This Is the History of National Pink Flamingo Day
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On Friday, the country will celebrate National Pink Flamingo Day, the annual date when the plastic lawn piece known to populate yards across America is honored. Flamingo lovers know a thing or two about the fabulous fowl, but even the most ardent flamingo fanatic has to have some questions about how this day came to be. So, what is the history of National Pink Flamingo Day?
The History of National Pink Flamingo Day
When Did National Pink Flamingo Day Start?
National Pink Flamingo Day started in 2007 when Dean Mazzarella, the mayor of Leominster, Massachusetts, declared June 23 as the commemorative date for the plastic pink flamingo. It has remained since and served as a goofy way to show love for the beautiful bird and Don Featherstone, the creator of the iconic plastic emulation of the flamingo.
Why in Leominster?
Featherstone designed the plastic pink lawn flamingo in 1957 while employed at Union Products in Leominster. Originally, he created prototypes of multiple 3-D products, including one of a duck, but nothing hit quite like when he formulated the idea of utilizing the flamingo.
Union Products in Leominster continued to produce the plastic pink lawn flamingo until 2006. That prompted Mayor Mazzarella to designate June 23, 2007, as the first National Pink Flamingo Day.
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Does This Mean No One Makes Plastic Pink Lawn Flamingos Anymore?
Remain calm - plastic pink lawn flamingos are far from extinct. Union Products sold the copyright to HMC International LLC in 2007, and that company passed the rights along to Cado Manufacturing in 2010. Cado currently holds the copyright to the product and produces the pink yard sculptures still today.
Today (June 23rd) is National Pink Flamingo Day
— BostonTweet (@BostonTweet) June 23, 2022
The plastic pink flamingo was invented in Leominster, Massachusetts by Donald Featherstone while he worked at Union Products in 1957.
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When Is the Next National Pink Flamingo Day?
Mark your calendars and book your trip to the tropics now: the next National Pink Flamingo Day will be June 23, 2023, the 17th day of its kind in history. We are all eagerly awaiting 2026 for the 20th National Pink Flamingo Day - no lawn will be left green.
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