PHOTO GALLERY: In Baton Rouge, everything is LSU purple

LSU supporters gather in the fan fest section of the Tiger Stadium parking lot in preparation for the university's annual spring game on March 31. The LSU football team takes part in an exhibition game each year in order to showcase new recruits, practice different plays and give fans a peek at the team before regular season play begins.   |  Emily Becker

A bronze version of Louisiana State University's mascot, Mike the Tiger, stands on guard outside the tiger habitat on the campus. The statue, titled "On the Prowl," was created by Patrick Miller.   |  Emily Becker

Mike the Tiger, the live version of the Louisiana State University mascot, lounges in his habitat in late March. He is the sixth live tiger mascot for the university. When the first live tiger was purchased in 1936, it was named after the athletic trainer at the time, Mike Chambers.   |  Emily Becker

At the base of Tiger Stadium on the campus of Louisiana State University sits the habitat of Mike the Tiger, the live mascot. During home football games, Mike is transported in a cage into the stadium.   |  Emily Becker

Memorial Tower, off the quadrangle of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, serves as a memorial to the state's residents who died in World War I. The building is also home to the LSU Museum of Art and administrative offices for the university.   |  Emily Becker

The sun sets on the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge. A river walk runs along a river levee on the west side of the city.   |  Emily Becker

The shell of a crawfish is scattered on a staircase near the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge. These crustaceans are commonly known as "mudbugs" in the South, and Louisiana is responsible for 90 percent of the crawfish crop in the U.S.   |  Emily Becker

Strawberries are stacked to waist-high level at the Red Stick Farmers Market in late March. Many of the strawberries at the market were grown in Ponchatoula, La., a city east of Baton Rouge that also hosts a strawberry festival each year.   |  Emily Becker