A second line parade is a New Orleans street parade put on by a social aid and pleasure club, with a brass band up front and everybody else following behind and dancing. The club and the band are the main line. The crowd is the second line. That's the short answer, and if you live outside New Orleans, it's probably the one you'll need at work on Monday.
Because it will come up. You'll post a video from a trip home, or you'll put "Do Watcha Wanna" on your Slack status, and somebody in accounting will ask what exactly was going on in that clip with the umbrellas. This is for the New Orleanians living away, and the Converts who moved off, who keep having to explain it.
We already wrote the full history in What is a Second Line in New Orleans?, so we won't repeat it here. This one is about the translation.
The Elevator Version
Your coworker doesn't need a seminar. Try this:
"It's a parade, but it's not a Mardi Gras parade. A neighborhood club hires a brass band and walks through the streets on a Sunday afternoon, and anybody can follow and dance. The people following are called the second line."
That's it. Stop there and see if they ask a follow-up. Most will.
The Follow-Up Questions You'll Get
"So it's like a festival?" Not really. Nobody sells tickets. It moves. The parade goes block to block for hours, with stops along the route. According to 64 Parishes, the parades typically last about four hours.
"Who puts it on?" Social aid and pleasure clubs. These are community organizations, many rooted in Black neighborhoods, and they pay for the whole thing themselves, from the police permits to the matching outfits, through dues and fundraising. When you explain it, give the clubs the credit. People tend to assume the city throws these for tourists. It doesn't.
"When do they happen?" Most Sundays from September through May, per 64 Parishes. Each club has its day, often tied to its founding anniversary. If your coworker is planning a trip, point them to the second line listings at WWOZ, the community radio station, which keeps the most reliable schedule.
"What's with the umbrellas and the handkerchiefs?" Club members carry decorated umbrellas and wave handkerchiefs as they dance. People in the crowd bring their own. It's part of the look and part of the dance. You don't need a deeper explanation than that at the coffee machine.
"Is it the same as a jazz funeral?" They're related. The second line tradition comes out of jazz funerals, where the band plays slow on the way to the burial and turns joyful once the burial is done. 64 Parishes notes that the second line parade broke off and developed its own identity under the social aid and pleasure clubs in the late 1800s. You can mention that if your coworker seems genuinely curious, and leave it if they don't.
What Not to Say
A few things that will make a New Orleanian in the office wince:
- Don't call it a "street party." It's a permitted parade that means something to the people who put it on.
- Don't compare it to a conga line. Please.
- Don't say it's "for tourists." The clubs aren't performing for visitors. Visitors are welcome to join, and that's different.
- Don't explain it with a joke about drinking. Yes, there's a guy with a cooler on a shopping cart selling beer. That's not the point, and leading with it sells the whole thing short.
When They Ask to Come With You
This is the best outcome. Somebody from work wants to come to New Orleans and go to a second line. Here's what to tell them.
Walk with it. Don't stand on the sidewalk filming the whole time. Dance, even badly. Stay out of the way of the club members and the band, because they're working. Buy something from the vendors along the route. And remember it's the club's day.
Our What Not to Do in New Orleans post has a section on second line manners that's worth forwarding, and if they get hooked, our post on spring second lines covers the busiest stretch of the season. For more depth on the clubs themselves, The Historic New Orleans Collection has published work on how social aid and pleasure clubs carry the second line.
Wearing It to Work
The easiest way to start this conversation is to wear it. Our Do Watcha Wanna shirt was made as an ode to the musicians who keep the streets alive and to the brass bands and pleasure clubs you march behind on Sundays. Somebody will ask about it. Now you know what to say.
If a shirt is too loud for your office, a Parasol Enamel Pin on your bag does the same job quietly. Or put the Brass Band Enamel Pin on your lanyard and wait.
What Is a Second Line Parade: FAQ
What is a second line parade in simple terms?
It's a New Orleans neighborhood parade where a social aid and pleasure club and a brass band lead the way, and anyone can follow and dance. The club and band are the main line, and the crowd following is the second line.
Who organizes second line parades?
Social aid and pleasure clubs organize them and pay for permits and bands through dues and fundraising, according to 64 Parishes. Each club has its own day, often tied to its founding anniversary.
When are second line parades held?
Most Sundays from September through May. WWOZ keeps a listing of upcoming parades.
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