Picture it: Jackson, MS 2002. A young lady is dating a man, a man who is just ok. Well, maybe not even ok, honestly. But a man. And a man who may need killing had I already read Jill Conner Browne’s books. Of course, I probably wouldn’t have still been dating him had I read her books because I would have known all about her advice of Be Particular.

But back to the story: The man has 2 friends who are getting married. I have been invited to the wedding because I am dating him and actually know the couple, but there is a lot of confusion about things like the rehearsal supper, etc and my boyfriend has us staying with parents of a friend of his on the other side of Flowood (the wedding is in the Richland area).

Through a series of misadventures, I get left behind at the rehearsal dinner and the boyfriend winds up having to drive me back to Flowood because we went in his car, which was a stick and I can’t drive a stick. So he takes me back, to this house where I have heard of the parents, but actually have never met them and leaves me so he can celebrate with his friend. The lady, being extremely gracious, makes me feel as comfortable as possible given that I do not know her or her husband and after some small chit chat, I spy a book that has women in frou-frou costumes and big red hair. It is the Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love and my hostess hands it over, says it will be good for a laugh and then we part ways. I go to the room I’m sleeping in (a Jack and Jill type room) and wait for the boyfriend to come back…. and while I wait- I read. I pretty much finish the book before falling asleep and he comes in the next morning.

The wedding, when looking back, was a turning point in the relationship- although I did not recognize it at the point. Again, men who may need killing and be particular have not soaked in yet. What can I say? I was in my 20’s and I picked terrible men.

However, a deep fondness for Jill Conner Browne books was born that weekend. And a vow to attend a Sweet Potato Queen weekend at some point.

 

7 years later: I still have not made it to a Sweet Potato Queen weekend. I’m still picking wrong boyfriends (and girls to be friends, but that is a whole other story) I am on County Line Road with 2 “friends” and as we ride by the Hilton, I see the sign for Sweet Potato Queen weekend and I squeal and say “we should totally check that out!” and these 2 girls look at me, aghast, and are like “isn’t that for old women?” Does anyone wonder why we aren’t friends?

1 year and about 6 months later: In the past 8-10 months, I have had 2 breakups (one I initiated because he was def a man who may have needed killing) and the other someone who was just wrong for me. It has been a hard few years- I’m in my tail end of my 20’s, I have been a bridesmaid more times than I care to share and all these friends have completely ghosted me, and I’m struggling- trying to find my place.

One day on Facebook, I notice Patty Peck Honda is forming their own Sweet Potato Queen group for the 2011 parade where everything is changing (moving it to Fondren, having it at night) and they are looking for people to join and will be admitting people to the group by answering trivia questions. I am the winner of the first week’s question (Where is the Sweet Potato Festival? Answer: Vardaman, MS.) and I am off and running to bucket list goal that has taken me almost 10 years to make happen.

 

2011: My debut at my first Sweet Potato Queen Weekend (aka Zippity Doo Dah Weekend) as a Patty Peck Perfectly Pretty Power Queen (aka P5 Queens)

It is a Thursday. I have managed to get the last room at the Hilton via a cancellation and I am here. I have my bags ready, my crown on and I’m “prepared” but also unprepared. I did not know what to expect. You honestly can’t even truly expect to know what to expect unless you have been here before.

I walk in and it’s ladies squealing and hugging each other and suitcases and luggage racks overflowing with all sorts of things (sparkly, glittery, sequin-y) and I am overwhelmed. I’m part of a group, but all those ladies live in Jackson and will not be staying at the hotel and honestly I did not know them very well and then as I got to know them, I realized most of the group did not truly get the being a Queen (or had even read the books).

 

Then I met this angel. Deb Schneller. An absolute angel walking among us mere humans. She saw me in the lobby, spoke to me and then started giving me the lay of the land (of course things had changed this year for everyone) but she imparted her wisdom and we went to Fondren together.

Later that night, I met 3 other ladies (Sharon, Kathy, and Jen) and we got to talking and they will still lovingly pick on me about how we met, a fast friendship was formed that night.

Being a part of the Patty Peck Perfectly Pretty Power Queens, we had some things that we attended as part of representing the brand, but because I was staying at the hotel, I was making friends with many other ladies as well.

 

Fast forward 2 years later- 2013

At the end of the weekend in 2012, Sharon, along with the other Mermaids, invited me to join their group. And after 5 seconds of consideration, I decided to join them for a variety of reasons, but mainly because I felt they “got” what the weekend was truly about rather than some of the ladies in the previous group.

Becoming a Mermaid was def great and I really enjoy my time with the ladies and of course are costumes are VERY recognizable.

And I continued to make friends 🙂

 

After 2013:

Things in the world of SPQ have evolved quite a bit. There was a couple of years where we didn’t have a parade because Fondren was under construction. Then in 2019, the Queens re-joined the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Of course then 2020 and 2021 happened and we didn’t meet till 2022. And as I write this, things are changing again- as we have just found out that 2024 was the last year at the Hilton and we will be moving to the Westin in Downtown Jackson. So, here is to another chapter in the SPQ chapter of fun.

