Albany could break world record with ‘Bany the Rock Snake

ALBANY – A new community art project is taking shape at Radium Springs, where residents are being encouraged to help build “‘Bany the Rock Snake,” a growing line of painted stones that organizers hope will eventually break a world record.

Tara Fletcher, an Albany resident and the brains behind the local rock snake, said the idea began after she noticed another community’s rock snake while scrolling online.

“I was doom scrolling online … and saw this community had a rock snake, and I said, ‘You know, that’s something that we could do here that anybody could do at any age,’” she said. “‘It’s not expensive. You don’t have to have a certain art level, you know, art skill level, to do it.’”

Fletcher said she learned that the community she saw online had broken the world record for the longest rock snake, which inspired her to bring the project to Albany.

The world record rock snake is 24,459 rocks long in Grapevine, Texas. This snake is known as “Parcel the Python,” and it’s a long, winding chain of painted rocks created by the community. The project began as a way to foster community spirit and gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So, I thought, ‘Well, you know, if we’re going to do it, we might as well try to break the world record,’” Fletcher said. “It could be another little tourist attraction.”

After contacting city and county officials, she received permission to place the snake along the walkway at Overlook Park at Radium Springs. She also had a sign made and began gathering people to paint the first rocks. The rock snake now sits at about 150 painted rocks.

Fletcher said local art teachers and community groups are being invited to take part.

“I’ve been in contact with some art teachers with the Dougherty County School System,” she said. “So we’re going to try to get the area school systems involved as well as some civic organizations and some churches and other people in painting rocks.”

Fletcher said the project is about more than art — it’s about community pride.

“Albany gets such a bad rap. My friends that don’t live in Albany always talk about how dangerous Albany is,” she said. “I thought this is a very simple, positive thing. People can go out and look at what others have painted and paint their own.” 

Fletcher said she hopes the snake will offer something positive for “anybody in the community or the surrounding communities” to work on together.

“We can just make something that’s beautiful and that has no negative connotation to it,” she said. 

To beat the world record, Fletcher’s goal is 27,000 painted stones.

A rock snake  is made from individually painted stones placed end-to-end to resemble a long, winding creature.

Fletcher said Radium Springs was chosen because it is centrally located and has a walkway that remains accessible even during bad weather. The Overlook Park is also safe from periodic flooding along the Flint River.

The goal is to extend the snake long enough to break the world record, something Fletcher jokes she is committed to, even if it means painting thousands of stones herself.

Anyone can participate. Residents may paint rocks at home and add them to the snake at any time. A Facebook page for “‘Bany the Rock Snake” allows people to share photos of their contributions.

Fletcher said she plans to host community rock painting events to bring people together to work toward the goal of breaking the world record. The goal is to make this community project as simple and accessible as possible. Events will offer free rocks and paint supplies.

Fletcher said the long-term plan is to gather enough stones by early 2027 to invite Guinness World Records to verify the attempt.