There were green hats, floral hats, and even balloon hats for the annual Mad Hatters Tea Party and Parade on Saturday in Maple Ridge.

Some wore decorated paper plates on their heads, others boxes, and some kept with the theme of Alice In Wonderland and wore true Mad Hatter hats as they paraded around Memorial Peace Park on May 30.

Organizer Catherine Larnon-Trout estimated between 450 to 500 people turned out for the event that raised awareness about mental illness, including City of Maple Ridge Mayor Dan Ruimy, Coun. Korleen Carreras, Coun. Onyeka Dozie, and Coun. Judy Dueck.

“It was a great success this year, after a couple of wash out rainy years it was a bright sunshiny day,” said Larnon-Trout.

“We ran out of scones, tea, and cups,” she exclaimed, noting they had 200 delicious scones baked by Hansel and Gretel Bakery, a Mad Hatter iced cake donated by the 240 Street Save-On-Foods, in addition to around 200 chocolate chip muffins for children.

“Everything was gone and most of it before we were halfway through the festival,” she added.

Larnon-Trout believes that people are feeling more comfortable being at an event focused on mental illness, which is why so many people turned out this year.

The festival is free, she added, so that no one is excluded from having the experience of a cup of tea in a china cup and a delicious scone with jam and cream. People also had the opportunity of being creative, singing and playing an instrument in the parade around the park.

Donations at the event went to the Pathfinder Youth Centre Society, a non-profit charity that empowers youth who face various obstacles to employment – including homelessness, mental health challenges, substance abuse, involvement with the ministry, or entanglement in the judicial system – to achieve success in their lives and within the community. Youth from Pathfinder helped set up and tear down the event.

They raised more than $300 at the tea station, and additional $200 at the hat-making table.

“One in four people who suffer from mental illness need much more attention and consideration in areas of resources, housing, protection and care. We need our voices to be heard and we are trying to do that in a fun and inclusive way,” said Larnon-Trout.

Also at the event were Donna Milburn who made balloon animals, swords, and, of course hats, for attendees – and her husband Jim was at the event as the clown named Dilly.

Music was provided by musician Lisa Rae Simons, who was joined by Lozan Yamolky providing percussion.

And Jay was creating caricatures for anyone who wanted one.

Larnon-Trout has been putting on the event for about nine years and now she is trying to develop a new social enterprise organization called Bridging the Gap – which will be the umbrella over many projects and partnerships including The Mad Hatter’s Festival but expanding our reach to other organisations, agencies, communities.

They are currently planning the first “bridge” between the communities of Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, and Langley, where people will walk, run, hop, skip, or cycle across the Golden Ears Bridge, with simultaneous festivals on either side.

“This will be our first major fundraiser and all proceeds are for the purpose of providing respite (a break) for caregivers who look after their loved ones with a mental illness,” she explained.

Larnon-Trout believes there should be more events like these where people can openly discuss mental illness.

According to the Lower Mainland branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, between 20 to 26 per cent of British Columbians, about one million people, will experience a mental illness each year.

And, around 84,000 children and youth in the province have a diagnosed mental disorder. Yet, less than one-third of those children are receiving mental health services, about 58,000 children.