JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade and Festival.

The event will return to Jackson on March 25, 2023. The official theme of this year’s event is “40 Years of All That Jazz.” This year’s Grand Marshal for the parade will be Grammy award-winning jazz musician, singer and Jackson native Cassandra Wilson.

As in years past, the parade and festival will raise money for Children’s of Mississippi.

Along with parade festivities, the annual St. Paddy’s 5K will return with a new name for 2023. The “Run for the Rainbow” event will take place on Saturday, March 18, 2023, to support Children’s of Mississippi.

The run will feature a new 5K route beginning and ending at Hal & Mal’s in downtown Jackson. It will also offer a 10K and half marathon routes through downtown Jackson, Belhaven and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) campus.

Here is the schedule for the parade and festival:

• 7:00 a.m. – Float Lineup Begins
  Begins at corner of State Street and Court Street

• 9:00 a.m. –  Hal’s St. Paddy’s Children Festival
  at West Street in front of Thalia Mara Hall

• 10:00 a.m. – The MARL Pet Parade
  at West Street in front of Thalia Mara Hall

• 11:00 a.m. – Hal’s St. Paddy’s Children Parade
  at West Street in front of Thalia Mara Hall

• 1:00 p.m. – Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade
  Begins at corner of State Street and Court Street

• 1:00 p.m. – Gates Open for The Official Afterparty
  at Hal & Mal’s

• 3:00 p.m. – Music Begins for The Official Afterparty
  at Hal & Mal’s

Click here to see a route of the parade. If you would like to watch the full parade, WJTV 12 News will stream the parade on our YouTube page at 1:00 p.m.

After the parade, there will be a street festival in downtown Jackson. Click here to see the music line up for the festival.