About

 Spanish Town is a historic district anchored by Spanish Town Road in Baton Rouge. It is well known for its annual Mardi Gras parade, which is the largest in Baton Rouge. The district of Spanish Town was commissioned in 1805.  Spanish Town is the site of Baton Rouge's largest Mardi Gras parade, which is celebrated annually on the Saturday before Mardi Gras. The first Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade took place in 1981. 

 As a mascot, the pink flamingo is said to represent the saying "poor taste is better than no taste at all", which became somewhat of a mantra for the Spanish Town neighborhood as it grew to include more eclectic residents. The tradition of  pink flamingos originates from the celebration of Spanish Town Mardi Gras. Around the beginning of the Mardi Gras season, approximately two dozen large pink flamingos made of plywood are placed in the LSU Lakes, to announce the annual parade will be taking place soon. It is a tradition

 to "adopt" one of these flamingos, usually by taking a boat out on the lake. There is a unique sense of pride associated in having acquired one of these special flamingos.