Crawfish are usually thought of as a meal, not as competitors in a display of speed and agility. But at the Hat Club Crawfish Salute, the mud bugs are more than dinner.
They are the centerpiece in the Salute's signature activity: the Crawtucky Derby. According to the Hat Club's description, "It truly has to be seen to be believed."
Hat Club Crawfish Salute
6 p.m. Friday, River Market pavilions, Little Rock
Tickets: advance $40, at the door $50; children 12 and under free, guests 13-20 accompanied by adult, $20
(501) 912-0622
It's fairly simple, according to event chairman Mark Young: "You get some live crawfish. You have people standing around the table. You bang the table and the crawfish hop along and you try to hop yours in the hole. It's a game some guys came up with a few years back."
The stakes are pretty high: a $500 gift card to Fuller & Son Hardware in Little Rock.
Crawfish aren't exactly predictable, so it can get pretty lively.
Of course, the crawfish also participate in a more "traditional" manner -- boiled up with sausage, corn and the typical crawfish dinner fixings and served up to the 300-500 people who attend each year. This is the seventh year for the boil and over that time, some 4,500 pounds of the little critters have been consumed.
There will also be music, a silent auction, and cold beer and other drinks to wash down the all-you-can-eat servings of crawfish.
It's not an adults-only fundraiser but a full family affair. Children are welcome at the event, with free admission for children 12 and under and $20 tickets for ages 13-20 (accompanied by an adult).
The Hat Club, founded in 2010, is a nonprofit organization that raises money and donates it to other charitable organizations in Little Rock.
The purpose of the Crawfish Salute is to "salute" organizations that serve the Little Rock community, giving them recognition for their hard work. It's also an opportunity to raise more money. Since 2012, the beneficiary has been the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The Hat Club has donated $97,000 to the NICU so far and, Young predicts, "This year we're going to hit the $100,000 mark with them."
Fundraising aside, Young says the main goal for the evening is for everyone to have fun. "It's always a good time. Good time, good food and to raise money for a great cause."
The event has grown so much since it started in 2010 that Young anticipates a change for 2017.
"Next year we might have to get a different venue," he says. "We're full to the max on tables. It's a good problem to have."
Weekend on 05/05/2016