Valley of Silent Men 2010 second line. Photo by Kim Welsh.

With the end of summer in sight and the beginning of Saints season in full swing, it’s time for another fall first: the beginning of the 2011-2012 Sunday second lines in New Orleans. Another year of parading steps out this Sunday, August 28 with the Valley of Silent Men Social Aid & Pleasure Club in Central City. The parade begins at 1 p.m. at 1718 St. Andrew St. and will disband at Club S&S Lounge at 2600 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

For second line info all year, look to the Backstreet Cultural Museum, a small but utterly indispensable institution for preserving New Orleans’ African-American culture. Backstreet sends out an email newsletter to its members each week with that Sunday’s complete second line route and info. For those interested in getting second line info each week, we highly recommend purchasing a Backstreet membership. Since it’s one of the museum’s primary fundraising means, we won’t be posting the weekly routes on our own website.

We do plan, however, on posting photos from the Sunday second lines at the beginning of each week. Last year we included photos from the Black Men of Labor; Goodfellas; Young Men Olympian Junior Benevolent Association; Nine Times; Ladies, Men, and Junior Buckjumpers; Perfect Gentlemen; and New Orleans Bayou Steppers second lines, thanks to photographer Kim Welsh. If you see her out on the pavement this season, give her a swig from that bottle of Heineken!

Here’s the complete and precise route, thanks to the Backstreet Cultural Museum:

Start: Uncle P’s Mother’s House, 1718 St. Andrew St. Up Brainard Street to Jackson Avenue. Up Jackson to Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. Right on OCH to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Left on MLK to Magnolia St. U-Turn on MLK to S. Roberson.

Stop: Club S&S Lounge, 2600 Martin Luther King Blvd. (20 minutes). Down MLK to Simon Bolivar. Right on Simon Bolivar to First Street. Left on First to Dryades St.

Slight Pause: Monument of Jeremy Galmon. Continue on First St. to Baronne St. Right on Baronne to Second St. Right on Second to Dryades St.

Stop: Sportsman’s Lounge, 2433 Dryades St. Back on Second St. to Danneel St. Left on Danneel St.

Stop: 2521 Danneel St. Up Danneel St. to Washington Ave. Back on Washington Ave. to S. Derbigny St. Left on S. Derbigny St. to Toledano St. Right on Toledano St. to Galvez.

Stop: Single Ladies S&P Club. Back Toledano St. to S. Rocheblave St. Right on S. Rocheblave St.

Stop: Second Line Jammers S&P Club. Down Washington Ave. to S. Claiborne. Left on S. Claiborne Ave. to Martin Luther King Blvd. Down MLK to Magnolia St.

Pause… Continue down MLK to S. Robertson St.

Disband: Club S&S Lounge, 2600 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.