New Orleans: Treme Second Line Parade & Brass Band Walking Tour

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1/35

Duration2h 30m

GroupUp to 50

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Walking Behind a Brass Band Through New Orleans' Treme Neighborhood

You walk alongside a live brass band and dancers through Treme's streets on a 2.5-hour Second Line parade tour with guide King Hollis Burton. You'll learn the history of African American fraternal societies and Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs while experiencing the music and movement firsthand. Bottled water is provided, and the route varies based on where the parade is that day, so you see the neighborhood as it actually celebrates.

2h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Experience New Orleans Second Line Culture

Meet expert guide King Hollis Burton
Explore Mardi Gras Indians stories
Learn about Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs
Walk historic New Orleans streets
Hear live brass band music
Join vibrant Second Line parade
See dancers in colorful attire
Connect with local community
Discover history behind Second Line

The Experience

Horns cut through the street ahead—loud, bright, insistent—and you realize you're not watching from the sidewalk anymore. The brass band is moving, and so are you, walking straight into the middle of a New Orleans Second Line parade in Treme. This isn't a performance staged for tourists. It's a living tradition that started in the 19th century with African American fraternal societies and neighborhood gatherings, and on Sunday mornings it still happens the same way: musicians lead, dancers in colorful clothes follow, and anyone willing to move gets to be part of it. Your guide is King Hollis Burton, who knows these streets and the history behind every corner—the Mardi Gras Indian traditions, the Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs, the way music and community are woven so tight here they're the same thing.

The 2.5-hour walking tour moves through Treme at the pace of the parade itself, which means you're not rushing between stops or checking your phone for the next location. The route changes depending on where the parade is that day, so you get what's actually happening in the neighborhood rather than a fixed itinerary. You'll hear the rhythms of the city's music scene live—not recorded, not explained from a distance, but happening around you. Dancers move past, locals nod hello, and the brass band keeps pushing forward. Bottled water is included, which matters because you're walking and moving with the crowd, not sitting in an air-conditioned bus.

What makes this different from a standard New Orleans culture tour is that you're not learning about Second Lines—you're in one. King Hollis Burton walks with you, filling in the history and the meaning of what you're seeing, but the experience itself is the parade. Strollers and prams work fine if you're bringing small children, and the walking pace suits all fitness levels since you're moving with the band, not racing ahead. The neighborhood reveals itself as you go: Congo Square, the streets where these traditions took root, the way the culture is still alive and practiced every week, not preserved behind glass.

What’s included

Your 2.5-hour walking tour includes participation in the live Second Line parade with a brass band in Treme, guided commentary from King Hollis Burton on the history of African American fraternal societies and Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs, and bottled water throughout the walk. The route adjusts based on where the parade is that day, ensuring you experience the neighborhood's culture as it's actively celebrated.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Treme Luxury Experience

Is this one for you?This is for anyone who wants to understand New Orleans culture by being inside it rather than watching from the sidelines—the walking pace and live parade format mean you're moving with the community, not standing still taking photos.