PHILADELPHIA — Musicians dressed as Wild West gunslingers and comics dressed as bullfighters, knights and Mexican wrestlers strutted in the annual Mummers Parade, celebrating New Year’s Day and the holiday tradition’s escape from the city’s budget ax.
Thousands of people endured temperatures in the low 20s — with a wind chill of 11 — to celebrate 2009 Philadelphia-style, watching the participants in elaborate costumes of satin, sequins and feathers.
“Philadelphia is one of the few cities where New Year’s Day is bigger than New Year’s Eve,” said resident Brian Castello, 48, who turned out early Thursday to watch the parade.
The more than six-hour parade featured about 15,000 people dancing 2 1/2 miles through the heart of the city.
The Mardi Gras-like festivities almost didn’t happen this year after the cash-strapped city withdrew more than $400,000 in support. It was saved through last-minute private fundraising and an agreement to shorten the pageant.
The word “mummer” comes from the German word for “mask.” There was no prize money for this year’s parade because of the city budget cuts.
