LIVE: Friends and family celebrate Jerry Springer's life with one last show

Jerry Springer is the star of one last show today at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati.

Friends, family and hundreds of others will gather at noon to bid farewell to the former Cincinnati mayor, news anchor and tabloid TV talk show host who spent most of his life in front of a camera or a microphone. His celebration of life is expected to feature local celebrities, remembrances by friends and colleagues, and musical and video tributes.

For those unable to get a free ticket for one of the 550 seats at Memorial Hall, the proceedings will be broadcast live on the big-screen TV at Fountain Square and on jerryspringer.com.

Springer died April 27 after suffering pancreatic cancer. He was 79.

Follow along here for updates throughout the day on the celebration at Memorial Hall:

Jerry Springer's favorite songs will greet guests at memorial

As the first guests arrived this morning at Memorial Hall, organizers prepared a program that will feature some of Springer's favorite songs.

Because Springer was a longtime lover of folk music, the celebration is expected to feature live music and performances of "This Land is Your Land," "Blowin' in the Wind" and other folk classics. There also will be a video performance by Noel Paul Stookey, the "Paul" of folk group Peter, Paul and Mary.

The goal is to make the memorial the kind of party Springer would have wanted to attend. "The whole thing is intended to be a very upbeat celebration," said Jene Galvin, a family friend.

The memorial will culminate with 35 performers on stage.