The Infant Welfare Society of Evanston held its seventh annual Hat Tea fundraising event on May 6 at the Hilton Orrington Hotel.
More than 120 guests of all ages attended the high tea, which raised more than $9,000 for the non-profit organization.
This year’s tea celebrated all things Fairy Princess. Children attending the Hat Tea were invited to decorate and keep a crown or tiara and a fairy wand of their very own.
Donning lovely hats, tiaras and festive dresses, the children participated in a variety of crafts and play stations. Starfish Learning Center clowns fashioned fairy wings and animals from balloons.
Cookie decorating and the Story Corner, performed by local actress Cat Dean costumed as Cinderella, were popular activities.
Stylists from Pivot Point Academy set up an on-site salon at the event where the girls could get makeovers including hair and nails.
The Hat Tea concluded with the traditional parade of children around the ballroom displaying their crowns and tiaras.
All proceeds from the event will benefit IWSE’s programs providing high-quality early childhood education and family support services for teen parents and lowincome families with young children in the city of Evanston and the surrounding communities.