It's pronounced "KEESH-kuh"

For some reason, I was in the mood to hear "Oh, Dem Golden Slippers" last night, so I found one of my preferred Mummers groups online: the Polish American String Band. I was chatting with Robomarkov online at the same time, and I realized that he probably had never heard of Mummers, since he is a desert rat and not a cheesesteak-chewing, Phillies-are-going-to-take-the-Pennant-three-years-in-a-row person like Betty and me.

Most of you are woefully unaware of the Mummers, too, since the Rose Parade is televised nationally on New Year's Day, but the Mummers Parade isn't (except for those two, glorious years when Southwest Airlines funded WGN to carry it on American cable TV). Even though the Mummers are two centuries older than the Rose Parade, and even though the Mummers are more photographically spectacular (IMHO), the Rose Parade has the edge for a higher audience because (1) it's shorter (the Mummers Parade stretches from 12-15 hours) and (2) there's far less chance of rain on New Year's Day in Pasadena, CA than in Philadelphia, PA. (Ostrich feathers aren't quite as resplendent when wet.)

However, due to my generous nature, I will inflict on... I mean share with you the Mummers experience. Here's a video from the 2010 parade. (It looks dry; must've been a good year.)



If you liked that (or even if you didn't), you can see more videos at the Polish American String Band's website, such as "Out of this World" (I recognized Dalek and Klingon influences in the costumes) and "Ghouls Gone Wild". You can also purchase a CD with such hits as "Cotton Candy and a Toy Balloon", "Who Stole the Kiska? Polka" (the name of that song just tickles me to death), and, of course, "Oh, Dem Golden Slippers", the last song in this performance. (Note the footwear.)