Philadelphia celebrates New Year's Day with Mummers Parade
Posted January 01, 2016 6:00 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Outrageously costumed Mummers have strutted and twirled at Philadelphia's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins.
Participants danced wildly and toted parasols Friday down Broad Street, the city's main north-south thoroughfare, during the 116th edition of what has been called Philadelphia's Mardi Gras.
New this year was the "Philadelphia Division," meant to inject some diversity into the parade, with two new Hispanic performance groups, a black drill team and the LGBT Miss Fancy Brigade.
But some critics called the parade offensive, with one performing group painting their faces brown to portray Mexicans and a comic brigade mocking Caitlyn Jenner.
Dozens of activists from the Black Lives Matter movement used the parade to stage a protest.
Members of the South Philadelphia String Band perform during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
Members of the Woodland String Band perform during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
Members of a Comics club perform during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
Members of the Uptown String Band perform during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
Members of the Uptown String Band perform during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
Comic club member Michael Kenney pauses on South Broad Street to adjust his costume during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
Members of the South Philadelphia String Band perform during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
Members of the Frailnger String Band perform during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
Members of the Aqua String Band perform during the 116th annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Outrageously costumed Mummers strutted their stuff Friday at the city's annual New Year's Day parade, a colorful celebration that features string bands, comic brigades, elaborate floats and plenty of feathers and sequins. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The Associated Press
A man, center left, and a member of the Black Lives Matter protest group argue during the Mummers Day Parade on New Year's Day in Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Dozens of activists from the Black Lives Matter movement used the parade to stage a protest. (David Swanson/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
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