PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The official 2021 Mummers Parade was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. And now it looks like the 2022 parade is a victim of bad weather.
With periods of heavy rain in the forecast for Saturday, city officials and the heads of the five Mummers divisions have decided to postpone the parade on New Year's Day and try it on Sunday. That was the result of a virtual meeting that wrapped up early Friday afternoon, said Mike Townsend, the recording secretary of the Fancy Brigades Association.
"There was a Zoom meeting this morning with the five presidents of the associations and also the city, and with the weather pending for tomorrow, doesn't look too great in our favor for the Mummers," Townsend said, "so they went ahead and made a decision earlier than later so they can situate everything for Saturday and or Sunday."
The parade will now kick off at 9 a.m. on Sunday at City Hall, with three performance spots along the route.
While the outdoor parade is postponed, the indoor Fancy Brigade Finale shows at the Pennsylvania Convention Center are still proceeding as scheduled, at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday.
The rain has also claimed the 6 p.m. fireworks show that was going to happen at Penn's Landing on Saturday. However, the fireworks scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and midnight are proceeding as scheduled.
Mummers officials say they have been working hard to put on a good show — and a safe show.
"Last year, we weren't able to gather and celebrate. So this year's parade has a special meaning for us," said Jessica Mazon, president of the Comic Division. "We're so excited to be able to bring to you the Mummers Parade again this year."
COVID-19 is still a concern this year, of course, with case counts and hospitalizations on the rise. When it was announced that the parade would be back again for 2022, Mummers officials urged performers and spectators to follow public health protocol.
"We want all the spectators to be able to enjoy this year's parade," said Sam Regalbuto, president of the String Band Division. "We're asking all attendees and parade participants to please follow city and CDC guidelines regarding mask requirements."
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The City of Philadelphia is requiring everyone along the parade route, over the age of 2, to wear a mask, vaccinated or not. Also, all entertainers involved with the parade are required to wear a mask, unless a musician needs to remove their face covering temporarily to perform.
The city and national health experts, such as infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Osterholm, agree: Spectators should avoid areas along parade routes that are crowded.
"To avoid becoming infected and potentially transmitting that virus to others, yes, avoiding these large crowds is really important," Osterholm said.
"What we're seeing right now, though, is a very different part of the pandemic than we've seen in those past two years."
But there's plenty of space to be able to spread out along the parade route and avoid close contact with others. City officials also encourage anyone who is not feeling well to stay home and watch the parade live on TV.
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The Fancy Brigade Finale must go on
Concerns about the omicron variant and indoor holiday celebrations have not much dampened ticket sales for the 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Fancy Brigade Finale shows.
"Ticket sales have been … steady — considering [we are in the middle of a pandemic]," said Brittany DeMeo, business agent for the Fancy Brigade Association and a Fancy Brigade performer. "We have had a lot of inquiries about how we are handling, it but we are still selling tickets and looking forward to the event."
Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 will not be checked for spectators, however all performers and spectators must wear masks at all times.
"A lot of people are concerned about their health and safety — as are we. We are doing our best to try and get through the pandemic. We’re making it clear that masks are required upon entering," DeMeo said.
The Mummers Fest, where in prior years visitors have been able to try on costumes and learn about the history of mummery, will be limited to just two hours before each show this year.