It's Mummers time again Philly

MACHO MEN in makeup. Gritty guys in gowns. Strongmen struttin' in sequins.

It's that time of year again.

The annual Mummers Parade will begin at 10 a.m. New Year's Day at Broad Street and Washington Avenue, with the Comics Division kicking things off.

The city will hold a news conference Friday to outline details of the parade, which include a new bleachers arrangement for the judging area that will offer improved sight lines, organizers say.

At 10:30 a.m., the banjo-, sax- and accordion-wielding string bands will start with a performance at Broad and Ritner Avenue and stop for repeats at Pine Street and Sansom Street before heading to the judging area near LOVE Park, on JFK Boulevard between 15th and 16th streets.

The Fancy Brigades leave from Broad and Oregon at 1 p.m.

The Ritner performance area will replace the two previous stops at Shunk and Wolf streets and will have seating, bathrooms and a DJ.

All in all, two fancy-division units, three comic clubs, eight wench brigades, 10 fancy brigades and 17 string bands will then make their way up Broad to ring in 2013.

- Sean Collins Walsh