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The Big Parade is a Massive Two-Day Community Walk of L.A. and it’s Happening This Weekend

May 1, 2015 by Brian Champlin

Got yourself a good pair of walking shows? Good.

This weekend you’re going to need them because The Big Parade LA  is back for an annual community-driven walking tour across Los Angeles.

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So what’s the The Big Parade you ask? It’s a two-day, massive group, totally free walk in Los Angeles that (this year) includes about 80 public stairways over 35 miles, from downtown to the Griffith Observatory.

The walk is designed through a series of pre-defined loops, allowing walkers to join or exit as they please.  For each of the two days, there are four specific walk loops between two to seven miles each.

The coolest thing about The Big Parade is that it’s completely community driven. No sponsors, no grants, no fees, just folks getting together exploring the city on foot and getting to know hidden corners and crevices that may have been previously unknown. And of course on top of the discovery, lots of great exercise!

Sound like your bag? Here’s some more details:

Day 1 (Saturday, May 2) starts at Grand Park in downtown at 8:30am and finishes at the Music Box Stairs around 6:30pm.

Day 2 (Sunday, May 3) starts the Music Box Stairs at 8:30am and finishes up with a closing party at Skylight Books on Vermont.

Other important notes:

  • For food, you bring your own. Stops will be made throughout the loops for folks to enjoy what they brought.
  • Each day has at least two official public restroom stops. There are also construction porta-potties on the route.
  • Regarding the pace, co-organizer Dan Koeppel mentioned via Facebook the general pace is about 1.8 – 2.0 mph (not too fast, they try to make sure everyone walks together).

To get a flavor of the event, check this video created by EveryBodyWalk documenting the 2013 Big Parade, and for all further information visit the links mentioned after the jump.

To learn more about this year’s Big Parade routes and timelines, visit Big Parade tumblr page.

For specific questions about what the Big Parade is all about, visit the FAQ page they’ve set up.

And if you’d like to connect with the organizers or RSVP for the event, check out their Facebook group.

Most importantly, have fun!

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