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<p>WILKES-BARRE TWP. &#8212; It&#8217;s that time of year, where you probably wouldn&#8217;t be taken aback to see the Easter Bunny wandering around the Wyoming Valley Mall. But on Saturday, the bunny was joined by two classic characters: the Mad Hatter and Alice from &#8220;Alice in Wonderland.&#8221;</p><p>The mall held the first of two &#8220;Mad Hatter Tea Party&#8221; events, where children could enjoy Wonderland-themed crafts and face painting after getting their pictures taken with the famous rabbit.</p><p>&#8220;We decided to celebrate the Easter Bunny&#8217;s arrival with a special family event,&#8221; said Joseph Ohrin, marketing director for the mall.</p><p>Kelly Techmanski, from Candy-Land Face Painting which provded face painting for the children, has been involved with the tea party for the past three years.</p><p>&#8220;It started as a small event,&#8221; Techmanski said. &#8220;Now it&#8217;s huge &#8212; we&#8217;re expecting 250 kids, and that&#8217;s just from pre-registration.&#8221;</p><p>Besides the face painting and crafts, the tea party featured snacks and juice &#8212; because what&#8217;s a tea party without snacks? &#8212;and even the Academy of Chess on hand to teach kids about the strategy game, given its connection to the classic Lewis Carroll story.</p><p>Frank Procopio, who runs the chess club that meets during the school year at the Ss. Peter and Paul Parish Center in Plains Township, explained how the game benefits young people&#8217;s minds.</p><p>&#8220;Young kids are very interested in the game,&#8221; Procopio said. &#8220;The best time to get them into the game is when their mind is open.&#8221;</p><p>Procopio, who focuses on grades 2 through 8 with his chess classes, says that there have been numerous studies that suggest that chess improves a student&#8217;s academic performance. Procopio said he currently has a class of 11 students, and finding new students to help excell in school was part of his goal for his involvement in Saturday&#8217;s tea party.</p><p>&#8220;The mall contacted me, since chess is an important part of &#8216;Alice in Wonderland,&#8217;&#8221; Procopio said. &#8220;I thought it would be a good way to get my name out there.&#8221;</p><p>Megan Manganaro, 55, of Pittston, brought her young grandson, Donovan, to the tea party before attempting to get pictures with the Easter Bunny.</p><p>&#8220;We tried to do it last year, but he just screamed the whole time,&#8221; she laughed.</p><p>While hoping for more success this year, Megan took Donovan through the tea party, remarking on how enjoyable it was.</p><p>&#8220;It seems really cool for the kids,&#8221; Megan said.</p><p>For those unable to attend Saturday&#8217;s Mad Hatter Tea Party, the event will be held again from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 5.</p><p>Tickets may be purchased in advance by visiting the Wyoming Valley Mall&#8217;s <a href="https://shopwyomingvalleymall.com/calendar/view/1260" target="_blank">website</a>.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL032617TeaParty_pk_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Six-year-old Alexis Duda, of Mocanaqua, works on an Easter craft. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL032617TeaParty_pk_3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Six-year-old Alexis Duda, of Mocanaqua, works on an Easter craft. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL032617TeaParty_pk_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Eight-year-old Arianna Gorgan, right, and her brother, Aiden, 2, both of Sweet Valley, pose for a photo with the Easter Bunny. Children enjoy some arts and crafts during the Mad Hatter Tea Party. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL032617TeaParty_pk_4.jpg</photo1><caption1>Eight-year-old Arianna Gorgan, right, and her brother, Aiden, 2, both of Sweet Valley, pose for a photo with the Easter Bunny. Children enjoy some arts and crafts during the Mad Hatter Tea Party. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL032617TeaParty_pk_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kids do arts and crafts during the Mad Hatter Tea Party after visiting the Easter Bunny at Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday morning.   Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL032617TeaParty_pk_1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Kids do arts and crafts during the Mad Hatter Tea Party after visiting the Easter Bunny at Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday morning.   Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader</caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL032617TeaParty_pk_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Dressed as the Mad Hatter and Alice respectively, Richie Morris, of Wilkes-Barre, right, and Kieran Elliott, of Bear Creek, chat with 2-year-old S.J. Hopkins Jr., of Hanover Township, at the Mad Hatter Tea Party at Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TTL032617TeaParty_pk_2.jpg</photo3><caption3>Dressed as the Mad Hatter and Alice respectively, Richie Morris, of Wilkes-Barre, right, and Kieran Elliott, of Bear Creek, chat with 2-year-old S.J. Hopkins Jr., of Hanover Township, at the Mad Hatter Tea Party at Wyoming Valley Mall on Saturday morning. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6119.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Easter Bunny replaces ‘White Rabbit’ at Mad Hatter Tea Party event