good, captain of the Quaker City String Band, and a personal favorite of Davidge’s. Her family said Davidge often quiets them down with a “my Jimmy is on.”

    “I’ll never forget this,” she told Good, complimenting what she called his beautiful smile and showing him her golden shoes, a nod to dem golden slippers. “Never.”

    The two even strutted in the museum, Good pushing Davidge in her wheelchair as she lifted a gifted satin umbrella.

    It was a scene Davidge’s family could hardly believe was playing out. Just a few weeks ago, they thought Davidge was at death’s door.

    Divine intervention brings the Mummers to Wales

    When Davidge’s husband died, she was “feeling low,” as she calls it.

    Then the YouTube algorithm, programmed by her granddaughter to show her United Kingdom marching bands, showed her a clip of the Quaker City String Band performing “Make Believe,” a song Davidge and her husband loved. Her family felt it was almost a form of divine intervention.

    Something about the string bands, the costumes, the performances offered a comfort Davidge needed. Soon, the Mummers were all she was watching and she quickly developed an encyclopedic knowledge of the longtime Philadelphian tradition.

    The 1999 Quaker City String Band theme of “Reflections of Old Moscow” is a legendary performance, Davidge said, and then-captain Bob Shannon Jr. remains her all-time favorite.

    She was in awe as she learned Shannon stood at 6-foot-10; the old YouTube clips are grainy and don’t do the performances justice.

    Connecting Philly and Wales through social media

    Davidge’s love for the Mummers has been contagious, family members say, not that they’ve had much of a choice.

    Last year, Fiona Smillie-Hedges, Davidge’s granddaughter, asked a friend, American expat Wendy Ratcliffe, if she had heard of the Mummers.

    Ratcliffe, whose maternal side of the family is scattered around Southeastern Pennsylvania, was floored.

    “I said, vast swaths of the country would have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said.

    When Ratcliffe’s family visited her, they brought a Mummers mug and other Philly merch for the grandmother they had heard so much about. The mug is not for use and remains propped in front of Davidge’s television.

    Last Christmas, Davidge even got a Mummers book, which she calls her bible.

    By 2025, the joke of going to Philly felt more like an inevitability. Smillie-Hedges, 38, tried to figure out how to maximize the experience and took to TikTok and Instagram to get some advice. She needed to know how people kept warm, how to get a good view of the string bands, and where to stay.

    Soon she was in touch with Jim Donio, host of the String Band Sessions podcast, a longtime Mummer who led the broadcasts from 1985 to 1987.

    Donio arranged for the museum tour and asked Good to set some time aside to meet Davidge.

    “I need[ed] to step in here and do what I can to make this dream happen and make this dream come true,” Donio said.

    But as Donio — who calls Davidge “Queen Mumm” — worked stateside, Davidge caught some sort of virus a few weeks ago, which at her age can be deadly.

    Davidge said she thought she wouldn’t make it.

    But Smillie-Hedges said the family used the Philadelphia trip to motivate her into eating and staying positive.

    “She’s worked very hard to be here, to be well enough,” Smillie-Hedges said. “Every time I was like, you must eat this, you must drink that. Come on, Rocky training for Philly.”

    On Wednesday, Davidge was all smiles. Her hotel overlooks Broad Street should she get cold and need to duck in for warmth. Unbeknownst to her, Donio also arranged for a golf cart to get her, Ratcliffe, Smillie-Hedges, and Davidge’s daughter Kay Hedges to their VIP seats by the judges’ table.

    The whole trip feels implausible to the family, yet the only natural outcome.

    “[Davidge] didn’t find the Mummers until it was literally a couple of weeks after my granddad had passed,” Smillie-Hedges said. “I swear it was meant to be.”

  • As 2026 arrives, Philly is in for a cold — but less windy — New Year’s

    As 2026 arrives, Philly is in for a cold — but less windy — New Year’s

    After Tuesday’s blustery weather, the Philadelphia region is in for calmer weather on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day — but if you’re heading out to celebrate the holiday, be sure to bundle up.

