Everyone in Acadiana knows that Rayne is the Frog Capital of the World, but it also holds another big title for the state.
They greet you when you enter Rayne, and the whole time you’re in town. And no, they’re not all frogs. They’re murals.
“We have thirty murals throughout the city,” says Mayor Chuck Robichaux.
Rayne is Louisiana’s City of Murals, given the name back in the 90s when the beautification board commissioned a famous artist to paint a handful of walls downtown.
“Most of them were done by Mr. Dafford and he’s world-renowned now,” says Robichaux. “We got him when he was only at the beginning of his fame and we got him affordably. Right now, some of those murals would probably cost in excess of $100,000 to reproduce.”
Other artists and business owners have since caught on, taking it upon themselves to contribute to the theme. City hall has even made a game out of counting and finding each artistic site.
“When someone comes here we give them a scavenger hunt that the ladies put together,” Robichaux explains. “Its got certain murals they have to go find and they label them and have to put where they were.”
Once out of town visitors get a taste of the beauty in downtown Rayne, Mayor Robichaux says they won’t stay away for long.
“They’ll be back. If they come once, they’ll be back.”
