Rayne prepares for 46th Annual Frog Festival

RAYNE - The city of Rayne is gearing up to welcome thousands of visitors to the 46th Rayne Frog Festival on May 9-12 at the Frog Festival grounds.
The unique “Fete des Oua Oua Rons” (Cajun for festival of the bullfrogs) offers a safe, family-friendly event for all ages and cultures.
Rain or shine, the spacious Frog Festival Pavilion provides the perfect venue for the festival.
Advance carnival ride tickets for $20 are available from Mitchell Brothers Amusements at the Rayne Chamber office. The tickets can be used Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
Bring your ticket/tickets to the Carnival Ticket Booth for a special wristband that will allow you to ride any ride, as many times as you wish.
The Chamber will sell the advance tickets through May 4 during regular business hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The carnival’s “Family Night” is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9, between 5-10 p.m. with no admission charge. On Thursday, May 10, adult admission is only $1 and children 12 years and under will be admitted free.
A Frog Festival Blood Drive, conducted by United Blood Services, will be held on Monday, May 7, from 2:30 to 7 p.m. at the Rayne Chamber office at 107 W. Oak St. The first 30 donors will receive a free carnival ride bracelet good for Thursday night at the festival.
At the Souvenir Booth, the official Frog Festival Poster, 2018 Frog Festival T-shirts and a large variety of “frog” items will be sold.
Handicap parking is available (look for the signs).
A Kids Area, providing arts and crafts, face painting and more, provides a safe place for the children to enjoy the festival with their parents.
No ice chests or pets allowed on the grounds.
The festival kicks off Wednesday, May 9, at 5 p.m. with “Carnival Family Night” with Mitchell Bros. & Sons Amusements offering “Wristband Specials” to popular rides for all ages, games and food. No admission charged to enter the grounds on Wednesday.
On Thursday, May 10, gates open at 5 p.m., again with free admission for children and adults enter with a $1 fee. Vendor booths will open, carnival rides will be enjoyed, and musical entertainment will be provided by Temporary Fix at 5:30 p.m. Ronnie Matthews and Throwdown will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. who will provide music for dancing and the Jitterbug Dance Contest.
After opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 11, the entertainment, food and fun continues at 5 p.m. when the gates open.
Paint the Town Green judging will take place at local businesses and schools, with winners announced shortly thereafter.
The annual Arts & Craft Show, sponsored by the Rayne Civic Beautification Board and located at the Civic Center, will also open at that time and will continue until 9 p.m.
Musical entertainment will begin at 6:30 p.m. with Louisiana Red taking the main stage, then at 8:30 p.m. Country Round Up, featuring Jeff Dugan, Tammy Lynn, Kip Sonnier, Steve Grisaffe, Tony Bruce, Richard Comeaux and Marc Hebert, will get your toes tapping.
Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin Cajuns will complete Friday’s entertainment at 10:30 p.m. when his acoordian will get things shaking.
Admission on Friday and Saturday is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and younger.
The gates open at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, and the day begins with the annual Diaper Derby, sponsored by the Rayne Jaycees, at 9 a.m. on Stage II.
The Arts and Crafts Show will continue at the Civic Center between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
The annual Frog Derby Queen’s Contest, sponsored by the Rayne Lions Club, begins at 10 a.m. on Stage II and features pretty young ladies dressed in jockey attire and the biggest frogs jumping in all directions!
The Frog Festival 4-Ball Golf Tournament will tee-off at 10 a.m., sponsored by Cajun Pine Golf Club
Meanwhile, back at the festival grounds on the Main Stage at 10:45 a.m. the third annual Cajun Accordion Contest, with contestants vying for winner category prizes, will definitely be a toe-tapping entertainment.
A new addition to ‘Froggy” events will be the Froggie Fashion Dress Contest on Stage II at 11:30 a.m. while the carnival rides open for business.
Frog Cook-Off sampling will begin at the noon hour while on Stage II the frogs keep on jumping for the Frog Racing and Jumping Contest. This event is open to the public, including children and adults categories.
Frogs are available to rent for a small fee from sponsors, Rayne Jaycees and the Rayne Acadian-Tribune. Trophies and other prizes are awarded.
The Waltz Dance Contest will be held during the musical entertainment provided by Colby Latiolais and Ambush at 12:30 p.m. on the main stage.
During the 2 p.m. Grand Parade, this year’s Parade Grand Marshal, Coach Lewis Cook Jr. will lead the parade line-up of area high school bands, local and visiting kings and queens, and floats in downtown Rayne.
Following the Grand Parade, winners will be announced for the Frog Cook-Off on the main stage at 3 p.m., followed by the hip-shaking sounds of Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners.
Another new event, kids sack races, will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the kid’s area.
On Stage II, the third annual Frog Leg Etiquette Eating Contest, sponsored by the City of Rayne begins at 4:30 p.m.
A meet and greet with festival honoree Chef Issac Toups will begin at 4:45 p.m., just prior to the traditional tunes of Johnny Allen and Travis Matte on the main stage at 5 p.m.
Musical entertainment continues at 7:30 p.m. with Gyth Rigdon, followed by the 9:30 p.m. performance of national recording artist Doug Stone on the main stage.
The Chee Weez will complete the festival’s musical entertainment as they begin at 11:30 p.m. at the main stage.
For more information, visit the festival on Facebook or official website at www.raynefrogfestival.com.