Mummers promise a family-friendly Mardi Gras celebration in Manayunk

For Tom Loomis, longtime president of the String Band Association, the best things about the Mummers are family, friendships, fun, and, of course, great music.

"It's tradition," said Loomis, who has played in the Woodland String Band since 1977. "My son plays with me, and every year, as we get near City Hall, he'll find me, give me a kiss on the cheek, and tell me he loves me. I still get the chills."

All of those "bests" will be on display Saturday when all 17 string bands parade and perform as part of Mummers Mardi Gras in Manayunk. This is the third such fund-raising event for the bands, the second time they'll be strutting on Main Street. About 5,000 came out for last year's event.

"This is an opportunity to highlight the Mummers again," said event producer Joseph DeCandido of Advent Consulting L.L.C. "In Philadelphia, there's no tradition around Mardi Gras, but there's a synergy between the Mummers and Mardi Gras. This is a chance to put another spotlight on the Mummers, specifically the music."

More so than the Mummers' annual New Year's Day festivities, this is family-focused. That means no drinking alcoholic beverages on the streets, and child-friendly activities like face painting, a balloon artist, photo opportunities, and crafts.

Organizers promise there will be none of the costumes and actions many found racist and homophobic in the New Year's parade.

Last month, The Inquirer reported that the controversial nature of the 2016 New Year's parade deterred some corporate sponsors from putting their funds behind the Manayunk celebration. As of Tuesday, the parade still had no lead sponsor.

"Our event is child-friendly, inclusive, and intimate," said Jane Lipton, executive director of the Manayunk Development Corp. "It's amazing to see the Mummers coming down historic Main Street, with the storefronts built between 1880 and 1920."

(Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, was actually Feb. 9. It is traditionally seen as a last day of celebration and decadence before the beginning of the sacrifices called for during the Lenten season leading to Easter.)

New this year will be a Mummers headquarters in the old Cadence Cycling building at 4323 Main St. Besides the children's activities, Smokin' John's Barbecue will be on-site with food and drink. The South Philadelphia String Band, which placed first in January, will perform there after the parade.

The other bands will establish "clubhouses" and perform inside Main Street businesses. A full list of which band is where can be found at www.mummersmardigras.com.

[Update: Organizers Friday said visitors should come via public transit if possible, since Main Street will be closed to cars.  SEPTA's Manayunk-Norristown line stops just one block from Main Street.]

Lipton, who grew up watching the Mummers with her family, noted that some Northwest Philadelphia residents haven't ventured downtown for the annual Mummers Parade because of the cold, concerns about driving and parking, and fears that the youngest generation wouldn't be able to stay in place for the many hours it takes the brigades to make their way up Broad Street.

This event brings the Mummers to their neighborhoods and has a shorter parade route - about one mile compared to the three-mile-long traditional route (although it has been shortened in recent years) - meaning it'll be easier to keep the little ones engaged.

"Main Street isn't as wide as Broad Street, so you're not far back as a spectator. It allows you to get up close and personal with your Mummers. You can see the details on their costumes and enjoy their music, and it's really incredible," Lipton said. "I'm passionate about the Mummers, and I'm passionate about getting more people out to experience them."

This event is also a crucial fund-raiser for the string bands. Each band, Loomis said, needs to raise about $150,000 annually to afford costumes, instrument upkeep, and other fees. Monthly member dues and performance payments offset only some of those costs.

Last year, the event pulled in more than $20,000 in donations for the bands by selling $10 discount bracelets and passing around donation buckets. This year, all fund-raising will be done by "bucket brigade," Lipton said. Volunteers with buckets will walk among the crowd, giving a strand of colored beads to anyone who makes a donation.

"We don't care if you throw in a quarter or a dollar," Lipton said. "One of the most amazing things for us last year was collecting the buckets and seeing how many people had thrown in $20, $100. It wasn't a mandatory donation, so it really showed how the money was coming from people's hearts."

Another fund-raising effort, the website www.iamamummer.com, allows fans of the feathered and sequined walkers who live far away to contribute to the string bands' fund. Lipton said the site was a last-minute addition and raised a small amount of money, maybe $100 last year. She hopes that grows this year as people learn of the opportunity to make a tax-deductible donation.

"Every dollar goes to the bands. There are no administration fees," she said. "We all feel like we are Mummers at heart."

Loomis promises that the bands will play traditional offerings - like "When You're Smiling" and "Four Leaf Clover" - as well as shortened versions of their New Year's Day arrangements. Woodland String Band had a Jurassic Park theme this year, meaning paradegoers may hear the theme from The Flintstones as well as a new version of the movie's theme.

"The whole idea is to bring the great, unique sound of the Mummers and the string bands to the people of Philadelphia again," he said. "You won't see big props or sets. It's all about the music."

Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania will hold its ninth annual Mardi Gras Gala next Friday at the Crystal Tea Room. The fund-raiser features an open bar, a three-course Creole dinner, music, and dancing. Individual tickets are $250. Young-adult tickets - for ages 21 to 30, with small bites and an open bar - are $50. For more information: www.mardigrasphilly.org.

South Kitchen & Jazz Bar offers a $35 New Orleans-based prix fixe menu every Tuesday through February. It will also host live Zydeco music. For more information: www.southrestaurant.net.