Mummers March

Posted Jan 27, 2007 by Mike Samuels

Updated Jan 27, 2007 at 01:30 PM

Dressed in elaborate shiny outfits with adorned with beads and skull and crossbow bandanas, the Philadelphia Mummers couldn’t look more relaxed hanging out by the Krewe of Charlotte de Berry’s float.

The 40 Mummers, led by John Narkin, aren’t used to such warm temperatures during a parade.

“It was 7 degrees when we left Philadelphia,” he said.

The mummers arrived Friday and plan on stasying until Tuesday. They’re staying on Treasure Island, enjoying the bars and beaches.

“The Krewe of Charlotte de Berry couldn’t be more nice to use,” Narkin said.

While the group, which is part of the fancy brigade, usually performs 4 ½ minute presentations to prerecorded music during the annual Philadelphia Mummers parade, they won’t have the chance to do that here.

Instead, they’ll be doing the mummers strut, a sort of dance holding umbrellas while walking the parade route.

“We’re just here to throw beads to the people of Tampa and have a good time,” Narkin said.

Steve Vanvetchten, who’s nicknamed “Rambo” said the people of Tampa are going to be iimpressed when they see the outfits and strutting.

“They’ve never seen anything us before,” he said.

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Time For Jell-O Shoot-Arrrs

Posted Jan 27, 2007 by Mike Samuels

Updated Jan 27, 2007 at 12:28 PM

11:25 a.m.
Jeff Taylor isn’t the most popular guy on the float yet, but give him a half hour and he expects to be.

Taylor is the krewe’s bartender for the parade serving Cruzan rum with pineapple juice, red wine and Jell-O shoot-arrrs.

Taylor, who works at Bennigan’s Channelside, said the krewe asked for him after he served them during their last krewe party there.

“I guess they thought I was a party animal,” he said.

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Let’s Get This Party Started

Posted Jan 27, 2007 by Mike Samuels

Updated Jan 27, 2007 at 12:26 PM

11:10 a.m.
The music starts. Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance is playing over the loudspeakers coming from the front and back of the float, which is designed to be like an old beach house.

Bartender Jeff Taylor announces, “The bar is open” to loud cheers and applause.

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Pirate-anical Observations Of The Morning

Posted Jan 27, 2007 by Janine Dorsey

Updated Jan 27, 2007 at 12:08 PM

1) It’s really hard to drive when you have a 4 ft. scabbard stuck in the waistband of your giant red velvet skirt.

2) Around these parts, people are so used to begging for beads whenever they spot a pirate, it doesn’t matter where they encounter them. Even if said pirate is currently filling up the tank of their land vessel.

3) A scarf worn over the head, scallawag-style,  is the perfect solution for a bad hair day.

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Prominent Police Presence

Posted Jan 27, 2007 by Chris Chmura

Updated Jan 27, 2007 at 11:51 AM

More Tampa police officers are stationed along Bayshore Boulevard south of Bay to Bay Boulevard this morning than in previous Gasparilla events, Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.

Officers are trying to prevent people from crossing Bayshore near the parade’s staging area.

It becomes a safety issue when floats are moving, McElroy said.

“Last year there were some panic moments with getting the kids out on the street,” she said.

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