Despite wet and windy weather, hundreds of mummers parade in St. John's

Not even gale force winds could stop hundreds of mummers from taking over Bowring Park in St. John's on Saturday. 

The annual parade is the culmination of the Mummers Festival, which is now in its 15th year. It celebrates mummering, a Christmas tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador of dressing in unique, improvised disguises for seasonal visits. 

"Outside of it being something that's part of our history and a part of our culture, it's something that's just really, really fun," said Terra Barrett, chair of the Mummers Festival board of directors on Saturday. 

"Being able to dress up in whatever you have and go around acting foolish with a bunch of strangers that then become friends when you unmask."

Saturday's parade through Bowring Park was just one of several events held by the Mummers Festival, including everything from historical presentations, to lantern and ugly stick workshops, to a kitchen party at Quidi Vidi Brewery.

However, the parade is always the festival's most popular event. Musical performances are its highlight, with jam sessions and concerts happening all throughout the day, featuring musicians like Bud Davidge of Siminai, the band behind the original Mummers Song.

"You're dancing around, maybe you link arms with each other and you do a little dance," Barrett said. "You unmask and you find out, 'Oh, that was my friend, or that was somebody I knew or that's my aunt.' Just being able to come together at the end and unmask and have a little social event afterwards and a bite to eat, that's really, really fun." 

With hundreds gathering to don their finest mummering garb, organizers were impressed with the turnout under the wet and windy weather. 

"A little bit of rain, a little bit of wind is not going to keep us down," said Lynn McShane, executive director of the Mummers Festival.

"We're absolutely thrilled with how many people came out. … We're introducing new generations to this centuries old tradition."

Ten-year-old Elise Collingwood said she has fun at the event every year. 

"There's a whole bunch of people that dress up and we all just march down here … for some fun," Elise said. 

Some of the adult mummers said they have fun too.