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(Left to right) Lillian Cadmus, Melissa Cadmus and Carol Cadmus show off some of the tea cups at the event. (Photos by Joseph Hopper)

The annual Arts on Grand event, Alice's Tea Party, created in honor of Joanne Schar's mother-in-law Alice, drew approximately 50 people to enjoy the art and a beverage in one of Alice's signature tea cups Sunday afternoon.

This year's event, delayed from a previous date due to weather, met during the Iowa Watercolor Traveling Show, allowing participants to enjoy many watercolor pieces adorning the walls at Arts on Grand.

"I just thought this wonderful watercolor exhibit is still on, and it's a great way to share the exhibit," Schar said.

The Mad Hatter (H. Schar) and company (Sky) show off their tea cup holding etiquette.

Schar shared that the idea for the annual event came about from a pragmatic solution.

"She (Alice) had collected all these teacups. When she died, I had to figure out, what am I going to do with all these tea cups? A year later I thought, let's do something fun. Alice was such a wonderful, fun loving person, so let's have a tea party. And when we call it Alice's Tea Party, it invokes all the crazy stuff from 'Alice in Wonderland,'" Schar said.

As more people filed in to enjoy the art and refreshments, music played from a piano and characters such as the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland poured tea.

(Left to right) Shirley Clark, Violet Reason and Lavonne Peterson sit down to enjoy the artwork and conversation.

Schar noted that Alice's Tea Party was a way to spread benevolence in the community.

"I think as we are a place that honors arts and culture, it is important to include people in things that don't cost money, that encourage conversation and friendliness and part of the joy in our Spencer community, so if I can do that a little bit, things like Alice's Tea Party are one of the ways in which I can," Schar said.

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Alice's Tea Party sets the table - Spencer Daily Reporter