This past Saturday I got to experience it for myself. We had a beautiful warm day and the crowds were out all decked in green.
Now I don't know if you have ever heard of the Sweet Potato Queens but these folks know how to have fun! There were over 11 groups of them this year with some coming as far away as Indonesia. Here's a little sampling of the groups......................
Do these girls look like they're having fun or what?!?! I told my hubbie I wanted to be a Sweet Potato Queen!
Every St. Patty's Day parade has to have a bagpipe band. I can't imagine how hard it is to play one of these things but I love the sound.
How about this old truck used as a float? Maybe not, but I think it's pretty neat looking.
This was more of a typical float in the parade. Notice the port-a-potty? Only in MS will you ever see this!!! At first I couldn't figure out why all floats had these on board. When we were walking out I figured out why.......................
The parade was about 3 hours long. Maybe that's a little too long for us less-partying types. This celebration does have a good cause though. It is a fundraiser for the childrens hospital. To date they have raised over $300,000. 
One last thing I need to mention. See this pile of beautifully colored beads, they must weigh about 5 pounds and I wore them home from the parade. These things are flung off those floats at people. The green sash was given to me by one of the King Queens from Memphis. These ladies were dressed just like Elvis. They were a hoot!Hope you enjoyed the parade. I certainly did!
41 comments:
I didn't get to go this year, but it is always fun! In fact, I've been to the parade in Washington DC and enjoyed Jackson's more!
As one of the more partying types, I can definitely see how the port-a-potties, though tacky, are necessary! LOL!
Have a good week!
That looks like it was a lot of fun. Cleveland has a big Parade for Saint Patrick's day too, but I didn't have the chance to go.
Ginger-The parade was fun! We had such a beautiful day to go so we were happy with that. After 3 hours we could certainly understand the necessity of the port-a-potties!
Elise-Sorry you missed the parade. We did enjoy ours!
I didn't realize Jackson had such a big St. Patrick's parade. It may not be well-known, but it sure looks like a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing the parade with us.
Looks like you had a blast, Susie. Wow! Look at all those beads. We don't have a St. Patrick's day parade here. Mostly parades here are during the summer, and they don't throw beads. They throw wrapped candies to the kids. I enjoyed the photos. :D
Love the outfits. I wanna be a sweet potato queen too. What fun!
Marnie
WOW 3 hour parade!! Looks like fun.....great photos. You have a great blog!
Hi Susie
Looks like a lot of fun! A couple of those queens kinda scared me! LOL
We don't do anything around here for Saint Patty's day.
Take care and have a great week.
Lisa
Loved the photos, Susie. What costumes...looked like great fun. The beads look lovely too! I especially loved the Elvis types!!
Fun, colorful pics Susie. In my hometown we have a parade every August and they throw candy and gum to us. I don't think we ever outgrow parades, do you?
Glad you didn't have to do anything foolish to get those beads, or is there something missing from this story. HA.
just kidding--only in New Orleans right.
We don't do much celebrating for St. Patty's day here in the Ozarks... but y'all have got your own little MS Mardi Gras going!!
I've never heard of the Sweet Potato Queens. I'm sure I would have remembered if I had ever seen them before:) I had no idea Jackson, MS would have a big St. Patrick's Day Parade. Chicagoans of course pride themselves on their parade, though I've never been. They used to turn the Chicago River green for St. Patrick's Day, but I think this was discontinued several years ago--probably not a good idea:)
You captured some really funny scenes! That would have been a hoot! Glad you had a good time, you Sweet Potatoe wanna-be!;D
What fun!! I have never been to a St Pat's parade, but always heard they were really festive. And, what a wonderful cause! Worth it to go just for that reason. Thanks for sharing your fun with us! :)
What fun! I am so jealous of all those beads... what exactly did you DO to get all those?? :)
That looks like it was a lot of fun! I think I've heard of the Sweet Potato Queens, is it from a book or something? It looks like perfect weather. Thanks for sharing!
Those beads look like they weigh as much as you do. Looks like a lot of fun.
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George-It was fun and kinda crazy!
Thanks Daisy I'm glad you liked the photos. Wrapped candy wouldn't be bad either.
