Winter Bonsai 2024, Kannapolis, NC (outside of Charlotte) December 7 & 8, 2024

[Bonsai Nut]

New information continues to be posted about the 2024 Winter Show outside of Charlotte this year. First, the general details:

Date: December 7 & 8, 2024
Location: 150 Research Campus Drive, Kannapolis NC 28081 (same as previous years)

News: The big news so far is that this year's show will be a juried show. Similar to the National Bonsai Exhibition or the Pacific Bonsai Expo, if you want to display trees at the show you will now have to submit photos of your tree(s) to a selection jury. Since there is more demand for display slots than there are display tables, this ensures that the best quality trees get the honor of being displayed at the show. I view this as a positive sign - both in terms of the increasing interest in the show, and the increasing quality of trees that people will see there.

Looking forward to seeing you all this year!!

 

[WavyGaby]

Thanks for sharing. This is definitely positive news.
I am hoping to display one year. I submitted a tree but I'm not certain it will qualify.

 

[Sansokuu]

How are attendance numbers? Debating whether to put this one on the show calendar..

 

[Bonsai Nut]

How are attendance numbers? Debating whether to put this one on the show calendar..

If you go, make sure to sign up for the banquet on Saturday night.

I don't know actual numbers, but the vendors have been pleased with the turnout. Check with Steve Zeisel who might have more information.

 

[penumbra]

How are attendance numbers? Debating whether to put this one on the show calendar..

You should definitely put it on your calendar. But I am not sure what attendance numbers have to do with it.

 

[Sansokuu]

You should definitely put it on your calendar. But I am not sure what attendance numbers have to do with it.

It helps for vendors to project sales numbers, the farther away the show the greater the expense, but if attendee numbers are greater it would make up for it sales wise.

 

[penumbra]

It helps for vendors to project sales numbers, the farther away the show the greater the expense, but if attendee numbers are greater it would make up for it sales wise.

I understand. I am a vendor there are there are not likely to be any new spaces unless someone gives it up. The 2022 show had a bit larger crowd than the 2023 crowd. I sold fewer pots but overall my sales were higher in 2023.

 

[Sansokuu]

I understand. I am a vendor there are there are not likely to be any new spaces unless someone gives it up. The 2022 show had a bit larger crowd than the 2023 crowd. I sold fewer pots but overall my sales were higher in 2023.

Do they give first dibs to previous years attendees? If so I can see why there wouldnt be any table availability .

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Just got an update note from Steve Zeisel. There were 68 submissions for 39 exhibit tables, so competition for exhibit tables was fierce. Some good trees will not make the show, but I am pretty certain the overall caliber of the show will improve.

All vending tables have been reserved, and there are 17 vendors on the waitlist.

I wish there was a way that we could locate more space for vendors. The vendor rooms feel tight to me... particularly given the number of vendors they are having to turn away.

 

[WavyGaby]

Glad to hear that this event is now juryed so that the quality is the highest and it feels more prestigious.
My Hinoki did not get accepted, btw.

The vendor space is definitely tight. Hard to digest as a shopper. Not sure where else they would go unless another spot was available for the lectures and that large room could be used for more vendors.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

The vendor space is definitely tight. Hard to digest as a shopper. Not sure where else they would go unless another spot was available for the lectures and that large room could be used for more vendors.

That would be my first suggestion - so that all the vendors could be kept in the same area. That second room (where they hold the demonstrations and the auction) is much larger than the primary vendor room, anyway.

 

[bwaynef]

Wow! I'm excited to see that this is a juried show now. The quality was already high and seemed to be steadily improving. I wonder what kind of difference in quality we'll see this year.

 

[penumbra]

I am so thrilled to have been lucky enough to be a part of this show. Even if I was not a vendor there it would be on my list of annual events.

 

[Sansokuu]

Sounds like they need a bigger venue

 

[penumbra]

Sounds like they need a bigger venue

Probably so. Yet I have no problem blowing my budget with the current vendors.

 

[johng]

Wow! I'm excited to see that this is a juried show now. The quality was already high and seemed to be steadily improving. I wonder what kind of difference in quality we'll see this year.

I wouldn't be too excited....IMO this is only a ploy to keep out the one or two lower quality trees that we see each year... for most folks it is just a hoop... If you are associated with certain folks you don't even have to send pics... Sorry, but if you can't tell I think this is a load of BS. I'm all for an actual juried show...that is not what this is...IMO

 

[bwaynef]

I wouldn't be too excited....IMO this is only a ploy to keep out the one or two lower quality trees that we see each year... for most folks it is just a hoop... If you are associated with certain folks you don't even have to send pics... Sorry, but if you can't tell I think this is a load of BS. I'm all for an actual juried show...that is not what this is...IMO

I wish you'd just say what you really think.

I'm aware that there are politics at play, but I get to be blissfully unaware of what they actually are. I can probably guess on some and not others. If this move gets me to see even a couple better trees, I'm all for it ...and I reserve the right to be excited if I want to be. (If you've ever met me, that's probably about as excited as most folks ever get to see me.)

I'm taking my time getting trees ready to show. Looks like I've got politicking to look forward to.

 

[JudyB]

I wouldn't be too excited....IMO this is only a ploy to keep out the one or two lower quality trees that we see each year... for most folks it is just a hoop... If you are associated with certain folks you don't even have to send pics... Sorry, but if you can't tell I think this is a load of BS. I'm all for an actual juried show...that is not what this is...IMO

Sad.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I wouldn't be too excited....IMO this is only a ploy to keep out the one or two lower quality trees that we see each year... for most folks it is just a hoop... If you are associated with certain folks you don't even have to send pics... Sorry, but if you can't tell I think this is a load of BS. I'm all for an actual juried show...that is not what this is...IMO

Though I agree that was probably the trigger to moving to a juried selection process, there were 68 trees submitted. So 29 people were turned down (at least this year) - not just one or two.

 

[penumbra]

Just go with it or don't. Beats spending a lifetime looking for conspiracies that never show themselves.