Parade
The SWEET POTATO QUEENS’ WEEKEND and HAL’S ST. PADDY’S PARADE – 2025
The SPQ Weekend is March 19-23 and the PARADE is on Saturday, March 22.
The THEME for Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade & Festival this year is: HEY, HEY, THE BLUES IS ALL GREEN! Be assured though that as QUEENS, there is no burden whatsoever on YOU to adhere to any guidelines beyond decency: we are about SPARKLES. Don’t stressorcize yourself—ACCESSORIZE YOURSELF.
The HOST HOTEL is the WESTIN in Downtown Jackson. Booking info is HOTEL tab.
QUEENCENTRIC DEE-TAILS
IF YOU ARE A PARADE VIRGIN—feel free to stop anybody that looks like they’ve Done This Before (it will be apparent) and ask them anything—there are no stupid questions—a lot of stupid answers but they will be fun! EVERY QUEENS’ JOB for the duration is to be sure EVERY OTHER QUEEN IS HAVING FUN and “BELONGING.” You are REQUIRED to HAVE FUN and MAKE AT LEAST ONE NEW FRIEND over the weekend. I will ask you about it on Sunday morning and I expect a BIG YES on both counts.
The WESTIN is THRILLED to have us this year and they look VERY forward to giving us a fantastic virgin experience with them and to making it ever more fabulous with each successive year. Remember, as always, TIP WELL. It’s been a tough year already for everybody!
***IF YOU’RE FLYING IN AND NEED A RIDE TO THE WESTIN, CALL JAMES WARREN601-951-1899, ridesbyredd@gmail.com with your travel info and arrange a pick-up with him.
***Wednesday, arrive, set up ironing board bars in rooms, squeal a lot
***Thirsty Thursday, DECORATE YOUR DOORS, the WESTIN has PRIZES! Thirsty Thursday starts with LUNCH AT Crazy Cat Eat Up, as usual! 11-2 Just come on downstairs when you’re hungry—VISIT JACKSON will be running buses for us to Crazy Cat and back from 10:30-3:00pm.
***Thursday Night – About 8pm, at ESTELLE WINE BAR/BISTRO, Spud Stud Tommy Burroughs will crank up ALL his Equipment & bring us THE 80’s—dress accordingly! Heavy on the AquaNet!
***Friday,11:00-1:00, FRIDAY is BIG HAT BRUNCH at ESTELLE WINE BAR/BISTRO downstairs at the Westin—Spud Stud Scott Caples will be passing judgment & awarding the Hats That Please Him Most!
***Friday night, 8-11pm, at ESTELLE WINE BAR/BISTRO, dancing to FAZE 4–& it’ll be MRS. ROPER NIGHT! If you don’t know who that is—bless your heart, google it. And get yourself a miu-miu—or moo-moo, if you’re under 50.
***Saturday, 1pm, PARADE ROLLS in Downtown Jackson, 3/22 IS Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade & Festival!! The Grand Marshal is world-renowned MS BLUESMAN JESSE ROBINSON & the theme is a play off the 1920’s blues anthem “Hey! Hey! The Blues Is Alright”—only it’s HEY! HEY! THE BLUES IS ALL GREEN… NO MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU WEAR or not—COMFY SHOES—WEAR COMFY SHOES! Only a couple blocks to line up area—stroll on over when you’re duded up to march! Be in line-up by noon. There will be a lovely man there, Charly Abraham—he will be wearing all manner of communication equipment and look very Official and also Harried—he will tell you where you need to be in the line-up. Just say, “Yes, sir, Charly Darlin'” and do what he says—he’s got enough trouble without dealing with us.
IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO HAUL A QUEEN AND/OR YOUR BEADS: Call ASHLEY CLARK at BIG BOYS TOYS to coordinate—601-906-4516.
***Saturday night, 8-11pm, at ESTELLE WINE BAR/BISTRO, more frolicking with FAZE 4 & it’s PJ’S & PEARLS. The BIG AISS CROWN RAFFLE sponsored by ATMOS ENERGY– will conclude at 9pm—REMEMBER YOU MUST BE IN THE ROOM & WILDLY ENTHUSIASTIC to win! All $$ to Friends of Children’s Hospital!
***Sunday morning, BATHROBE BRUNCH (Tickets at Westin front desk)—Ballroom doors open at 8:30–everything kicks off at 9 & I am CRABBY IF YOU’RE LATE!
***NEW ADDITION TO BATHROBE BRUNCH—The Inappropriate T-shirt Contest! Wear the absolute WORST t-shirt you can find—UNDER YOUR BATHROBE—we do not wish to shock and horrify the Innocent who may have inadvertently stumbled upon us in the hotel. There will be a Big Reveal and a prize for the Most Contemptible Shirt!
***Sunday afternoon—Poolside Gossip, at your own risk!
AFTER YOU HAVE READ EVERY WORD OF THIS, you may ask me any questions not answered herein!
After umpteen glorious years at our Hilton, the time has finally come that we must make a change. After the elevator debacle last year and the departure of every employee who has ever worked with us, I no longer feel confident that we will be as royally treated as we have come to expect and certainly deserve. Even BILLIE will be gone by the time we arrive!