 

 

Learning to play with my friends/filling my cup:

When I started attending the SPQ weekends in 2011, I was just 30. So in the words of JCB, I was larva. The friends I was making were older than me (mostly) but it didn’t matter. It was like having a group of extended aunts that loved me, that wished me the best, that rooted for me.

No one was more excited than my group of friends when I met Keith. They wanted to know all the details and cheered our relationship on as we became more serious, then got engaged, then married!

 

In 2022, when I got engaged to Keith, the Queens blew my Facebook up with congrats posts. And when we decided to get married in May of 2023, I sent a message to my closest friends and asked them if we could have a lunch or supper together on that Sunday so I could celebrate with these friends my last days as a single gal.

I was just hoping for us to go out to eat on Sunday (which we did!) but these ladies who love me so went so much further and threw me a Bridal Shower! It was so much fun having people stopping by, wishing me well, giving me advice (one lady told me the best advice she could give me was “not to do anything in the first three months that I don’t want to do for the rest of my married life”.

 

 

 

Then, on Sunday, we went to Amerigo’s and had a fabulous meal and drinks.

And because only Sharon was going to be able to work it out to be at my wedding, all my close Queen friends, wore the Mermaid corsages that Sharon made for them to wear during the weekend, posted a picture of themselves on Facebook on my wedding day and tagged me and wished me the best of luck.

 

If you are lucky enough to have a group of friends like these, to support you in your life, it does not matter if you only see them 1x a year. I know these women love me and they want the best for me. And that makes life so sweet.

The Big A** Crown:

Every year, a crown is given away. It’s always gorgeous and it’s a major fundraiser for Blair Batson Children’s Hospital. Unfortunately, I have never had the right ticket to win a crown. However I have had the privilege of seeing 2 friends scream, squeal, shriek, and be wildly excited when their name is called.

And it’s always nice to see a friend win the crown, especially when you know some of these friends have been putting money in the crown giveaway for quite some years.

As I enter my 14th year of doing this fun and crazy filled weekend, as I look back over pictures and see people we have lost (every time I see a picture of Marcie Raymond, I remember how kind she was to me when Sir Thomas disappeared and how she checked in with me), people who it’s been a few years since I have seen- I am in awe of the fact that Jill Conner Browne wrote these books that resonated with so many women that they make plans to get to Jackson, MS each year by hook or by crook to have a few days with friends, to raise money for Blair Batson Children’s Hospital, to have the experience of Bathrobe Brunch. And then as much as I am in awe, I am also not surprised (at least not really). If you have heard Jill speak, you know she has a way with words and she makes you laugh (and sometimes cry, then laugh)

What Jill taught me about the power of play was that it is ok to spend a weekend worry free. To put on a wig or some sparkly costumes, to dance around, listen to some great music, to have drinks, to laugh, to even cry a bit with these ladies because life is tough and if we can have a weekend where we focus on fun, we can get through the things. These weekends have sustained me through shitty jobs, my mom’s breast cancer, my own health ups and downs, and have added to the fun of life celebrations (getting engaged/married, becoming an aunt).

 

Back a few paragraphs and several photos ago, I mentioned Deb Schneller, the angel walking among us, as being my first true friend when I was just starting out in the SPQ world. If you truly know me, you might not believe that I was feeling shy the first time, but I truly was. I usually feel at least slightly uncomfortable when I am in situations that I am unfamiliar with. What I didn’t know then was that not only can Deb make people feel welcome and form life long friendships in just a matter of days, she also can quilt like nobody’s business. Back in 2022, I had the privilege and pleasure of receiving one of her special quilts and that quilt has helped me, healed me, made me feel less lonely some days, and makes me smile each day when I see it on my bed. It’s like a hug and is always a reminder of how special Deb is to me.

 

 

Writing this post, well, it’s been hard at times. A little emotional as I remember good times, remember people who are no longer with us, and am eager to see my friends. It’s been a wild and crazy ride of being part of the SPQ weekend, a weekend that fills my cup in so many ways of spending time with friends, catching up with them and feeling their love and loving on them.

Looking back, I still kinda  wish I had never went to that wedding weekend- not because I want to be with that guy (because he was so wrong) but just because it added some extra angst to my life that I did not necessarily need. BUT, if I hadn’t went to that wedding weekend, I might not would ever have heard of these books, and then never decided to go to a weekend and thus never meet these fantastic women.

So I encourage you to come in March (3,.20-3.23). You’ll make friends. You’ll laugh. You’ll eat good. You will love Bathrobe Brunch. And you might even win a Big A** Crown. You will definitely feel like a million bucks and be itching to get back to Jackson, MS in 2026.