BATON ROUGE - The big Spanish Town Mardi Gras ball is back and better than ever after taking a year off due to COVID.

"Oh, it was terrible not having it last year. The party is awesome. It brings everybody together just to party," Grand Marshal Raul Urdiales said.

In a sea of pink flamingos, folks danced to a live band and made up for the lost time.

"It was heartbreaking we couldn't do it, but we understand why. So now we are so excited that we are back and doing it tonight," Queen Anissa Jarreau said.

The Spanish Town ball has an adult-oriented theme, complimenting the reputation Spanish Town Mardi Gras has created.

The ball was sold out, with 3,500 in attendance. All excited that the ball is on again.

"It was missed greatly. A lot of us had gotten up, and we felt like we lost a part of us in these events," King Biggeaux Williams said.