Polish American String Band has been chosen as the favorite Mummers string band by the viewing public for 2010 with South Philly Vikings capturing the title for the Favorite Fancy Brigade in myphl17’s annual Viewers’ Choice Poll.   Several thousand votes were cast on myphl17.com and via text over the three day holiday weekend in the annual poll which enables viewers throughout the Delaware Valley to choose their favorite performance from the Comcast Mummers Parade and Comcast Fancy Brigade Finale.  Videos of all of the performances New Year’s Day are available on myphl17.com.  As in past years, viewers once again differed from the official results in the string band competition where the judges chose Fralinger as the top string band. In a unique twist, fans and judges were unanimous in their approval of South Philly Vikings as the favorite Brigade.  This is the first year viewers have had the opportunity to vote for their favorite Fancy Brigade.  A complete breakdown of the top five finishers for both Viewers’ Choice Award and the Judges’ Awards is provided below.

This year’s six and a half hour Comcast Mummers Parade again scored impressive numbers with a 6.1 household average for myphl17 with Mummers coverage dominating the household ratings averages for all programming with the exception of the Penn State Bowl game.  In addition to the Parade, myphl17 led off the day with Breakfast with the Mummers, aired an encore of the Bacon Brothers benefit concert for the Mummers which posted a 2.8 household rating average, and concluded the day with prime time coverage of the Fancy Brigade Finale from the Pennsylvania Convention Center which earned a 2.1 household rating.  A two hour special featuring highlights from The Comcast Mummers Parade aired Sunday afternoon on WGN America.

Despite predictions of a winter storm, weather for the day was clear and relatively warm which resulted in large crowds of spectators cheering the Mummers up Broad Street especially in the area between Pine Street and City Hall.

For the first time, Comcast was the title sponsor for the 2010 Mummers Parade with several other corporate sponsors making this year’s telecast of both The Comcast Mummers Parade and The Comcast Fancy Brigade Finale possible, including Beneficial Bank, GMC, The Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), PECO Energy and Turkey Hill. Myphl17 Vice President and General Manager Vince Giannini adds,  “Despite the economic challenges faced by so many this year, we were so gratified to have the support of so many wonderful companies stepping up to make the telecast of this unique Philadelphia institution possible.  It means so much to the many thousands of Mummer families who devote their time year round to keeping this tradition alive on New Year’s Day as well as to the viewers here and throughout the country who enjoy the music and pageantry  that is the Mummers Parade.

I would like to thank not only our sponsors, but brothers Kevin and Michael Bacon and Bunny Sigler who lent a hand through the benefit concert, and all the folks out there who helped with their personal donations to SaveTheMummers.com.  The overwhelming generosity is a testimony to how much this Parade and Mummery means to the city and we consider ourselves fortunate to be partners with the Mummers and look forward to televising the parade for years to come.”

          2010 STRING BAND DIVISION                                          

Viewers’ Choice Award              Official Results

1. Polish American                              1. Fralinger
2. Fralinger                                            2. Ferko
3. Woodland                                          3. Quaker City
4. South Philadelphia                        4. South Philadelphia
5. Quaker City                                       5. Avalon

          2010 FANCY BRIGADE DIVISION                                    

Viewers’ Choice Award               Official Results

1. South Philly Vikings                       1. South Philly Vikings
2. Shooting Stars                                  2. Shooting Stars
3. Jokers                                                  3. Saturnalian
4. 2nd Street Shooters                       4. Jokers
5. Satin Slipper                                      5. Golden Crown