March 21, 2011 - Fondren Ready for Inaugural Zippity Doo Dah® Parade Weekend

Jackson, MS, March 21 2011 — Organizers of the first-ever Zippity Doo Dah^® Parade Weekend in Fondren are busy adding more and more to the upcoming three day festival.  A benefit for Mississippi’s only children’s hospital, Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, the family-friendly event kicks off at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 24^th and culminates on Saturday evening with the signature Zippity Doo Dah^® Parade featuring The World Famous Sweet Potato Queens^® from across the world. 

“It’s just been amazing,” shares committee member and Fondren restaurateur Jeff Good.  “Every day someone else steps forward to add another layer of fun.  Our schedule of events has exploded!”  Thursday evening’s Doo Dahin’ in Fondren™ , an expanded Fondren After 5, will include a Bluebird Scavenger Hunt from participating merchants and restaurants, Queens Qrawl For All art gallery and interior design shop tour and The MARKET in Fondren vendors.  On Friday, The Sweet Potato Queens^® don their finest regalia to attend their annual Big Hat Luncheon™ at Sal & Mookie’s.  Locals are also invited to attend the luncheon and may call the restaurant for reservations.  Sidewalk specials, the Scavenger Hunt and Art Qrawl continue on Friday and organizers promise “plenty of sunshine” for the day.    

Saturday, March 26, is packed with events for every age from morning until night.  The MARKET in Fondren will showcase handcrafted and homemade wares throughout the district and the Scavenger Hunt, sidewalk specials and Art Qrawl continue from participating merchants, restaurants and galleries.  The fourth anniversary Sal & Mookie's Children’s Street Carnival will feature multiple space jumps, games galore, a silent auction, pizza & ice cream eating contests and even a dunking booth offering owners Jeff Good & Dan Blumenthal as targets.  The Clear Channel Stage will play host to live entertainment from performing artists Wess Morgan, Shay Harris, Benjamin Cone III and feature Nashville musician David Adam Byrnes.  Awards will also take place on the stage, including Carnival event winners and the Patty Peck Honda Doo Dah Day™ Blue Car Giveaway.  The Shoe Bar at Pieces will perform a New Orleans Dixieland Jazz Second Line marching from their Mitchell Avenue location to Brown’s Fine Art and Framing, where another stage will showcase live music from The Fabulous Earth Angels and the presentation of the event’s official artwork by Fondren artist Richard McKey to Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital. 

And then the Big Event… the Zippity Doo Dah® Parade with Grand Marshal Dr. Blair Batson will entertain streets packed with families, neighbors and guests at 6:30 p.m.  Featuring The Magnolia Roller Vixens, Murrah High School Band, The William Wallace Mad Hatters, Chastain Middle School Band, parade of golf cart floats lighting up the night and march of The World Famous Sweet Potato Queens® global entourage as the grand finale of the weekend.  Joining Queen Jill Conner Browne on her royal float will be Wannabe Chapter™, the Queen’s Classymates and Boss Queen Lynn Lee from Jackson Wingfield Class of ’70, who raised $20,000 for Batson hospital to win this coveted honor.

Several fundraising efforts are already underway including the popular Fondren Un-Zipped™ Port-a-Potty Decorating Contest.  Raffle tickets for the Patty Peck Honda Insight may be purchased at http://childrenshospital.umc.edu, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Batson Hospital, which will be awarded during Saturday’s events.

The Zippity Doo Dah® Parade Weekend in Fondren will be held March 24-26, 2011.  The family-friendly event hosted by the Fondren community ends with a Saturday night parade featuring The World Famous Sweet Potato Queens®.  Saturday parking is available at Veterans Memorial Stadium.  For more information on being a participant, sponsor or guest, please visit www.zddparade.com and watch for updates on Facebook.  Free to the public, monies raised over the three-day festival will benefit the children of Blair E. Batson Hospital.

Lee Norris:  662-213-1812; elizabethleems@aol.com

David Waugh:  601-981-1658 ext. 20; jdwaugh006@gmail.com