Mummers Parade Voted Nation's No 1 Holiday Parade By USA Today Readers

PHILADELPHIA — If you look closely while traversing the streets of Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs this time of year, you'll often find people working diligently in garages and driveways on seemingly random wooden structures adorned with sequins, feathers, and more.

And for those unaware, they are getting ready for the annual Mummers Parade.

On New Year's Day, thousands of people gather to watch the unique displays of music, dancing, artistry and more put on by locals who are keeping a historic trend alive.

And the Mummers Parade is so impactful that it's been voted the best holiday parade in the nation.

USA Today tasked a panel of experts to nominate their top picks for holiday parades, then had readers vote for their favorites.

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With all the votes tallied, the Mummers Parade came in at No. 1.

Here's what USA today said about the parade:

The Mummers Parade is one of the longest-running traditions in the nation, with the first parade taking place in 1901 as a celebration of the New Year in Philadelphia. The colorful procession along Broad Street features performances by comics, string bands, and fancy brigades in their spectacular costumes.

See the full list from USA Today online here.