Mummers Parade: Uptown String Band Moves Practice Venue To Warminster

WARMINSTER, PA —There's a sound coming from the gymnasium of the closed Saint Bosco School off East County Line Road.

Since October, this sound started first on Sundays. And then the sound appeared three times a week as this group of men and women —many who live in Warminster, Hatboro, and the Huntington Valley —marched toward an important date: Jan. 1.

This sound and this group are the Uptown String Band, Bucks County's only Mummers organization. Watch video of last year's performance.

It's an unusual place for the band.

But this year, the Mummers needed additional space so they moved from their home base at Uptown Hall at the Parkland Fire Company in Langhorne and temporarily rented the old school gymnasium in Warminster.

Robert Haywood, a long-time Uptown String Band member, posted on the Warminster Community Group Facebook page that the band is building its props and scenery for their Jan. 1 performance in the 2023 Mummers Parade.

They are rehearsing through the rest of the month, putting the finishing touches on their props.

"We need a bigger space to practice. This year we are using the gym at St. John Bosco because it provides enough ceiling height to build our props and enough room to practice our routine," Devon Hindman, the Uptown String Band's publicity director told Patch Thursday.

This year's routine is an African jungle/animal theme called "Safari So Good."

The Uptown String Band performs at functions in Bucks County and surrounding areas throughout the year. They've appeared on the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J., and even at weddings.

But Jan. 1 is their time to shine. And that's nothing new.

Calling themselves "The Pride of Bucks County," the annual participant in the Philadelphia Mummers Parade is a fully-volunteer organization with nearly 200 members and a history dating back to 1937.

"We strive to bring the cheer and joy of the distinct mummers sound and the profound pageantry of sequined and plumed costumes," the band's website states.

"Our goal is simple – to share the mummers' experience, one of Philadelphia’s most unique and storied traditions, through personalized performances for individuals, companies, and any town’s event that is looking for a one-of-a-kind affair. While our vision is noble, we support our cause with the reliability of over 80 years of experience in mummery and the professionalism of nearly 50 performances in a given year."

Hindman said Warminster was a perfect location.

"We use the gym and they were a big help to us when we were looking for a new space to build props as our previous practice spot significantly increased the rent at the beginning of 2022," Hindman said.