Crafts & Arts Sunday!

It’s time. The 2012 Greatest Folk Parade Tradition steps off in 57 days.  On this first weekend in November thousands of Mummers take a significant turn in the long process of getting ready for the Mummers Parade on New Year’s Day. The RPM’s rev a little more, almost with each new day.  But, while the rehearsals continue and [...]

About 1100 people came out last night for the annual Philadelphia Police Athletic League Awards Dinner at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel.  I was there along with a bunch of good citizens from PHL17 and NBC10. Proceeds go to the more than two-dozen PAL Centers providing a safe haven, recreation and mentoring to thousands of young [...]

Great Man, Great Night

We honored a Mummers legend on a night to remember in a room and a city of memories.  In Philadelphia, in the Crystal Tea Room, Mummery said farewell to Mickey Adams, retiring  Captain of Bill McIntyre’s Shooting Stars Fancy Brigade.  Hundreds of Mummers from across the 5 divisions dined and joked, talked and cried in an emotional evening in [...]

Vikings Rule L.A.

As I FB’d earlier in the week, I enthusiastically watched members of the South Philly Vikings in their last Philadelphia rehearsal before they left for Los Angeles.  SPV is  in L.A. and rehearsing for their next appearance on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”  Captain Pete D’Amato says, “The competition is pretty wild. There’s some good stuff.”  [...]

Caution: Strut in Progress

I’m ready for spring.   The whole long-cold, water-logged region is starting to utter a big sigh.  It must be what that first moment after getting out of prison feels like.  Well, anyway, as enjoyable as winter can be, we’ve served the sentence and we’re set for a Phanatic good time.  And, there is also much strutting in progress, [...]

The Show of Shows 2010!

Snow of Snows?  No, winter cannot and did not stop the awesome Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association Show of Shows!  16 bands performed this weekend at two shows at fabulous Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.  For members of the bands and their families it is part show, part reunion, part work, part competition and part [...]

Mums of La Mancha!

It was a momentous occasion tonight in the cavernous gymnasium at St. Matthew’s School in National Park, New Jersey.  Members of Quaker City String Band, rehearsing for the upcoming Show of Shows, kept one eye on the music and one eye on the prize waiting in the corner.   Jake Hart, the judge of judges, was [...]

Order’s Up!

We know the Order of March for the string bands in the 2011 Comcast Mummers Parade!  Representatives of the String Bands met Tuesday night at the Mummers Museum and took part in the selection of positions.  The upshot? Fralinger is going early for the first time in a long time, South Philadelphia, too, Ferko goes up [...]

The Life “Aqua”

“Life” is beginning to settle back into a routine now that the 2010 Comcast Mummers Parade is a little farther in the rear view mirror, but the memories of the great moments in the parade and the wonderful participants will always remain strong.   I asked Aqua String Band Captain Ron Iannacone to share his [...]

Singing for an SMA Solution!

In the Allentown area Saturday afternoon, January 9th, swing by the Crocodile Rock Cafe  to hear some great music, meet great people and help speed research for treatments and a cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Alexa Dectis will be performing her first concert.  She has cut a CD and like the CD, proceeds from the [...]