Practice walks, news, scheduling and more—all free—can be found at our Facebook group.
See pictures of previous parades at our Flickr group.
- Learn exactly what the Big Parade is here, or read a great account of last year's Parade here. Read the Sunset Magazine article about the creator of the Big Parade here. Read a Backpacker magazine story about the Big Parade here.
- Key: Join our Facebook group for schedules, updates, practice walks, asking questions, and photos and videos of previous parades.
- Friday, May 18, 2012 - An optional prologue walk, just for fun, 11 miles in NE L.A., led by Bob Inman.
- Saturday, May 19, 2012 - We start at Angel's Flight Stairway, downtown Los Angeles, at 8AM. We cover about seventeen miles. There will be four mini-loops, ranging between two and seven miles, where participants can join us.
- Sunday, May 20, 2012 - We start at Music Box Stairs, Silverlake, at 8AM. The total route is about 16 miles, ending at the Hollywood Sign. Three mini-loops will be offered.
Click on the banners below for more info.
- Read the How-To page.
- Learn more about what the Parade is all about.
- Read the FAQ.
- Look at the maps and timetables.
- Check this site daily for updates.
For everyone, even if you don't walk: Party and a movie showing at the end of Day One (we finish at the Music Box Stairs in Silverlake.)
What is it?
The Big Parade is a two-day walk through Los Angeles that will start in downtown, at the famous Angel's Flight Stairway, and finish at the Hollywood Sign above Beachwood Canyon. Day One ends - and Day Two begins - at the famous music Music Box Stairs - site of the Oscar-winning Laurel & Hardy film of the same name - in Silverlake. It will take place May 19 and 20, 2012. Each day includes a main segment of about five miles; the walk runs on a schedule so that people can join and leave the group as we progress.
We always walk together, at the pace of the slowest walker. Nobody gets left behind!
There’s also going to be a prologue on Friday, May 18, 2012, led by Bob Inman, covering the stairways between Eagle Rock and downtown.
Remember—and this is most important: This is a community walk. That means we stay together as a group, and it means that YOU CAN DO IT! Why? Because we break the walk into segments so that walkers of all ages and levels of fitness can join us at specific times (of course, anyone is welcome to meet us at any point along the way - and all are invited to join us at the end to celebrate the walk).
A core group of will be doing the entire event. But - as the name "Big Parade" implies - the true nature of the journey is public-based. In addition to passing dozens of landmarks, we will be joined by community members, both individuals and in groups, as we pass through the city's most diverse neighborhoods. The walk is broken into specific segments.
Among the other features of the walk will be:
- Ramps, tunnels, and little-known passageways that reveal LA's pedestrian character.
- Art, art, art—on the streets and all along the way.
- Cross country and trail segments in Echo Park, Silverlake, and Griffith Park.
- Landmarks that are famous, not-so-famous, infamous, and just-plain-weird (over thirty of them, mapped and ready for viewing)
- Music.
- Visits with community groups and local organizations.
- AND A MOVIE/PARTY Saturday night at the Music Box steps.
Now that you know, JOIN US!
We always walk together, at the pace of the slowest walker. Nobody gets left behind!
There’s also going to be a prologue on Friday, May 18, 2012, led by Bob Inman, covering the stairways between Eagle Rock and downtown.
Remember—and this is most important: This is a community walk. That means we stay together as a group, and it means that YOU CAN DO IT! Why? Because we break the walk into segments so that walkers of all ages and levels of fitness can join us at specific times (of course, anyone is welcome to meet us at any point along the way - and all are invited to join us at the end to celebrate the walk).
A core group of will be doing the entire event. But - as the name "Big Parade" implies - the true nature of the journey is public-based. In addition to passing dozens of landmarks, we will be joined by community members, both individuals and in groups, as we pass through the city's most diverse neighborhoods. The walk is broken into specific segments.
Among the other features of the walk will be:
- Ramps, tunnels, and little-known passageways that reveal LA's pedestrian character.
- Art, art, art—on the streets and all along the way.
- Cross country and trail segments in Echo Park, Silverlake, and Griffith Park.
- Landmarks that are famous, not-so-famous, infamous, and just-plain-weird (over thirty of them, mapped and ready for viewing)
- Music.
- Visits with community groups and local organizations.
- AND A MOVIE/PARTY Saturday night at the Music Box steps.
Now that you know, JOIN US!
Can You Do It? (Yes - and Here's Why...)
Yes, you can - because the Big Parade route is designed so that anyone can join: for a mile, an hour, a day, or more. We walk slowly and together, and we’ve got special mini-walks - including a kid’s segment - that really are for everyone.
What Will I See?
The Big Parade is about visiting folks. We stop at community centers, historic spots, landmarks, and see stuff you probably never knew existed (like the spot depicted to the right, from a 1920s woodcut, that sits between two freeways - and remains unchanged today). We celebrate a genuine truth: that Los Angeles is a walkable city, right now.
Where are the maps and timetables?
- We don't publish the route map until a few days before the event—because we're developing it until then, because we want to keep our surprises surprising, and because it helps keep the group together. But if you want to see what we've done in the past, the 2011 routes and timetables are here.
How Much Does it Cost?
Not a penny. No sponsors. No prizes. Just a walk with (a lot of) your neighbors.
How Do I Learn More?
Join Us!
Photo: Steve Matsuda.
