The judges for the Mad Hatter’s Tea April in Pariswere announced by event Chair Sharon Popham at a reception hosted in the home of Paula and Alan Mann on March 26. Hats are judged in different categories and winners are announced at the fashion show and strut the runway.

Included in the lineup of judges this year are: Regen Horchow Fearon, founder of the Institute for Interesting People; Lucy Billingsly, Dallas developer extraordinaire; Matilda Louree, former Arboretum board member and docent; Brenda Bogart, artist and former interior designer for Trish Wilson; Kim Harmon Gatlin, best-selling author of Good Christian Bitches; Cynthia Smoot, marketer and social blogger; Megan McDonald, Manager of Saint Laurent Boutique in Highland Park Village; and Jane Rozelle, Society Editor of PaperCity Magazine.

Now they will face the overwhelming task of picking the winners in the following categories: Best of Show, Botanical, Most Elegant, Most Outlandish, Most True to Theme, Most Whimsical, and People’s Choice.

Celebrating its 27th year, the event will be on Thursday, April 9 at the Dallas Arboretum. This fabulous and fun party has been an ongoing fundraising event sponsored by the Women’s Council of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Monies raised grow and maintain A Woman’s Garden, a major garden at the Dallas Arboretum.

Sherwood Wagner is the Honorary Chair and Marena Gault serves as President of the Woman’s Council. FOX4 News Anchor Clarice Tinsley is the Celebrity Chair.                      

The event includes a champagne reception in Ginsburg Plaza, professionally staged and choreographed fashion presentation produced by the inimitable Jan Strimple, and followed by a seated luncheon. The fashion show will feature the creations of Betty Reiter, Canary, Nardos Imam, and V.O.D. 

A custom-designed piece of jewelry from David Lee Holland Fine Jewelry will be auctioned. David Lee Holland Fine Jewelry is the brainchild of designers David Lee Holland and Yanni Kyriazis who create botanically-themed jewelry.

Individual ticket levels begin at $250. Contact Evelyn Sandy 214-696-3311 sterlingrabbit@aol.com or purchase online at www.womenscouncildallasarboretum.org.

Photos by Danny Campbell