New Orleans Weekend with Bastille Day Events, A Traditional Second Line, and Some Lovely Vintage Finds!

What a weekend - filled with quintessential New Orleans tradition, a few new adventures, and some excellent vintage finds! 

The weekend started with an evening jaunt down to the French Quarter to watch the Fireworks Display over The River - in honor of Bastille Day.  Although the show was short (just 6 minutes!), it was indeed sweet, and it was an excellent way to kick off this hot summer weekend.

Bastille Day Fireworks over The Mississippi River in New Orleans

The next morning boasted the annual San Fermin en Nueva Orleans (New Orleans' version of Pamplona's Running with The Bulls).  Although we didn't make it to the Run this year, the town was filled with spirited Runners decked out in white and red.   Fun to see. (Confession: these images are from when we attended last year.)

Made our way over to The Bywater, then through the Treme, The French Quarter, and then finally Uptown for some early morning exploration.  We love crawling around these neighborhoods early in the morning before everybody is really awake.

Shop New Orleans Eclectics

Lucky we did that because stumbled upon a few excellent vintage finds!  You know I have upcycling plans for that flag  (stay tuned), but the other gems are available in the shop:

Shop New Orleans Eclectics

Vintage Picnic Basket

Vintage Picnic Basket

And don't get me started on the Vintage Dresses I unearthed from a mansion in Uptown!  It was a complete vintage goldmine and I will post more about that very soon!



But by far... the most moving and meaningful event of the weekend was taking part in a New Orleans tradition.  We joined a "Second Line" - which is a sort of parade/celebration/procession lead by a brass band.  This second line was in honor of a local New Orleans fellow that recently passed away.  

Start of Second Line - The Brass Band Begins (Oak Street)

It starts off with slow and somber music as everybody celebrates the life of the one who passed.  People traditionally wave white hankies and/or prance with umbrellas.  In this case we needed umbrellas because it was raining! 

"Second Lining" through the neighborhood

But the procession moves through the town, and sometimes ends up at a grave site for a burial, but in this case we ended up at the favorite pub of the gentleman that passed.  Celebration and music ensued all afternoon.  What a way to be honored and for people to share their love for their loved one in a joyous, communal manner.  Gotta love New Orleans!

Umbrella dancing and celebrating to the music outside the pub

Only in New Orleans will you see a scene like this... A "Bull Runner" from this morning's Bull Run and a man with an elaborately decorated umbrella - chatting with a beer on the street (with a huge storm cloud overhead) as if all is completely normal.  Just a typical day in New Orleans!

But Second Lines can be held for other celebrations too.  Here is one we saw for a wedding in The French Quarter a few months ago (it was also raining that day!):

Wedding Second Line in The French Quarter

Just another weekend in New Orleans. :)