The eighth annual Joyce de Haan Memorial Mad Hatter Tea Party is set to take place in Red Deer this weekend.

The event will be held at the Black Knight Inn on March 19th from 1-4 p.m. Tickets are $25 each.

Attendants can expect an afternoon of entertainment, silent auction, door prizes, raffles and a cash bar, all the while supporting a worthy cause – hats and wigs for cancer patients.

All proceeds raised will go towards this cause and stay in Red Deer, said Sharon Schultz, founder and organizer of the Mad Hatter Tea Party.

“The event came about because of the need for hats and wigs for cancer patients. It was a way to garner funds and hats. We want to make this a little bit easier for cancer patients – they are tired from treatment and yet we know that head coverings are extremely important for not just for sun, but for warmth and protection,” she said.

The cause is near and dear to Schultz’s heart as her sister and husband both passed away from cancer.

“My sister had been a 20-plus year cancer patient and it’s the only thing she ever indicated was that she was tired and that she had to go get more hats,” she said. “I asked some people I worked with about having a tea and we’re going to donate hats to cancer patients and by the end I had 80 hats.

“I knew if I could do that, than I knew we could go bigger where we could have an event and 100 per cent of the proceeds go to head coverings for cancer and it stays in Red Deer and Central Alberta. It is a really great feeling to help people on a different level. It really is about a message of hope.”

Schultz said she has been guaranteed a space in the new cancer centre in Red Deer and is currently waiting to see what that will look like.

“We will start stocking that and I also keep the Cancer Society office stocked with hats as well.”

As for this weekend’s event, there will be a special guest and cancer survivor who will be honoured, there will be entertainment including a visit from an Elvis impersonator, a balloon artist and nail painters.

“The rest of the time is just socializing and enjoying each other’s company,” said Schultz. “There will also be prizes for the best theme table – we’ve had cowboy themes and golf themes. It’s a really fast-paced afternoon.”

For more information or to purchase tickets for the Mad Hatter Tea, call 403-347-4056.

efawcett@reddeerexpress.com