A Sunday parade? I'm IN!!

So today, on my way home from church, I saw BBQ trailers starting to line St. Claude avenue.

And being the curious sort, I pulled onto a side street and stopped to ask one of the vendors what was going on. He said that there was going to be a second line parade kicking off at two o'clock. (Note: this is two o'clock New Orleans time, which means anywhere from two fifteen to two thirty or so.)

So I went home, got changed, headed back out, and got me some ribs from one of the BBQ trailers.

Then I wandered over to the closest beer and wine store--never far away in New Orleans--and bought a six pack of beer. The owner, being a nice guy, gave me a free seventh bottle of a new brand that they're carrying just to try out, and I was all set to join the parade.

This one was hosted by the Black Men Of Labor, or BMOL, and it was accompanied by the Treme Brass Band, whom I've already come to know and appreciate since landing here.

Kicking off:

We started off down St. Claude. And this was not a small parade. Second-liners in the hundreds and countless more lining the streets to dance, join in, whatever...

Lots of music and dancing, by both the BMOL and everyone else.

And horns.

The parade went down Rampart a ways, then doubled back and went up into Treme.

I drank all my beer, and then I started buying pork chops and pralines from various vendors..and shots from portable bars set up on the backs of pick-up trucks. I think the shots were what finished me off early. I peeled off about half way through the route about two hours into the parade and headed home, pretty much done for the day. Took a short nap with the dogs, and now getting ready to head back out and see what I can get into tonight.

Apparently there's a parade or two now every weekend from now up until Mardi Gras, and many of them are in my area. I'm doomed, but I'm gonna die having fun.