The second line parade, which happens every Sunday, was the best part of our visit to New Orleans.
We looked up the itinerary on WWOZ radio station’s website and rode our AirBNB bikes over to the starting point. It had just started, and there were about a hundred people dancing and walking to the Stooges Brass Band playing. The Lady Jetsetters were in front, Black elder women riding in cars with the hatchback open, walking and dancing in costumes. 
Along the way we would stop at locations (our favorite being Sportsman’s Corner with a delicious signature green drink and R&B dj). At each stop there were endless hot links, BBQ, beer and other drinks being sold. By the end of the parade, there were hundreds and hundreds of people walking the streets. It was amazing and so much fun to join in.
Clearly, as a white northerner and total outsider, I have no idea the history and significance of the second line parade tradition. It’s hard not to draw connections between the history of Black folks in New Orleans practicing ritual, dance and community on Sundays (that we learned about on the voodoo tour) and the tradition of Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs organizing second line parades on Sundays. It felt like a super important space of community support and celebration, intergenerational and musical.
We finished the parade at Cajun Seafood, ordering 2 lbs (too many!) of crawfish which were delicious, messy, SUPER spicy and take forever to eat. I feel grateful that we were able to participate and witness this second line parade on our last day in New Orleans.