I have just met with Nathan Don at the beautiful Downtown Westin—Nathan is a favorite Hilton alum who knows and loves us and he is dying to carry us ALL, albeit one at a time, around on a little pillow. I toured the facility this morning.
Prepare to be WOWED. It is absolutely gorgeous.
But safety and convenience first: the hotel is situated BETWEEN the Federal Courthouse and the Jackson Police Headquarters, so there’s that. It is also a block away from the Parade Line-up. AND the Parade passes by the Hotel on one side. It literally COULD NOT BE any more convenient.
The rate they are giving us is unbelievable. Booking info is below—BOOK NOW—IT’S JUST A MONTH AWAY!
There is a SPA in the hotel! Be sure to BOOK AHEAD!! The pool is heated and indoors. The whole hotel has a MUSIC THEME and there is actual ART EVERYWHERE by renowned Mississippi artists.
***If you have already received reservation confirmation at the Hilton—you will need to cancel that ASAP.***
***TO BOOK YOUR ROOMS AT THE WESTIN—DO THIS: CALL 769-235-8347, speak to Nathan or Nadia or leave a voicemail. Or EMAIL—Nadia.Radowick@WestinJackson.com ***
***TO BOOK ON WEBSITE: CLICK HERE***
KEEP IN MIND: THIS IS OUR VERY FIRST YEAR AT THIS WONDERFUL HOTEL—and they have not ever dealt with the Likes of Us. That being said, with scarcely a month’s notice, they are turning themselves inside out to accommodate all our “Unusual Activities.”” There WILL BE a learning curve! It’s going to be absolutely FABULOUS, that much is a given.
Queencentric Schedule of Events
THURSDAY – March 20, 2025
Thirsty Thursday starts with LUNCH AT Crazy Cat Eat Up, as usual! 11-2 Just come on downstairs when you’re hungry—VISIT JACKSON will be running buses for us to Crazy Cat and back from 10:30-3:00pm.
About 8pm, at ESTELLE WINE BAR/BISTRO, Spud Stud Tommy Burroughs will crank up ALL his Equipment & bring us THE 80’s—dress accordingly! Heavy on the AquaNet!
FRIDAY – March 21, 2025
FRIDAY is BIG HAT BRUNCH at ESTELLE WINE BAR/BISTRO downstairs at the Westin—Spud Stud Scott Caples will be passing judgment & awarding the Hats That Please Him Most!
FRIDAY NIGHT (8p-11p)
8-11pm, at ESTELLE WINE BAR/BISTRO, dancing to FAZE 4–& it’ll be MRS. ROPER NIGHT! If you don’t know who that is—bless your heart, google it. And get yourself a miu-miu—or moo-moo, if you’re under 50.
SATURDAY – March 22, 2025
Hal’s St. Paddy’s PARADE
1:00p PARADE ROLLS in Downtown Jackson, 3/22 IS Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade & Festival!! The Grand Marshal is world-renowned MS BLUESMAN JESSE ROBINSON & the theme is a play off the 1920’s blues anthem “Hey! Hey! The Blues Is Alright”—only it’s HEY! HEY! THE BLUES IS ALL GREEN… NO MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU WEAR or not—COMFY SHOES—WEAR COMFY SHOES! Only a couple blocks to line up area—stroll on over when you’re duded up to march! Be in line-up by noon. There will be a lovely man there, Charly Abraham—he will be wearing all manner of communication equipment and look very Official and also Harried—he will tell you where you need to be in the line-up. Just say, “Yes, sir, Charly Darlin'” and do what he says—he’s got enough trouble without dealing with us.
NOTE: NO MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU WEAR or not…COMFY SHOES–wear COMFY SHOES!
SATURDAY NIGHT (8p-11p)
PEARLS & PJS in ESTELLE WINE BAR/BISTRO with FAZE 4! And YES, everybody has on jammies and joory!
SATURDAY NIGHT (10:00p)
BIG AISS CROWN GIVEAWAY—Handcrafted crown by the renowned jeweler of Broadway and the MET, Larry Vrba—ALL proceeds to Children’s of Mississippi—
The BIG AISS CROWN RAFFLE sponsored by ATMOS ENERGY– will conclude at 9pm—REMEMBER YOU MUST BE IN THE ROOM & WILDLY ENTHUSIASTIC to win! All $$ to Friends of Children’s Hospital!
SUNDAY – March 23, 2025
BATHROBE BRUNCH (Tickets at Westin front desk)—Ballroom doors open at 8:30–everything kicks off at 9 & I am CRABBY IF YOU’RE LATE!
***NEW ADDITION TO BATHROBE BRUNCH—The Inappropriate T-shirt Contest! Wear the absolute WORST t-shirt you can find—UNDER YOUR BATHROBE—we do not wish to shock and horrify the Innocent who may have inadvertently stumbled upon us in the hotel. There will be a Big Reveal and a prize for the Most Contemptible Shirt!
REHASH & GOSSIP Poolside – Afternoon until ? Do so at your own risk!
