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February 1, 2011Thursday, Feb. 3
February 3, 2011
The Mardi Gras season is a time of celebration for most in the Tri-parish area.
The Selucrey Sophistocats know just how to get things off on the right foot.
The walking band of approximately 55 members is going strong and will be a part of 10-14 parades this carnival season, adding fun and excitement to everyone’s Mardi Gras experience.
“Get the party started, that’s just what we do,” Sophistocats president Cliff Chiasson said. “That’s what we pride ourselves on, getting everyone in the mood. And get everyone cranked up to have a great time.”
Selucrey Sophistocats started 24 years ago when a group of “five or six” members of the Krewe of Hercules parade got together and decided they wanted to add more to the area’s carnival atmosphere.
It is from those early roots that the group received their name – as Selucrey is Hercules spelled backwards, with the “h” changed to a “y”.
“This started as a group of guys back in the day who were looking for another reason to party on the street,” Chiasson said.
Since those early days, the group has expanded to its current membership levels, while also expanding to becoming a part of close to a dozen parades.
The group also accepts requests to appear at funerals and weddings.
“Any reason anyone’s got to get us on the pavement to play and dance to some music, we’ll do it,” Chiasson said. “We just like getting on the street.”
As for what to expect? Anything from dancing and celebrating to good, old-fashioned, clean fun.
The group’s president said parade krewes have learned to strategically place the group in the beginning of the parade route – to get the party started.
“We crank them up,” Chiasson said. “We get the crowd pumped. We have stuffed animals for the children and we don’t throw beads, but we’ll get people to dance in the street with us and we’ll give them beads. We’re not a throwing krewe. We’re a group of Southern gentlemen who enjoy entertaining the public.”
