September 2023

With September here, our club's show is now but a few weeks away. Every year it sneaks up on us, and I'm really getting excited since we finally get a chance to show off our bonsai trees we've worked so hard on. At the same time, we need to prepare our trees for their final touch-ups, and make sure we have the stands, accent plants, and have signed up for their positioning within the show. If you need help in any way please ask our senior members in our club to clarify yearly show time procedures, we would be glad to help you.

Our First Thursday Meeting

Juan Cruz will be heading up our events meeting program. With our show coming up at the end of the month Juan felt it necessary to prepare all our club members with show prep procedures and what is expected of everyone showing a tree this year. Juan will discuss how your display pot should be prepared for proper presentation and what options are available to you when working with the container. Juan will also go over how a bonsai tree is properly presented within the space and confines available. Are you using an accent plant, a scroll, what kind of display table best presents your tree, and how all these different elements fit together for the traditional Japanese flair we emulate.

Juan also requests that club members, like last year, to please bring in a few trees, display tables, accent plants, pots, or whatever you feel will accommodate his needs for the evenings demonstration. If you’re uncertain about anything that’s covered, please be sure to ask questions throughout the evening’s presentation.

Our Third Thursday Meeting

This workshop meeting will be dedicated to those members that need any kind of show-prep assistance with their trees or presentation materials they plan to present at our show.

In addition, it will be everyone’s last chance to sign up for the various show duties required to make everything happen on our September 30th show date. We can enter the building the morning of the 30th at 8:00am, the show begins at 10:00am, and ends at 5:00am.

Our September Show

First and Foremost—Friday Evening

We need volunteers that Friday evening before the morning of our show for the main display tables to be erected and skirted. This will allow us time to drop in the next morning with only having our trees to be placed into position. That Friday evening we're asking that everyone be there at the Quinlan Community Center and be ready to help out at 7:00pm. Ray, our facilities person, will be there with all the display materials and tools necessary to perform the various jobs necessary to complete the task. We need to be cleaned up and ready to leave the building by 9:00pm.

Show Time—Saturday Morning

We’re asking that everyone be at the Community Center that morning by 8:00am with their trees and any materials necessary for the day’s event. Parking is available just out front of the building for initially for unloading only. Once we are done unloading, it will be available for regular parking during the day.

Once we enter, there will be tables in the lobby and show room that will be there for your trees to be placed temporarily on. John Thompson and I will be there to place your trees in position, but remember: this will take time and your patience. Make sure you have all the needed items necessary for your displayed tree at the time when your tree is called upon to be put in place.

Once that all trees are in place and settled, all club members will be asked to judge the four individual categories for the awards that will be presented once the judging is completed. Everyone will be presented with a judging form to fill out, with numbers representing a tree with that number next to it, just circle the number of the tree you like in that category. Then turn in your form to the front desk, that's it!

Our Show

Our show starts at 10:00am, with bonsai venders in our lobby, a reception desk as you enter the display room, and a refreshment table for everyone to enjoy next to it. First thing in the morning, our club will be having a bonsai school located in the back area where guests can purchase a tree. Club members will be asked to bring in their bonsai tool for this program and their assistance for the pupils.

Throughout the morning, everyone in the club is asked to assist guests as they come in if they need assistance or have questions. In addition, everyone should be on the lookout for those that might steal an item or two, so be aware that this might happen.

We want everyone to know that there is a 1:00pm bonsai demonstration by Jonas Dupuich followed by the demo tree being raffled off to some lucky winner. All club members are asked to grab a roll of raffle tickets to sell throughout the morning session that helps to defray the cost for our building rental. Everyone is invited to attend Jonas’s demonstration and share in his show critique afterwards.

At 12:00pm our club will provide a noon meal for everyone—usually sandwiches and chips along with a canned drink or water. We ask that you might contribute to this meal, if you so desire.

Closing

Once 5:00pm arrives, our show has come to its completion. It's time to get busy helping however you can to first remove all trees and display materials. Then we will disassemble the displays and return them to their individual boxes. A truck will be outside needing to be loaded and then everything returned to storage.

I can't tell you how rewarding it is to have completed a truly wonderful bonsai show for your local community and have shared your personal talents with your fellow club member on that day!

Have a great time this month finalizing your trees for the show everyone! 🌳