Walking Clubs of New Orleans!

Don't cheat yourself out of something really special for tourist and native alike. You really have to experience one or two of the walking clubs, because they are a very visual treat. Get an early start however, because the earliest of the clubs march around 6:45am, so in some cases, you will be able to see these walking clubs, and still view the Zulu parade around 8:30 a.m. ( Tourist Note Alert ! ------ The Zulu parade, had a good record for being late to parade by about 35 to 55 min., but lately the parade has started on time)

These diverse groups share many things in common: all participants wear costumes and mask, each parade has a theme and special minted doubloons are sometimes thrown. Each club has members that try to stop at as many bars as possible along the "parade route". Dixieland Jazz bands frequently join in the roving celebrations.

There are nearly 2 dozen or so clubs. The oldest of these walking clubs is the Jefferson City Buzzards, first heard from in 1890. Next is the "Garden District Club" (1909) and the "Corner Carnival Club" (1918), then the club known as the "Lyons" (1946). Finally the most popular and perhaps the best known is Pete Fountains Half Fast Walking Club (1961), because of the familiar Hollywood faces that have appeared with one of the world's greatest clarinetist. These are the more well known of the clubs, but not all by a long shot.

Route	Club	Date	Time	Website
Uptown	Jefferson City Buzzards	February 20, 2007	6:45 a.m.	none
Uptown	Pete Fountain's Half Fast Walking Club	February 20, 2007	7:45 a.m.	none
Uptown	Mondo Kayo	February 20, 2007	7:45 a.m.	none
Uptown	Lyons	February 20, 2007	7:00 a.m.	none
Uptown	Corner Carnival	February 20, 2007	7:00 a.m.	none
Uptown	District Garden Club	February 20, 2007	6:40 a.m.	none
Uptown	Societé de Sainte Anne	February 20, 2007	9-10 AM	yes