Writer documenting life in New Orleans 9th Ward. I'm eating 500 po boys at 500 different restaurants, gas stations, corner stores and cafes in New Orleans

Category: Second Line Culture in New Orleans Page 2 of 3

Field Report: 2025 Sudan Social and Pleasure Second Line

2025 Sudan Social and Pleasure Second Line

Sudan Social and Pleasure have been rolling through Treme for over 40 years and some reckon they’re the best social and pleasure club in the entire 6th Ward. This past Sunday they took to the streets and brought their customary heat with some of the best dancers in the city gyrating and working it out on the hot blacktop. This is what we saw:

Field Report: 2025 Prince of Wales Social and Pleasure Second Line

2025 Prince of Wales Social and Pleasure Second Line

The Prince of Wales Social Aid and Pleasure Club was formed in 1928 and has hosted a second line roll through their 12th Ward neighborhood for nearly 100 years now. We took a 15 minute car ride uptown today to document their rolling street party. This is what we saw

Field Report: 2025 Young Men Olympian Jr Benevolent Association Second Line

2025 Young Men Olympian Jr Benevolent Association Second Line

Young Men Olympian Jr Benevolent Association was founded in 1884.

2025 Young Men Olympian Jr Benevolent Association Second Line

Chester A. Arthur was in the White House while William J. Behan was in the mayor’s office in downtown New Orleans.

Field Report: 2025 Valley of Silent Men Social and Pleasure Second Line

The 2025 Valley of Silent Men Social and Pleasure Second Line parade marked the beginning of the fresh second line season. Hearts were a bit heavy as this is the first season we will experience without the singular Pableaux Johnson who was felled by a heart attack in January of this year.

Here were our favorite photos from the Valley shoot.

2025 Valley of Silent Men Social and Pleasure Second Line

2025 Valley of Silent Men Social and Pleasure Second Line

2025 Valley of Silent Men Social and Pleasure Second Line

2025 Valley of Silent Men Social and Pleasure Second Line

2025 Valley of Silent Men Social and Pleasure Second Line

Field Report: 2025 Satchmo Summerfest Second Line

2025 Satchmo Summerfest Second Line

If you were in New Orleans in the late 70s you were living in a Baby Doll desert. By my count we had less than five ladies masking and the tradition was in danger of becoming extinct. In the ensuing 45-plus years we’ve seen dozens if not hundreds of women embrace the custom, form their own Doll Houses, and take to the streets to shimmy, shake, and show out.

Hot 8 Brass Band Celebrates The Life Of Tuba Man Bennie Pete

Bennie Pete Birthday Celebration at New Orleans Jazz Museum

Jazz historian Dr. Michael White on Bennie Pete:

“For over 20 years one of the most popular and visible funk-style brass bands in community parades and funerals has been the Hot 8 Brass Band. In 1996 sousaphone player Bennie Pete was instrumental in merging two former Fortier High School student groups, the High Steppers and the Looney Tunes Brass Bands, to form the Hot 8. The players grew up together and maintain strong, family-like bonds and regular membership. Most of them were born between 1975 and ’87 in a generation that grew up hearing mainly modern-style brass bands in community functions.”

I would hesitate to say how many times I’ve seen Hot 8 play live. In the neighborhood of 200 times I reckon.

Bennie Pete passed away in September of 2021. The Treme neighborhood funerary second line that honored him saw thousands of people take to the streets in waves of joy. That’s how we grieve in New Orleans.

Tomorrow, July 10th, 2025 at 6pm, Hot 8 Brass Band will perform a ‘heavenly birthday’ celebration for the big man. Hope to see y’all come out.

Bennie Pete Birthday Celebration at New Orleans Jazz Museum

Thursday, July 10, 2025
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
New Orleans Jazz Museum
400 Esplanade Ave.
New Orleans, LA

Field Report: 2025 Scene Boosters Marching Club Second Line

2025 Scene Boosters Marching Club Second Line

The 2025 Scene Boosters Marching Club Second Line saw a few thousand people march through the historic Central City neighborhood of New Orleans 3rd Ward. This is what we saw:

Field Report: 2025 Money Wasters Social and Pleasure Second Line

2025 Money Wasters Social and Pleasure Second Line

It was 106° this past Sunday when we rolled with Money Wasters Social and Pleasure. Summer is three weeks away. This is what we saw on our stroll across the blast furnace blacktop into the deepest heart of the Treme.

Field Report: 2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

We had a lively ramble through the streets of New Orleans 7th Ward yesterday afternoon to celebrate mothers both here and dearly departed. The Original Big 7 second line is one of the best of the 40+ that the social and pleasure clubs put on across the greatest city in North America.

This is what we saw:

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

2025 Original Big 7 Mother’s Day Second Line in New Orleans

Field Report: 2025 VIP Ladies and Kids Second Line Parade in New Orleans

2025 VIP Ladies and Kids Second Line Parade in New Orleans

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