Parade
The SWEET POTATO QUEENS’ WEEKEND and HAL’S ST. PADDY’S PARADE – 2026
SPQ Weekend is March 25-29
The THEME for Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade & Festival this year is: STARS, STRIPES, & SHAMROCKS!! 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 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 WARREN: 601-951-1899, 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 – Tommy Burroughs Our Spud Stud of Funky Music—will be doing the SEXY ‘60s for us in the lobby—you are free to choose to style yourself from early, mid, or late ‘60s—or your own “PERSONAL Sixth Decade” (whether you’re anticipating it, living it, or even trying to remember it) as suits you.
***Friday,11:00-1:00, FRIDAY is BIG HAT BRUNCH at the Westin—Spud Stud Scott Caples WILL BE JUDGING YOU, although the prizes will be awarded only in the BIG HAT category, sucking up & outright bribery is gleefully encouraged.
***Friday night, 8-11pm, at the Westin, FAZE 4 will be playing for us!! For this we will take the opportunity to wear your FAVORITE THING THAT YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE TO WEAR IT—whether it’s your old cheerleader outfit, your favorite onesie, a ballgown or an umpire vest—the more RIDICULOUS THE BETTER. (If it’s obscene, cover it up & only reveal it to us when called upon, we will be in a public area & not everybody “gets” us!)
***Saturday, 12pm, PARADE ROLLS in Downtown Jackson, 3/28 IS Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade & Festival!! The Grand Marshal is our new & Most Honorable Mayor John Horhn. 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 11. 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 the Westin, more frolicking with FAZE 4 & it’s PJ’S & PEARLS. The BIG ASS 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!
***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!
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.
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.
***TO BOOK YOUR ROOMS AT THE WESTIN—DO THIS: CALL (219) 713-2941, speak to 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 26, 2026
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 the WESTIN, Tommy Burroughs Our Spud Stud of Funky Music—will be doing the SEXY ‘60s for us in the lobby—you are free to choose to style yourself from early, mid, or late ‘60s—or your own “PERSONAL Sixth Decade” (whether you’re anticipating it, living it, or even trying to remember it) as suits you.
FRIDAY – March 27, 2026 (11:30-1:30pm)
FRIDAY is BIG HAT BRUNCH at the Westin, downstairs—Spud Stud Scott Caples WILL BE JUDGING YOU, although the prizes will be awarded only in the BIG HAT category, sucking up & outright bribery is gleefully encouraged.
FRIDAY NIGHT (8p-11p)
8-11pm, at the WESTIN, FAZE 4 will be playing for us!! For this we will take the opportunity to wear your FAVORITE THING THAT YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE TO WEAR IT—whether it’s your old cheerleader outfit, your favorite onesie, a ballgown or an umpire vest—the more RIDICULOUS THE BETTER. (If it’s obscene, cover it up & only reveal it to us when called upon, we will be in a public area & not everybody “gets” us!)
SATURDAY – March 28, 2026
Hal’s St. Paddy’s PARADE
12:00p PARADE ROLLS in Downtown Jackson, 3/28 IS Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade & Festival!! The Grand Marshal is Grand Marshal is our new & Most Honorable Mayor John Horhn & the theme is STARS, STRIPES, & SHAMROCKS!! 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 11am. 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 at THE WESTIN downstairs with FAZE 4! And YES, everybody has on jammies and joory!
SATURDAY NIGHT (10:00p)
BIG ASS 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 29, 2026
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!
REHASH & GOSSIP Poolside – Afternoon until ? Do so at your own risk!