Boo dat? Paraders hit Main Street

Disgruntled demons, grisly ghouls and other cranky creatures are taking over the streets of Houma.

It’s not the cast of “Dancing with the Stars,” it’s South Louisiana Center for the Arts (SoLa) annual Halloween Parade.

Offices, clubs, civic and school groups joining this melee get together and create a theme.

Some transform into belly dancers others into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Houma’s own Roller Girls “came as themselves last year because they said, ‘We’re scary enough in person’,” SoLa’s Anna Roberts said.

The more fun and funky the idea, the better.

The thrilling procession gets under way at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at Town Hall on Barrow Street.

Otherworldly performers and masqueraders will swarm toward Main Street tossing treats to onlookers as they glide by. They’ll turn toward the Court House Square and once there, dissolve into the night.

Or at least across the street to City Club where the evening’s haunting theme continues at the Monster Bash Ball.

Gnarly groups registering early get two free tickets to the ball. Additional tickets are $15 each at the door or slashed to $10 each if purchased in advance.

“There will be free food early on and a silent auction. It’s going to be a fun, kickin’, little party,” Roberts said.

Everyone is invited to participate and join SoLa in having a safe, child-friendly event.

Participants need to be in the Town Hall parking lot at 6 p.m. for line up. Rounding up this crowd can be a challenge. “It’s a very interesting process. We have to get everyone in line and coordinate with police,” Roberts said.

The parade fee of $25 per group of two to 50 helps SoLa cover insurance and parade costs. To register, call, drop by or email SoLa at http://solacenter.org/ to register. For more information, call Roberts at (985) 876-2222.

Boo dat? Paraders hit Main Street