Unba//anced

ok, the mummers...it's a tradition that's been going on for over 100 years in philly. the parade route is right down broad st (the main north-south artery in the city - and the street i live on) from oregon (near the stadiums) to city hall....that's about 2 miles these people have to walk in costumes and (some) carry and play instruments. there's four categories - comics (who just do jokey stuff and a subdivision called the wenches, which is really just guys decked out in dresses, walking the streets drunk and yelling happy new year), fancies (they have really cool costumes and do little dances), string bands (do i need to explain this one? but they have sets and everything) and the facy brigades (which i've never seen because they stage that at the convention center). the anthropologist in me understands why people who are from this area are into it....you get out of the house, see your neighbors, everyone cooks food and shares it with the neighborhood...but as someone who has immigrated to south philly a mere five years ago, this whole mess drives me nuts simply because the natives think this is the best thing ever. it's a 10 hour parade where lots of people are making all kinds of noise and running around the streets being annoying the day after most people get really, really drunk and i personally just want to sleep in. here's a link to the history of it and there's also info about the different categories.