INNISFAIL – Athena and Akaysha Paré are 19-year-old identical twins with a burning passion for the fairy tale world of Alice in Wonderland.
Their passion for Lewis Carroll’s upside-down world was given a huge boost last weekend at the second annual Innisfail Lantern Festival held at Centennial Park. The theme was ‘Through the Looking Glass.’
The twins wore the same clothes; same brand, same style.
They also smiled and laughed the same way, almost always in unison.
The twins also created their own lanterns.
“It’s kind of like Tweedledum and Tweedledee,” said Athena with sheer joy.
“We never even knew the theme was there but like the second we saw it on Facebook we were like, ‘oh, Alice in Wonderland? This is awesome. We have got to go.”
Volunteers were up early on Aug. 20 to set up Alice’s magical world at Centennial Park. It’s a far different venue they had than in 2021 when COVID-19 restrictions forced the festival to be held at the enclosed Innisfail and District Historical Village where attendee numbers could be rigidly monitored.
At Centennial Park there is space and freedom of movement to enjoy Innisfail’s version of Alice’s Wonderland; made even more mystical by the beauty of lanterns and the light of hope they promise to bring.
“The theme of Alice in Wonderland kind of ups the ante because last year there was no real theme. It was just a lantern festival but with an Alice in Wonderland theme everyone can really feel like they stepped into that wonder and that childish essence of just enjoying the day,” said Athena, who liked the wide-open space Centennial Park offered. “We have kids playing on the grass. We have some kids playing on the playground. We have people enjoying a barbecue and listening to the live music.
“There’s so much going on. It's so much warmer, and more colourful and energetic.”
Never more so during the afternoon when scores of jaws dropped at the sight of The Mad Hatter; 10-feet tall and casually strolling down the paths of Centennial Park.
“Incredible, absolutely incredible, and we had nothing to do with that. No idea,” said Dale Dunham, the festival’s co-chair. “I was like, ‘holy cow. This is incredible.
“And whoever did that I would like to meet them and thank them because I think it just added that little bit extra to the whole event and made it more interactive. I mean this is supposed to be interactive,” he added. “You're building lanterns. You're hanging them. You're walking through them. You're becoming part of them and that (Mad Hatter) was just another part of that.
“It just made it that much more interesting and people loved it. People were running around taking pictures with them and it was just incredible.”
What’s more, said festival co-chair Crystal Kemp, the Alice in Wonderland theme for the festival is a heartwarming fairy tale for everyone.
“The kids love it. We love doing it just to see those kids smile. So, that's part of it,” said Kemp.
“We missed the Mad Hatter,” she added, noting she had to be away from the festival for a short time. “But how cool is that? Right? So awesome. We just love it.”
The festival, however, is first and foremost about lanterns and organizers ensured no one would be left out.
Prior to Aug. 20 two lantern-making workshops were hosted by organizers. Free kits were handed out. There was another workshop at the festival.
Everyone was waiting for their moment when they could install their creations at several installation points at the main festival area adjacent to the parking lot; especially at dusk when every lantern would be lit to create a supreme moment of kaleidoscopic wonder.
“I love seeing all the different lanterns. We took the lantern kits home, and we had glue things stuck all over and it was really fun,” said attendee Alana Randol who came to the festival with sister Lynne Racher. “I just love seeing all the different creativity and the fun that the adults and kids were building.”
Many attendees came to the festival early to enjoy music from a whole array of entertainers. The Rotary Club of Innisfail once again held a huge free barbecue.
Children either played at a bouncy castle on the hill, or hung out at the Mad Hatters Market, a venue where kids could learn about entrepreneurship. Many also got their faces painted.
Adults came, visited and left. But many came back to witness the magic of the special moment at dusk when the lanterns began to offer their light, and leaving everyone in awe.
“It will be great to see everything lit up, and it's nice here because it's not too crowded but still enough people to make it fun,” said new Innisfailian Amy-Lee Walker who arrived in town from Calgary two months ago with her family.
She loved the festival’s Alice in Wonderland theme, and also had a chance to meet The Mad Hatter. Walker said she was given advance notice not to be too concerned about any warnings from the Caterpillar about eating mushrooms.
“It’s so fun,” she said. “I was guaranteed that I’d stay the same size.”