    As 2025 gives way to 2026, temperatures are expected to top out in the low to mid-30s Wednesday and Thursday, running roughly 5 to 10 degrees below normal for this time of year, said Alex Staarmann, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly. Wind chills from expected breezy weather midweek, meanwhile, will make it feel even colder, likely down into the 20s.

    “It will be cold and breezy for the [Mummers] parade on Thursday, but nothing significant otherwise,” Staarmann said. “Just dress warmly.”

    That’s something of a relief following Monday and Tuesday’s windy weather, which saw wind gusts topping 50 mph amid a wind advisory that was extended until at least 4 p.m. The strongest winds came late Monday, with gusts hitting 60 mph at Philadelphia International Airport just after 8 p.m., according to weather service data.

    Wind on Wednesday — New Year’s Eve — is expected to abate significantly, with sustained speeds up to 15 mph and gusts topping out at 25 mph, Staarmann said. Thursday — New Year’s Day — will be similarly breezy, with gusts topping out at 30 mph on top of sustained wind in the 15- to 20-mph range.

    That cold and wind will be accompanied by slight chances of snow showers or flurries, though no accumulation is expected. The best chance for snow showers comes overnight Wednesday into Thursday, when forecasters give Philadelphia about a 40% chance of snow. But as of midday Tuesday, the possibility of any snow was somewhat unlikely.

    There was likewise a small possibility of some flurries early Wednesday morning, but Staarmann pegged the potential there at about 20%. Likewise, no accumulation was expected.

    “We could maybe get a small chance of a dusting, but there are not great chances of that, and nothing significant,” Staarmann said. “If anything, just flurries to maybe a light dusting.”

    Lacking any significant winter weather, holiday revelers heading to Philadelphia’s first New Year’s Eve concert Wednesday are likely in the clear, aside from the cold. The concert, set to begin at 8 p.m. on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, will feature performances by LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Los Angeles rock band Dorothy, and Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts graduate Adam Blackstone.

    Folks heading to Thursday’s Mummers Parade are likely to see similar weather. Those festivities are set to kick off at 9 a.m., as more than 10,000 performers hit Philly’s streets for the day’s celebrations.

    As the week wears on, the weather for the first days of 2026 is expected to be “fairly uneventful,” according to weather service forecasts. Cold weather, however, is likely to stick around, with highs mostly in the 30s and lows in the teens and 20s.

  • A Guide to the 2026 Philadelphia Mummers Parade

    A Guide to the 2026 Philadelphia Mummers Parade

    This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Philadelphia Mummers Parade, that colorful, boisterous procession that has come to define New Year’s Day in the city.

    The festivities kick off at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1, as more than 10,000 performers take to the streets for a daylong celebration USA Today readers recently hailed as the nation’s best holiday parade.

    From parking to road closures to how to go about watching, here’s everything you need to know ahead of time.

    Kasey McCullough kisses her son Finn, 5, after his appearance with Bill McIntyre’s Shooting Stars during their performance in the Fancy Brigade Finale at the Convention Center Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, part of the Philadelphia Mummers New Year’s Day parade. Their theme is “Legends of the Secret Scrolls.” Finn’s dad, Jim McCullough also performed, his 40th year with the Mummers. They are from Washington Twp.Washington Township, N.J.

    Mummers Parade route

    The mile-and-a-half route begins at City Hall, before heading south down Broad Street to Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia.

    How to watch the 2026 Mummers Parade

    Watch the Mummers Parade in person

    The parade is free to attend. Those hoping for a more intimate experience, however, have a few options:

    • Reserved bleacher seats located near the judging stand just west of City Hall are available for $25 at visitphilly.com.
    • Additionally, tickets to the Fancy Brigade Finale — held at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. inside the Convention Center — range from $28 to $43. Tickets are available at visitphilly.com or during business hours at the Independence Visitor Center.

    Watch the Mummers Parade from home

    The parade will be broadcast from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on:

    Members of the Saints wench brigade step to the judges’ stand during the 124th Mummers Parade on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.

