Steven and Anita Hollmann Matijcio sit down for lunch at Hats in Bloom. Steven, the executive director of the Knoxville Museum of Art, was one of the few men in attendance. Anita gets the award for having the biggest hat! She borrowed it from our mutual friend, Gay Lyons.
Lord knows I’m not a hat person. But I love this party!
“Hats in Bloom” is an annual spring ritual around here and it is a major fundraiser for the 44-acre Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, located just five minutes from downtown Knoxville where I live.
The event, celebrating its 12th year this past Friday, was packed with (mostly) women already wearing hats and shopping for even more hats by renowned milliner Patricia Frankum, who provides all the head toppings.
Flowers for the soiree were donated by Sevier Blumen, which you may know as a mainstay at the Market Square Farmers’ Market. The market is set to open this weekend and will run on Saturdays and Wednesdays through November. But, enough talk! Let’s look at those hats!
The first order of business when you arrive at Hats in Bloom is to grab a name tag and a mimosa, if you want, and mingle outside while looking at scores of stunning hats in the hat tent! Here are, from left, Erin Donovan, Sharon Moore, and Angie Wilson. Erin was on the Hats in Bloom planning committee; Sharon is executive director of the Botanical Garden. Aren’t all their hats great?
“Welcomers:” Sarah DeWitt and Rachel Orefice, both of the Botanical Garden staff.
From left, Pandy Anderson, Janet Testerman Crossley, and her daughter, Janet Testerman.
From left, Rita Gill, Caitlin Wedekind, Kathy Wuithrich, and Bridget Mounger.
From left, Monique Anderson, Gay Lyons, and Jacque Hawks. Cheers! Gay and Jacque were honorary co-chairs of the planning committee because they’ve worked for the cause for so long! Jacque also is a member of the Garden’s board of directors.
Jenny Bushkell, left, and Kati Blalock. Jenny also is an honorary planning committee co-chair; Kati owns Sevier Blumen, which donated all the centerpieces and other flowers for the party.
Here are some of those sweet flowers. These were on the bar.
From left, Sandra Butler, Sheena McCall, and Lisa Bogaty in the hat tent.
I’m telling you, the hats this year were the best ever!
Aren’t these “fascinators” featuring butterflies adorable?
This one has a beehive!
This one is an artist’s palette!
From left, Mendee Hopper, Shay Hicks, and Brooke Oftendal in the hat tent.
Young people! Yay! From left, Grace Hooper, Ally Slavick, Haley Zimmerman, and Alli Montgomery.
Julia Bentley, left, and Amy Honeycutt.
From left, Mary Thompson, Laurie Macnair, and Lauren Miller. Lauren was co-chair of this year’s event with Lindsay Cates.
Judith Foltz, left, and Christi Branscom.
Nikki Elliott, left, and Rachel Noel.
Serious hat shoppers!
Including Kay Leibowitz!
Milliner Patricia Frankum helping Michelle Brewer select a chapeau.
Looks good!
Frankum’s helper, Brenda Elliott, assisting Linda Haynes.
From left, Mary Morris, Linda Haynes, and Brenda Elliott. I like the result!
Joan Ashe, left, and Barbara Hillard. Joan was on the event’s planning committee. She’s also on the Garden’s board of directors.
Sara Adams, left, and Kim Henry.
Delicious appetizers, prepared by the event’s caterer Gourmet’s Market, were, from top: spinach and artichoke-stuffed mushrooms; deviled eggs with pimento cheese; and “Holly’s famous candied bacon.”
Inside the Dogwood Center where the luncheon would be held, the tables were beautiful.
Each place setting had a packet of seeds for the attendee to take home.
Inside, we caught a hard-working photographer!
He’s Scott Temple and you’ll see him at many fun community events.
Brooke Lawson, left, and Lindsay Cates. Brooke was on the planning committee and Lindsay, a member of the Gardens board of directors, was an event co-chair with Lauren Miller.
Another brave man! Here are Kim and Kent Lauth.
Roberta Quinn, left, and Alice Allen, a member of the Botanical Garden’s board of directors.
Beth Ford, left, and Sara Rose.
Kim Hays, left, and Allyn Purvis Schwartz.
Debbie Jones, left, and Pam Teague.
Kristin Grove. Notice the little bird?
Ally Slavick and Knox County Commissioner Larsen Jay, who has announced he’s running for Knox County Mayor.
Tyler Janow and Cheryl LaPinska.
Margie Nichols, left, and Jackie Wilson, the founding chair of Hats in Bloom.
Marisa Moazen, left, and Johnna Easter.
Gail Van Hoozier, left, and Elizabeth Williams.
From left, Caroline Cowan, Victoria Thomas, and Doris Carter. Victoria is on the Garden’s board of directors.
Judy Doyle, left, and Nancy Donsbach.
It was a large and happy gathering.
Lunch was lemon rosemary chicken breast filled with whipped feta, spinach and artichoke hearts topped with beurre blanc sauce on a bed of orzo salad with spring peas, asparagus, and pine nuts. Delish!
Dessert: flourless chocolate torte with strawberry sauce, mini macaron, and an edible flower.
Rebecca Williams, right, stopped by our table to chat with Kati Blalock.
Kendall Keller was at our table, too. She showed us her new hat. Adorable.
If you look closely, look what you see!
A final shot of a group of friends. From left, Monique Anderson, Kristin Grove, Janet Testerman Crossley, Janet Testerman, Erin Donovan, and Jacque Hawks.
Always so fun!
Monique: My theory is that people just can’t have a bad time when they are wearing a beautiful hat!
Have attended everyone since beginning and they just keep getting better each year.
Love all the hats I have bought there.
Good times, great friends
Such a great event! 12 years! One of my favorite events.Hello, Spring! Thank you for documenting and attending through the years.
Kathy, Rusha, Gay: Been great seeing you all through the years! Couldn’t agree more!
It’s always a wonderful gathering to support the Knoxville botanical Garden. Thank you for the great photos showing the fun that everyone was having.
Carolyn: Agree. Never had a bad time at this event! And I don’t even wear a hat!
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