Botanical Gardens announces 2012 Flamingo Fandango winners!
CORPUS CHRISTI—It’s been fabulous, flamboyant and totally frivolous fun at the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center’s Flamingo Fandango, where 100 creatively-costumed pink plastic flamingos competed for best-dressed birds in the Country’s Birdiest City!  
Event sponsor CITGO also staged an internal company contest, with six of those Citgo employees placing in the Botanical Gardens competiton!  Corpus Christi City Council members, opposing mayoral candidates and Flamingo Fandango judges Chris Adler and Nelda Martinez  picked their favorites in 10 categories, while thousands of visitors from far and wide voted by ballot for Visitors Choice!  We’re announcing the winners.  But if you hurry, you still can see this spectacle before the flock departs August 15!

CATEGORY    WINNING BIRD    ARTIST
Best of Show    Flamingo en Plumage    Melanie Chipman  
Director’s Choice    Juancho Recycles     Miguel Centeno and Carla Pererra.   
Visitors Choice      Lady Mermingo Treasure of Flamingo Reef Robin Bennett
Glitz, Glam & Sparkle   
 1st place     Lady Mermingo Treasure of Flamingo Reef  Robin Bennett  
 Hon. Mention        Lola & Louise     Gloria Cothern and Etta Ridgeway
Hon. Mention    Fancy Felitia     Lydia Garcia  
Brush Strokes    
 1st place     Pretty & Pink & Much, Much More   Victoria Shirley
Hon. Mention     Pharoah Flamingo     Kati Pina  
Corporate/Club    
 1st place     O Sol Amingo     New Neighbors League/Robin Bennett  
Creative Materials
1st place      Flamingo Cubiste     James Josie  
 Hon. Mention    Can-Can Flamingo     Leslie and Robert Blackshear,

Floral Creation    
 1st place      Flower Mama     Janie Gill
Hon. Mention    Green Thumb     Doris Cole
Inventive    
 1st place      Misty the Mermaid     Cindy Bellows
 Hon. Mention     Flamingosaurus     Dennis Wolf  
Patriotic/Military
 1st place      Dreaming of Pink Angels   Janet Cook and MaryAnn Woodward
Hon. Mention     Morning Colors     Naval Air Station Kingsville  
 Hon. Mention     Pride & Honor     Lois Elderkin and Rene Evetts   
Starz & Characters
 1st place     Jethro Bodine & Elly May Clampett   Pam and Bruce Bailey
 Hon. Mention     Amy Flamingo      Nereyda Facundo Torres
 Hon. Mention     Lola Tropicana    Tony Cordova  
Tongue in Cheek
 1st place     Red River Rivalry     Crystal Johnson
Youth Entry
 1st  place     Flamingo-dactyl     Daniel Molina
 Hon. Mention    Racing Stripes     Spayd Dockens