Mad Hatter Derby FAQ
Topics
What are Group Tickets?
Group tickets provide seating for a group of friends in a pre-arranged reserved tent.
Only guests invited by the Group’s leader should buy tickets in an existing Group.
What additional benefits are included in a Group Ticket?
Everything that is included with a General Admission ticket
Groups are awarded these additional benefits “first come first served” when their sixth ticket is sold:
Seating in a pre-arranged private tent reserved for you and your invited guests
Entry in the Thunderdome Tournament
Choice of tent location - the Hatter will help your leader choose a great spot after your sixth group ticket is sold
How can I create a new Group with my friends?
The Hatter is excited to help you arrange your experience for a minimum of six tickets. There is an additional $10 per ticket fee.
Email the Hatter at mhd26@snohomishlions.org.
Your group will be added to our ticketing site so you and your friends can purchase a group ticket.
What is included with a General Admission ticket?
Open tent seating
Sufficient seating under any of our many unreserved tents is provided for all tickets sold.
Tasting of our Alice in Wonderland-inspired food entrées
A light sampling of the food items for sale at Wonderland is provided with your ticket. This tasty sampling may not satisfy some appetites. Thank you for helping us fund our community service.
Entry in Croquet Tournament (optional)
If you opt-in to participate in the Hatter’s traditional Croquet Tournament when you buy your ticket, then the Croquet Registrar will schedule you into into one of the three elimination rounds.
Entry in costume contest (optional)
If you opt-in to participate in the Hatter’s costume contest when you arrive at the event, then all guests will have an opportunity to vote for you to win one of the many contest categories.
Access to all event activities
We are adding new activities to keep you entertained this year. There will be an informal Cornhole tournament. There will be a DJ and dancing. More to come!
What is a Mobile Pay Pass?
It’s the QR code on your ticket. No apps. Just a super fast and easy way to buy stuff at the Derby.
For example, to purchase a drink at the Hatter’s Bar just show the QR code on your ticket to the cashier. They will scan it on their phone and turn their phone for you to you to confirm your order and enter your private 4-digit pin.
How do I activate my Mobile Pay Pass?
An Activate Mobile Pay Pass button appears in the your confirmation screen and confirmation email after you buy your ticket. To opt-in, simply click the Activate Mobile Pay Pass button, choose your 4-digit pin and click the Activate button. The system will send you a confirmation email with the 4-digit pin.
You can activate your Mobile Pay Pass immediately upon purchasing your ticket or at anytime. We recommend you do this before arriving at the Derby - but we can also help you activate your Mobile Pay Pass when you arrive at the Derby.
What are Costume Contest voting pins?
One pin. One vote. One great cause.
Put your imagination on display and your heart in the right place by entering the Costume Contest upon arrival at the Derby to help support the Lions mission serving our community while competing for fun, trophies, and bragging rights. We’ll take your contest photo at the Rabbit Hole exit with our new polaroid cameras - you’ll look great!
Look for the White Rabbit sign at the Rabbit Hole exit to find the Costume Contest station and see your contestant photo. Yes, you can request a retake.
Vote for your favorite costume! Encourage your friends to purchase voting pins for $1 each and place them next to their favorite contestant photo - hopefully yours!. Buy one pin or several - the more pins you buy, the more votes you can cast, and all proceeds benefit our Lions mission.
Cast your Votes for a Cause! Help choose our Costume Champions! There will definitely be a Red Queen and a Mad Hatter category, but the rest of the trophies will go to the top vote getters.
What is the White Rabbit’s House?
It’s the Selfie Station!
Step inside, sip the potion, grow curiouser — then capture it with a selfie!
When Alice first tumbles into Wonderland, she drinks a mysterious potion in the White Rabbit's house and grows so enormous she can barely fit inside.
Now it's your turn.
Follow the White Rabbit signs at the Rabbit Hole exit and step into the Rabbit's House. It might just be the maddest thing you'll do in Wonderland. And you must be mad… or you wouldn't be here at all.
Got a group? Squeeze in, tower over it all, or spill out into the Queen's Garden — the more of you, the more of Wonderland you fill.
Share your fall down the rabbit hole and tag us @madhatterderby with your photo for a chance to win two tickets to the 2027 Mad Hatter Derby! The Hatter will choose their favorite and post the winner to @madhatterderby.
What is the Croquet Tournament?
108 players, one Grand Champion.
The Croquet Tournament is a traditional Croquet game played in tournament style available to all General Admission and Group Ticket holders.
Review the croquet play rules here (there are no changes from last year’s rules if you are already familiar)
How does the tournament work?
Three are six 50’ x 25’ fields for the elimination and semi-final rounds and a full-size 100’ x 50’ field for the final match
There are three sequential elimination rounds with six players on each field
Two players from each field will advance from the elimination rounds to the semi-final round - the 3rd finishers may compete in the “3rd Ball Whack-off” for multiple slots in the semi-final round
There is one semi-final round with the top finisher from each field advancing to the final match.
What is the Rainbow Ball?
The “Rainbow Ball” is one of the raffle items.
The Rainbow Ball raffle winner will be the seventh player in the Croquet Final.
But it won’t be easy. First they have to win the raffle. (Buy lots of tickets!) Second, they’ll be playing against the six Champions who won their place by eliminating 102 of their fellow Tournament contestants to reach the Croquet Final.
Good luck!
What is the Thunderdome Tournament?
12 teams enter, one team leaves.
The Thunderdome Tournament is a true team croquet game available only to our Group Tickets. Whereas a single Croquet Tournament player emerges as Croquet Grand Champion, a three-player team leaves the Thunderdome a winner.
The Snohomish Boys & Girls Club took home the inaugural perpetual Thunderdome Trophy last year. Will your team take it the trophy away from CJ and his team this year?
The Hatter apologizes for the mistakes last year that inhibited fair play for all teams. There were scheduling problems for Thunderdome players also competing in the Croquet Tournament as well as communication issues about when they were to play. Plus many teams were confused about how to use the “One-Up Mushroom” to their competitive advantage (or that it even existed).
How will the Thunderdome scheduling work this year?
The Hatter will work with your group leader in August to schedule your matches in both Tournaments to eliminate timing conflicts
There will be three Thunderdome Round Robin rounds corresponding in time with the three Croquet Tournament elimination rounds
The Thunderdome final round will correspond in time with the Croquet Tournament semi-final round ensuring the Thunderdome Tournament is completed before the Croquet Tournament final match begins
The Thunderdome Head Referee will allow substitutions if or as needed for the final round (for example if one of the Thunderdome team players advances to the Croquet Tournament semi-final round)
What was the One-up Mushroom?
The One-up Mushroom was a new fundraising gimmick introduced with the Thunderdome Tournament in 2025 to help make being a Lions donor more fun while adding a bit of madness to competition. While it was a fun concept we did a poor job of introducing it. And it made the game too long. So the Hatter stepped on it - there will be no One-up Mushroom for 2026.
How can my team practice Thunderdome skills and strategies?
The Hatter will be thrilled to host a Thunderdome match for your group at your convenience this summer.
The Hatter is hosting a Thunderdome Referee practice on Sunday August 23rd. At 2pm our Refs will be ready to conduct a practice Tournament for our Royal Enclosure groups - contact the Hatter for more information.
For more information email: the Hatter.