Alice in Wonderland

OfficeMax’s Green Tie Ball XXI, held September 15 at A. Finkl & Sons in Chicago and hosted by nonprofit organization Chicago Gateway Green, had an Alice in Wonderland theme. Roaming actors and performers from Redmoon Theater were dressed as characters from the story.

Produced by Absolute Production Services, the Green Tie Ball had three tented areas. The V.I.P. tent, called the "Mad Hatter's Tent," featured rustic, organic decor by Kehoe Designs. The focal point of the bar area was a giant drum shade embellished with a bronze tree, oversize pocket watches, and wine bottles. Absolute worked with Windy City Music on the lighting design, which included timepiece gobos.

In a homage to the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s tale, the Canadian Cancer Society hosted an Alice's Adventures in Wonderland-inspired fund-raiser in Montreal in April. Produced by Alison Silcoff Events, with decor by Decor & More, the event had guests helping themselves to champagne from the Queen of Hearts' dress during the cocktail reception.

At the Canadian Cancer Society gala, topiaries divided the cocktail reception and dining areas. The eclectic dining room design included five different table centerpieces, seven linen combinations, three types of chairs, and four colors of chair cushion. Giant playing cards hung overhead.

Guests at the Canadian Cancer Society fund-raiser were also served soup from a teapot. An edible pocket-watch crust rested inside the teacup.

The Washington Ballet turned to its production of Alice for inspiration when designing its annual gala in April. Organizers tapped Syzygy Event Productions to produce the event. Guests were greeted by younger members from the ballet school dressed like the card guards from Alice in Wonderland.

Inside the auditorium, red linens, chairs, cushions, place settings, and rose-tree-style centerpieces filled the space in a re-creation of the Queen of Hearts' palace. A wash of red lighting from Digital Lightning completed the look.

Syzygy Event Productions worked with Digital Lightning to turn the reception and ballroom areas into a whimsical environment. A large, white tree decorated with red hearts inspired by the story's Red Queen served as the backdrop for the check-in desk.

The sixth annual gala fund-raiser for the National Ballet of Canada, inspired by Alice and called "Mad Hot Wonderland," was held in Toronto in June 2011. Staffers dressed as Alice played croquet with flamingo mallets and hedgehog balls on Osgoode Hall's lawn, across the street from the venue. Later, guests could purchase raffle tickets from staffers dressed up as Alice, who dispersed themselves throughout the party.

The valet drivers from Gatsby Valet Inc. were dressed as white rabbits.

In the dining area, checkerboard tables covered with mismatched gold and silver cutlery added to the Alice theme. Giant mushrooms and heart-shaped hedges served as centerpieces.

A caterpillar relaxed in the Henry N.R. Jackman Lounge at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, which served as the V.I.P. area at the Canadian National Ballet's fund-raiser.

In May 2010, Walt Disney World hosted a kickoff party for the U.S. Travel Association's 2010 International Pow Wow, the largest global conference for the travel industry. The design team used stacked chairs à la Alice in Wonderland to decorate the food stations near the teacup ride.

Oversize playing cards resembling the Queen of Hearts' guards from Alice in Wonderland displayed menu descriptions and served as small food stations.

At MoMa’s annual film benefit in November 2009, the museum kicked off an exhibition of Tim Burton's work with decor inspired by his movies. Inspired by his soon-to-be-released film Alice in Wonderland, the lobby was filled with topiaries, large paper flowers, and whimsical white chairs designed by event producers Spec Entertainment.

In the Bell Gala's after-party space, giant playing cards, chairs, and flowers were suspended from the ceiling.

Toast produced the Justice Ball benefit in 2009 with an Alice in Wonderland theme. Decor included giant mushrooms and funhouse mirrors. A pair of stiltwalkers, one dressed as the Mad Hatter, circulated among the guests.

At an Alice in Wonderland-inspired afternoon cocktail party designed by Fete Events, guests were offered food and drink by a giant Tweedledum and Tweedledee from Tim Burton's film version.