By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
One may see parades of people walking to the Piedmont Park Visitors Center on Saturday evening June 16 sporting a variety of hats: wacky, super cool, fun and fabulous. They will be attending the 11th annual Wacky Hat Party, a fundraiser to benefit For the Kid in All of Us. Peach talked to David Scott, the original creator of the event, about fun and fundraising in style.
Tell us a little about the background for the Wacky Hat Party?
Similar to the way that For the Kids’ Toy Party began years ago in an in-town home, the Hat Party started as a private home event approximately 11 years ago. Beginning this year, it will be a premier fundraising event expecting hundreds of guests – and promises to be an over the top spectacular party!
What are some of the spectacular elements of the party from previous years?
People began to flock to the party even before it was a fundraiser not only because of the electrifying music, fancy dancing, and delicious hors-d’oeuvres, but live mermaids in the pool, Spiderman climbing from the roof, Vegas girls wearing champagne-filled flutes in their skirts, and front-yard trees that reached out and scared the guests. Hats have included Ferris wheels, personally-designed lamp shades, live plants, and mannequin heads.
This year the party is hosted by For the Kid in All of Us – tell us about that?
I decided that I wanted the hat party to benefit a very worthy cause, so I asked For the Kid to adopt and host it at Piedmont Park, as I am now serving as one of the lead volunteers.
What can people expect from the party this year?
The party will as always be a spectacular affair. One can expect amusing entertainment, delicious hors-d’oeuvres, the fabulous sounds of Deejay Jay McCracken (Kraax) – and, of course, hats better than ever!
It’s a Wacky Hat Party – what’s required to attend?
Naturally, you must wear a hat – preferably as creative, wacky, cool, or fabulous as possible. Or just your favorite hat. There is a minimum $10 donation to For the Kid to be paid at the door (cash, check or CC) or online at www.forthekid.org, which provides you with a party entrance pass, two drink tickets, and hors-d’oeuvres. If you donate $25 or more at the door, you get a VIP entrance pass, which gives you an open bar, hors-d’oeuvres, and a gift bag.
The Wacky Hat Party
Saturday, June 16, 6:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.
The Piedmont Park Visitors Center (overlooking Clara Meer dock near 12th St. gate at Piedmont Park, Atlanta)
