← Back to the atlas
New Orleans Second Line Parade Weekend — New Orleans, LA — New Orleans, LA
Feral · The Local

New Orleans Second Line Parade Weekend — New Orleans, LA

Destination: New Orleans, LANights: 2Group: 8–20Season: February, March, April, May, October, NovemberEstimated: $700–$1,400 per person

You don't join a second line — you hire one. A private brass band, a grand marshal spinning a parasol, and an NOPD escort holding traffic while the bride dances down the middle of a closed street in white, everyone else behind her with handkerchiefs up. Kinfolk Brass Band files the permit and books the officers; it runs about $2,000 for the group. Put it Saturday at golden hour, then spill onto Frenchmen Street for jazz, oysters and a boil at Cochon, and a Sunday drag brunch before anyone's flight.

What she'll do

Private second line parade

Hire the brass band, the permit, and the police escort — then dance the bride down the middle of a closed New Orleans street.

Operator: Kinfolk Brass Band (files the permit, books the NOPD detail) · Pair with: Frenchmen Street after, Cochon for the boil.

Food Tour

Boat Cruise

Where she sleeps

  • · Hotel Peter and Paul
  • · Ace Hotel New Orleans
  • · Hotel Monteleone

Where she eats

  • · Cochon
  • · Compère Lapin
  • · Turkey & the Wolf

Questions

What's it cost?
About $2,000 for the group — the brass band from ~$1,500, the NOPD escort ~$385, the city parade permit ~$200. Split across 10–15 people that's roughly $130–200 each.
Is the police escort real?
Yes. A permitted second line rolls with an NOPD detail that holds traffic for you. Full-service bands like Kinfolk file the permit and book the officers.
How long is the parade?
City rules allow up to ~12 blocks — 30 to 45 minutes of walking, dancing, and playing before you spill into the next bar.
Best time of year?
Feb–May and Oct–Nov are mild. Skip peak-summer heat, and book around (not on) Mardi Gras.
What does the bride wear?
White, and a sash if she wants one. Most brides carry the parasol themselves — the band brings handkerchiefs for everyone else.

Ready to book the story?

Five quick questions, then we build the full itinerary — lodging, daily schedule, dining, bars, the group-chat message — and drop you into a Trip Room you can share with the bridesmaids.