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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Kids at the Mad Hatter Tea Party changed places often, but it wasn&#8217;t because the party&#8217;s nonsensical host told them to.</p><p>Instead, children visiting the Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday made their way through the afternoon event on their own accord, stopping at activity stations along the way to have their faces painted, try their hand at arts and crafts, and sip (iced) tea.</p><p>Headlining the event was Lewis Carroll&#8217;s eccentric, top-hat-wearing <em>Alice&#8217;s Adventures in Wonderland</em> character, which the author introduced in 1865. The Mad Hatter, who was characterized by sporadically switching places during a tea party, appeared in a Disney&#8217;s animated feature <em>Alice in Wonderland</em> in 1951 and was portrayed by actor Johnny Depp in Tim Burton&#8217;s 2010 live action version of the film.</p><p>Saturday&#8217;s version of the character was a hit with children.</p><p>&#8220;The kids are really loving it. They&#8217;ve ran up to me and hugged me and they seem to really love talking to me,&#8221; said Tyler Ocasio, 20, of Wilkes-Barre, who donned the Mad Hatter&#8217;s trademark top hat and colorful garb Saturday afternoon.</p><p>The event, in its second year, drew Cynthia Wilson and her daughters Rosalie, 4, and Amelie, 1, from McAdoo, Schuylkill County. The 30-mile trip was worthwhile because the event was free and made for a fun activity after her daughters posed with the Easter Bunny, Wilson said.</p><p>Moreover, Wilson said the event makes for a lasting memory.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s for the cute little happiness of getting smiles from her,&#8221; Wilson said, after Rosalie popped up from having her face painted for the first time.</p><p>Joseph Ohrin, Wyoming Valley Mall marketing director, said the Mad Hatter&#8217;s fun, whimsical theme tied into spring and Easter and made for the perfect partnership when organizing the event. Planning began months ago, Ohrin said, noting more space was added in the mall&#8217;s Center Court to accommodate a greater influx of people.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s the Easter Bunny, it&#8217;s the Mad Hatter, it&#8217;s a great way to bring people together for an afternoon and everyone&#8217;s really enjoying it,&#8221; Ohrin said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Robert Gyle, of Sugar Notch, carries his 11-month-old daughter, Alexus on his shoulders while touring the Mad Hatter event at the Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_madhatter01.jpg</photo0><caption0>Robert Gyle, of Sugar Notch, carries his 11-month-old daughter, Alexus on his shoulders while touring the Mad Hatter event at the Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_madhatter02.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Rosalie Wilson, 4, of McAdoo sits to have her face painted at the tea party event with the Mad Hatter at the Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_madhatter02.jpg</photo1><caption1>Rosalie Wilson, 4, of McAdoo sits to have her face painted at the tea party event with the Mad Hatter at the Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Tea party held at Wyoming Valley Mall</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Mad Hatter a hit with children at Wyoming Valley Mall