    What is the Mummers Parade?

    In short, it’s the longest continuously running folk parade in the country. Some 10,000 elaborately dressed performers take part in the celebration each year, part of dozens of groups spread across several divisions.

    • Fancies: Painted faces and elaborate costumes.
    • Comics: Satirical comedy skits aimed at public figures, institutions, and current events.
    • Wench Brigades: Known for traditional Mummers costumes, including dresses, bloomers, and bonnets.
    • Fancy Brigades: Theatrical performances. (The Fancy Brigade Finale takes place on New Year’s Day with a pair of ticketed performances at the Convention Center at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.)
    • String Bands: Marching musicians playing an assortment of string and reed instruments.

    Mummers Parade performers

    Fancy Division

    • Golden Sunrise

    Wench Brigade Division

    • Froggy Carr
    • Pirates
    • Americans
    • Cara Liom
    • MGK
    • O’Malley
    • Oregon
    • Saints
    • Riverfront
    • Bryson
    • Comic Division

    Mother Club: Landi Comics NYA

    • Philadelphia Pranking Authority
    • Mayfair Mummers
    • Barrels Brigade
    • The Jacks

    Mother Club: Rich Porco’s Murray Comic Club

    • Holy Rollers NYB
    • Vaudevillains NYB
    • Trama NYB
    • Wild Rovers NYB
    • Mollywoppers NYB
    • Merry Makers NYB
    • Misfits NYB
    • Fitzwater NYB
    • Funny Bonez NYB
    • Top Hat NYB
    • Fiasco NYB
    • Golden Slipper NYB
    • B. Love Strutters
    • Madhatters NYB
    • Tankie’s Angels NYB
    • The Leftovers NYB
    • Finnegan NYB

    Mother Club: Goodtimers NYA

    • SouthSide Shooters NYA
    • Jokers Wild NYB
    • Hog Island NYA
    • Pinelands Mummers NYB
    • Happy Tappers NYB
    • Two Street Stompers NYB
    • Gormley NYB
    • Jesters NYB
    • Lobster Club NYB
    • South Philly Strutters NYB
    • Jolly Jolly Comics NYB

    String Band Division

    • Duffy String Band
    • Durning String Band
    • Quaker City String Band
    • Fralinger String Band
    • Uptown String Band
    • Avalon String Band
    • South Philadelphia String Band
    • Aqua String Band
    • Greater Kensington String Band
    • Woodland String Band
    • Polish American String Band
    • Ferko String Band
    • Hegeman String Band
    • Jersey String Band
    Members of Froggy Carr chant as they strut to Market Street during the 124th Philadelphia Mummers Parade on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.

    Mummers Parade-day hacks

    Navigating the heavily attended event can require a bit of planning, with entire Reddit threads devoted to parade-day tips — including the best places to park and how to access elusive public restrooms throughout the day.

    A few things to keep in mind: The parade is accessible through SEPTA Regional Rail, bus, subway, and trolley lines. And though parking is free because of the holiday, it’s expected to be scarce.

    While the heart of the action takes place near City Hall and Dilworth Park, performance areas will also be located along the parade route — at Broad Street at Sansom, Pine, and Carpenter Streets.

    Starting at 11 a.m., meanwhile, parade attendees can gather at the staging area for the string bands to watch the performers prepare. (The staging areas are located at Market Street between 17th and 21st Streets and JFK Boulevard between 17th and 20th Streets.)

    Also good to remember? Dress warm, bring a lawn chair (they’re permitted), and pace yourself — it has the potential to be a very long day.

    Ferko String Band tenor sax players Renee Duffy of Deptford (left) and Tom Garrity of Berlin take a break from the parade as they ride in the bands truck on South Broad Street during the Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on New Year’s Day, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.

    Mummers Parade road closures and parking restrictions

    Friday, Dec. 26, 2025

    No parking from 6 p.m. on Dec. 26 through 6 p.m. on Jan. 2, on the east curb lane of 15th Street from JFK Boulevard to South Penn Square.

    Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025

    No parking from 6 p.m. on Dec. 27 through 7 a.m. on Jan. 2, on the west side of 15th Street from Arch Street to Ranstead Street. Street and sidewalk vendors will also not be permitted to park in this area.

    Monday, Dec. 29, 2025

    15th Street will be closed to southbound traffic at JFK Boulevard. Closure begins at 8 a.m. on Dec. 29 and runs through 7 a.m. Jan. 2.

    Market Street eastbound will be closed to traffic at 16th Street from 8 a.m. on Dec. 29 through 7 a.m. on Jan. 2.

    Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025

    No parking on the following streets from 4 a.m. on Dec. 30 through 6 p.m. on Jan. 1:

    •  Market Street from 15th Street to 21st Street (both sides)
    • JFK Boulevard from Juniper Street to 20th Street (both sides)

    15th Street will be closed to southbound traffic at JFK Boulevard. Closure begins at 7 a.m. on Dec. 30 and runs through 7 a.m. Jan. 2.

    Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025

    Market Street will be closed to vehicle traffic from 15th Street to 21st Street from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 31. Market Street will reopen at 3 p.m. and traffic will be permitted to travel eastbound on Market Street to 15th Street and continue southbound on 15th Street.

    Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026

    The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic beginning at 3 a.m. on Jan. 1 through the parade’s conclusion:

    • 15th Street from Arch Street to Chestnut Street
    • Market Street from 15th Street to 21st Street

    These streets will be closed to vehicle traffic beginning at 6 a.m. on Jan. 1 through the conclusion of the parade:

    • Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 16th Street to 20th Street
    • North Broad Street from Cherry Street to JFK Boulevard
    • 16th Street from Chestnut Street to Race Street
    • 17th Street from Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Ludlow Street
    • 18th Street from Ludlow Street to Race Street
    • 19th Street from Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Chestnut Street
    • 1500 block of Ranstead Street
    • 1300 block of Carpenter Street
    • 1000 block of South 13th Street
    • Chestnut Street from 15th Street to 18th Street (north side)
    • Cherry Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
    • Arch Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
    • Washington Avenue from 12th Street to 18th Street

    Broad Street will be closed to vehicle traffic from South Penn Square to Washington Avenue on Thursday, Jan. 1, beginning at 7 a.m. through the conclusion of the parade.

    Vehicle traffic will not be permitted to cross Broad Street during the parade.

    Additional Parking Restrictions

    No parking from 2 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1 (on both sides of street unless otherwise noted):

    • Broad Street from Cherry Street to Ellsworth Street
    • Juniper Street from JFK Boulevard to East Penn Square
    • South/East Penn Square from 15th Street to Juniper Street
    • Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 16th Street to 20th Street
    • Logan Circle (north side)
    • 16th Street from Chestnut Street to Race Street
    • 17th Street from Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Ludlow Street
    • 18th Street from Ludlow Street to Race Street
    • 19th Street from Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Chestnut Street
    • 1500 block of Ranstead Street
    • 1300 block of Carpenter Street
    • 1000 block of South 13th Street
    • Chestnut Street from 15th Street to 18th Street (north side)
    • Cherry Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
    • Arch Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
    • Washington Avenue from 12th Street to 18th Street

    SEPTA detours

    SEPTA hasn’t updated their schedule for the parade yet, but bus detours, alerts, and information can be found on SEPTA’s website.

    A brief history of the Mummers Parade

    What began in 1901 as a way to corral the city’s annual New Year’s debauchery has transformed into one of its most beloved traditions.

    Inspired by traditions brought to Philly by Swedish, Finnish, Irish, German, English, and African immigrants, the annual event has grown to feature thousands of costumed performers competing in a colorful, unique, and family-friendly daylong affair.

    Despite past funding issues and occasional controversy, the Mummers Parade today stands as one of the city’s quintessential events, celebrated by locals and embraced by Philly royalty; former Eagle Jason Kelce memorably donned a traditional Mummers outfit for the team’s Super Bowl parade in 2018, and actor Kevin Bacon, along with brother Michael, has helped fundraise for the event.