Covering the Business, Events & Fun of the  Carnival Industry

Main Line parades are checked with the NOPD every week to ensure accuracy. Groups however, may chose to cancel or reschedule their parades without any notice to us or to others. Tourists are welcome to the Main Lines, but we strongly urge you to check with a registered tour guide for your safety, some assistance in route location, and history of the traditional culture. Check with your hotel, and the police for safety advice and precautions. Never venture to these parades on your own, and always notify someone of your intentions, and times to expect your return.

Main Lines Resume in Late August!

  August 10, 2009................New Orleans, Louisiana    After Katrina,  a series of terribly lack luster carnival seasons hit New Orleans. This didn't help the main line groups as they pushed ahead to resume their parades in the city. The groups even tried last season to further integrate the parades firmly into the Carnival's calendar after they had resumed parades to the street, by lobbying the city Council and getting the (2) two week parade ban during Carnival season lifted. The Main Line Clubs, in doing so became the newest "solid element" to the club component of Carnival to hit the streets of New Orleans.

  The culture in New Orleans Main Line, are some of the most peaceful people you would want to meet. Not one club member, during the countless parades that have occurred throughout the many years, has been charged with disorderly conduct, murder, attempted murder or assault. The problems always has lain with the crowds surrounding the groups. For those of you that are not familiar with the, "Second Line", here what it is!

A Main Line is the "main section or the members of the actual club, that has the permit to parade. The parades consist of a larger element of fans and the curious following that section of members .

Those fans, admirers and curious are the "second line" or part two of this planned street parade. These parades have come to be called and known by this fact.

Normally called, "Second Lines", the sponsoring element is called the "Main Line" and is usually a Social (Aide) & Pleasure Club of the neighborhood in which they are parading. By state and city ordinances and law,  very seldom does these parades take up routes on heavily traffic laden thoroughfares in the city. Most are held in the back areas, visiting the stops that help the clubs to continue the tradition.

How all this started is a matter of advertising. Since more enrolled members, in these clubs,  meant the organization would continue to be solvent, these societies had to advertise, and they did so, in a very unique way. They would parade to give "prospective members a glimpse of their funeral style of jazz funeral. Throughout the city of New Orleans, there were fraternal organizations, groups and burial societies, who often competed with each other to see which group could send off a member in the greatest style. 

  Members would dress in matching suits, and outfits, with handmade decorative chest banners, called "sashes" and they carried elaborately decorated fans, umbrellas, and handkerchiefs. All embroidered, engraved or imprinted with the organization's name. One member would carry the club’s official banner. This gave the prospective members a glance of what their "processional" would look like.

Today, it's done for the pure enjoyment of it, but it is one of the holdovers from long ago in the culture of the black community. So with that said here is the calendar for the 2009 - 2010 season. It is subject to change and will be updated throughout the season! It is 100% accurate to within 4 weeks

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