The Sweet Potato Queens®Weekend — 2023
It happens every year—we sweat our way to “Fall” and then finally it’s Halloween. But then BOOM! It is CHRISTMAS & then we are PLUNGED HEADLONG INTO FULL PARADE MODE! Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade & Festival is the FOURTH WEEKEND IN MARCH—Parade Day is 3/25/23! The Hilton Jackson will be taking reservations soon. Will keep you posted! Be working on your outfits!
The THEME for Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade & Festival this year is
40 YEARS OF ALL THAT JAZZ
This is the 40th Anniversary of the Parade & the Grand Marshal is world-renowned jazz singer, CASSANDRA WILSON—who is from Jackson.
FOR QUEENS COMING TO PARADE: We are honoring the memory of Trace Alston, dearly departed leader of the Rude Men. Trace was the longest-serving Grand Marshal—had to wait out Covid before he could actually parade as such—but the FLOATS he built have never been & never will be matched! Plus he & the Rudesters always went out of their way to welcome all the Queens. Trace & his beloved bride Cathy Alston were always at the Hilton to play with us.
I am asking you, in his honor, to please—regardless of your outfit choices—incorporate either a black arm band, indicating mourning, or some touch of BLACK & WHITE CHECKERBOARD ribbon or fabric. That pattern was always part of Trace’s float design. Please help spread the word! Thanks!
IT’LL BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT!!
***Thirsty Thursday, Door Decorating
***Friday BIG HAT BRUNCH DRAGOS
***Friday night DAINCIN’ with Faze 4
***Saturday PARADE!!!
***Saturday night PEARLS & PJs
***Sunday morning BATHROBE BRUNCH
***Sunday afternoon Rehash & Gossip poolside
The Hilton-Jackson Hotel
IMPORTANT INFO FOR HILTON RESERVATIONS FOR PARADE WEEKEND! PARADE VIRGINS–DO NOT PANIC–THIS IS HOW IT IS DONE AND IT DOES WORK.
***Our Host Hotel is the Hilton-Jackson on County Line Road. To make a reservation: Call 601-957-2800 & speak ONLY to BILLIE BURNS. DO NOT SAY “reservation” until you are speaking to him. If he is unavailable, leave a message & he will return the call. You may also email him at billie.burns@hilton.com.***
***Billie will be dedicating the weekend of FEB 4 & 5 to handling the calls and e-mails he has at that time. DO NOT EXPECT TO HEAR FROM HIM BEFORE THEN. So far as we are aware, Billie has NEVER YET FAILED to secure a reservation for a Queen–he does not intend to start now. But he must handle Us in an organized manner and this requires concentration and diligence–so he dedicates several weekends every Parade season to US AND ONLY US. If you feel you need my personal reassurance that you will, in fact, ultimately hear from Billie that you do, in fact, have a reservation for Parade Weekend, by all means, reach out. I will personally copy and paste this paragraph directly to you.
Queencentric Schedule of Events
THURSDAY – March 23, 2023
Info Coming
FRIDAY – March 24, 2023
Big Hat Brunch on Friday at Drago’s – no ticket needed – order whatever you want, eat it, love it & pay for it. The menu is extensive – you can spend as much or as little as you choose. No minimum charge.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Daincin’ in FITZGERALD’S with Faze4!
SATURDAY – March 25, 2023
PARADE
Info Coming
SATURDAY NIGHT
PEARLS & PJS in Fitzgerald’s
Info Coming
SUNDAY – March 26, 2023
Bathrobe Brunch at Hilton on Sunday morning. Buy ticket when you check in – probably same price as usual – $29.
Sunday afternoon Rehash & Gossip poolside