Diary of a Mummer: After the parade

Editor's note: Most Philadelphians know Pete Ciarrocchi as the guy who gave the world Crab Fries via his Chickie's & Pete's sports-bar chain. But for more than 40 years, he also has been a dedicated Mummer, spending the last 19 New Year's Days dancing with the Polish American String Band. To help mark the 2014 parade, we asked Pete to keep a weekly diary as he and the band prepped for this year's extravaganza. In today's final installment, he looks back on Wednesday's bash and talks about plans for 2015.

THE 2014 Mummers Parade is now in the books. We had a great time as a band. We really came together. As I've said before, I thought the music was really good.

When we left our clubhouse in the morning, we felt really good about ourselves. We were thinking top 5, at least. We fell a little short of that - No. 8.

We did better than last year [the band placed 9th in 2013], but it's a little painful for some of the guys to do all that work and come in eighth.

The day turned out much better than everyone thought. It was supposed to be really cold, but it was 41 degrees. Our costumes were perfect for the weather; we weren't overheated.

Next year, I'm sure we'll do better, but it's really more than anything about the fans and about the people on the street. This year, for some reason, the people were more spirited. They were more involved - they came out and danced in the street. I took hundreds and hundreds of pictures with people. We danced with women and men and little kids. And the smiles on people's faces - that's what it's all about.

When you look at Jan. 1 throughout the country, it's just Jan. 1 - maybe put a football game on and recover from the night before. But in Philadelphia, it's such a celebration. People coming up to you, "Can we take a picture?" "That costume is beautiful."

Our city has turned Jan. 1 into a party, something unrivaled anywhere else in this country. And I'm glad to be part of it. I'm glad my son, Pete Jr., is part of it. I'm glad people came out in droves to see us. And I'm glad for all the string bands and fancies and comics who went out there and did the same thing we did.

My story's just been the story of Pete. But this story could be replicated by thousands and thousands of people who enjoy practicing and performing, who get out there and put smiles on people's faces and make our city shine.

As for next year's parade, Polish American will have a meeting this week. Each judge records what they thought of you, and that will be a night when everybody will sit around and learn how each judge scored us, what they saw, where we came up short and where we were great.

As soon as that meeting's over, the theme committee will get together and get their suggestions in for next year's parade. Later this month, we'll start all over again.

- As told to Chuck Darrow