Marnie-I definitely think those girls know how to have fun!
Thanks Tangerine Kitty-3 hours was probably a little too long.
Lisa-I wish I had gotten photos of all of the groups. Then you might of really be scared.
Kanak-I'm trying to figure out what to do with those beads.
Mildred-No, I don't ever want to outgrow a parade.
Jen-I'm not telling!!! lol
Jacquie-It was kind of like Mardi Gras only a little more sedate, or should I say family oriented.
Rose-There have been books written about them. I think they have been around for a good while.
Milah-Girl I was laughing my head off! I wish I had gotten more pictures. There were so many of them.
Hey Linda you are welcome. We laughed lots.
Terri-As I told Jen I ain't tellin!
Catherine-They do have books out I think. They would probably be fun to read!
Leedra-Well maybe not quite! lol
Now if I can just figure out what to do with them.
What a fun day!!! I LUV the sweet potato queens. I've read a couple of their books and they are a hoot! About those beads.....did you have to show anything to get those sissy?
Sister I ain't tellin! No sir-reee!
Thanks Susie for sharing this parade with us. It reminded me of the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans!!!! We used to get those heavy beads --just in different colors!!!! The best killing was to get a long string of white pearls... Ummmmm!!!
Thanks for sharing a fun day.
Hugs,
Betsy
I bet that was fun!
Susie,
Looks like a fun parade, I love parades, thank you for coming by to visit! Bliss is quite the little mess, but we love her
Betsy-Then I must of done good cause I got two strands of pearls. Haha!
Darla-It was fun!
Deb-I'm sure she is probably like a child of yours as most peoples pets are. Thanks for your visit too!
Thanks for sharing the pics. I have several friends that live in Jackson, and around Jackson (Madison, Brandon, Florence) they all went and I got to see their pics. Maybe I can make it one year. Looks like a blast. As far as the porta potty float...nothing in Alabama or Mississippi suprises me. When I was in college in Hattiesburg, there was always this one truck parked at K-Mart that had a cinder block in front of his front drivers wheel?????Dunno about that!!!
Thanks for taking me along with you (with the pictures). I had a blast! I want to go next year, too!
Dirt Princess-If you have several friends over here you should come to the next one. Yeah, you can see some craziness here in these two states.
Deedee-I'm glad you enjoyed the parade.
They say Pittsburgh's St. Patty's Day Parade is the largest so I'll one (or three) up ya on this. ;~P
(I've never attended. So you've got me on that.)
Felder has told me about those Sweet Potato Queens. And why didn't they toss sweet potato vine plants instead of beads??
TC-That is a great question!!! I wish they would throw out sweet potato vines!
Sounds like a great time! How entertaining! Love the costumes, especially the purple fairy! I've never heard of the sweet potato queens either - wonder what the requirements are to become one???
Autumn-I'm not sure what the requirements are. There are books out about them, I think.
Susie, thanks for giving us a positive ID on the iris! Someone gave me the bulbs a few years ago, but this is the first time one of them has bloomed - and of course I couldn't remember what it was!
My hydrangea looks great! I'm so glad for this rain to give them a good start for making it through the first hot summer!
Sorry if you had technical difficulties at my blog - I decided to be cool like you and Dirt Princess and make my blog "cute," but it took some tries!
By the way, are you in any gardening clubs or anything like that? I am jealous of this club in Mobile Dirt Princess keeps talking about!!
Ms. Susie, here's how you block unwanted ads (I'm assuming you have Google's Adsense ads):
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Who would have thought St Paddy parade in MS???? Loooks very fun and silly! Exactly my kind of parade. Love the beads - you racked them in.
Wow that was colorful. Looks like fun.
Debbie
Ginger-I need to come and look at your blog and see what you have done to it!!!
I'm not in any gardening clubs but I'm sure they're fun. Take care with these impending storms tonight. We were without power from 12:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
TC-My ads are from Google. Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it.
Melissa-It was fun and silly!
Thanks Debbie-Colorful fits it perfectly!
i know i left a comment here yesterday. i have no idea what i said but i am glad you have a fun day and the weather was great for it.
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