It was a happy crowd at the Sliman Theater Thursday night when auctioneer Fred Mills grabbed the microphone and began taking bids for 15 items to be auctioned off.

“Are y’all bidding or waving?” Mills asked one event-goer in the crowd. “Okay, you can’t wave at an auction.”

The joke landed perfectly and kicked off what would be an exciting night as more than a dozen items were auctioned off for the benefit of the Bayou Teche Museum during its annual “A Night At The Museum” gala.

Mills, who is just beginning his retirement from the Louisiana Legislature where he worked as a state senator for years, worked hand-in-hand with emcee Taylor Barras who is now working as one of the heads of Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration.

The pair have worked as hosts for the annual gala auction for years, and the crowd of museum patrons were not disappointed as the excitement of the bidding and entertainment provided by Mills proved to be a successful night for the Bayou Teche Museum.

According to Director Marcia Patout, this year’s gala theme also functioned as a birthday party for New Iberia’s very own George Rodrigue, an internationally renowned artist most famous for his “Blue Dog” paintings. Rodrigue, who died in 2013, would have celebrated his 80th birthday this year and museum organizers made sure to celebrate the life and legacy of one of New Iberia’s greatest artists with an exhibit from Wendy Rodrigue’s private collection titled “Painting for Myself.”

Wendy Rodrigue, George’s wife, said the exhibit worked perfectly with an ongoing exhibit at the Hilliard Art Museum in Lafayette where some of George Rodrigue’s more famous works are currently on display.

“That exhibit has George’s more famous portraits, from Paul Prudhomme and presidents to Evangeline,” Wendy Rodrigue said at the event. “This one has personal portraits of family members and self-portraits.”

The gala itself is held every year as a fundraiser for the Bayou Teche Museum. The museum not only regularly holds exhibits celebrating Rodrigue but also gives a variety of exhibitions pertaining to Iberia Parish culture and industry.

The museum has been in the process of expansion and is nearing the completion of an adjacent wing of the museum that has been possible thanks to the support of the local community.

Patrons were able to view the Rodrigue exhibit, which will be able for viewing through May 25, in the Doc Voorhies Wing of the museum as well as the museum proper during the event.

The live auction was held in addition to a silent auction that was held from Feb. 26 to March 13.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see all these people engaged for our museum,” Larry Hensgens said at the event. “This event provides our museum the operating capital to make our museum what it is today.”