Pacific Bonsai Expo, October 26-27, 2024, Oakland, CA

[Ruddigger]

Hey cool, @NaoTK is giving a talk.

 

[NaoTK]

Hey cool, @NaoTK is giving a talk.

"... and this concludes my talk on why Terminator 2 is the best family film."

 

[yenling83]

Two new bonsai wire podcasts are up - each profiling exhibitors that will be at the show this year. Admittedly I didn't travel far to do these interviews.

Bonsai Wire

Plants, art, and experience wired to perfection. Join bonsai artists Jonas Dupuich, John Eads, Michael Hagedorn, Carmen Leskoviansky, Andrew Robson, and Eric Schrader for roundtable debates on hot button topics and interviews with bonsai luminarie...

www.bonsaiwirepodcast.com

FYI - Saturday parking is almost sold out. 22 additional vendor tables added.
Volunteer signup is now live!

2024 Volunteers

Thanks to all of our superstar volunteers! Over 100 people volunteered in 2022! Volunteering for 2024 is easy, click through to SignUp Genius to select a spot! Take Me to SignUp Genius! Volunteers working a four-hour shift on Thursday or Friday will receive free admission on Saturday or...

pacificbonsaiexpo.org

Really enjoying the podcasts! Thanks for the updates!

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Thanks Eric, I've been jonesing for some bonsai wire too, appreciate the new content.

 

[pandacular]

Booked my hotel today! See yall there. Hoping to convince my friends to come along to the awesome trio of lectures on display, stands, and pots Saturday afternoon!

 

[Eric Schrader]

A few more updates.

1. Podcast with Mike Pistello - he is exhibiting for the second time this year.
2. Podcast with Cesar Ordonez about olives - he will be vending this year - mostly shohin-size collected olive trunks.
3. Event Area Map is live on Google Maps here:

2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo Area Map - Google My Maps

The 2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo will be at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts. Use this map to find your way!

www.google.com

Parking - On-site parking is sold out for Saturday and nearly sold out for Sunday. There are some good alternate options - the closest is the Oakland Museum of California lot which is just about 1.5 blocks away.

There will be two free shuttles this year -

• Venue to the BGLM on Bellevue Dr and back - only a few minutes. This is a good place for overflow (although not free) parking.
• Fom the Hotel in Emeryville looping to the venue and back. As happened last time, there are additional parking options here.

BART - The Lake Merritt BART station is two blocks from the venue. (see the map above.) BART does not go directly to Emeryville but if you are staying elsewhere it can be an option (Closest station is MacArthur - 2.1 miles from the hotel.) It's a good option from both SFO and OAK.
Complete BART System Map.

 

[pandacular]

BART - The Lake Merritt BART station is two blocks from the venue. (see the map above.) BART does not go directly to Emeryville but if you are staying elsewhere it can be an option (Closest station is MacArthur - 2.1 miles from the hotel.) It's a good option from both SFO and OAK.
Complete BART System Map.

As someone who travels to SF a few times a year and never misses out on visiting Lake Merritt and Oakland (especially on a First Friday), this would be my personal recommendation. The BART has a bad reputation but I think thats mostly because it's not timely, which is bad for commuting, but its great for tourists.

 

[bonsaiwood]

Re BART, the system recently completed a massive (and much needed) train car overhaul plus the added benefit of connecting the orange and green lines to South Bay VTA rail at Berryessa station- I have yet to ride their newer train cars but am looking forward to seeing the improvements.

New Train Car Project | Bay Area Rapid Transit

www.bart.gov

 

[Ruddigger]

From what I can recall, the issue isnt with the train equipment, it’s the hobos living in them.

The LA Metro system is unusable for the same reason. You step into a train car and it smells like a hobo orgy in a portapotty.

 

[bonsaiwood]

From what I can recall, the issue isnt with the train equipment, it’s the hobos living in them.

The LA Metro system is unusable for the same reason. You step into a train car and it smells like a hobo orgy in a portapotty.

Definitely not the trains, the times I was late for work were on me lol. If the train was ever late it was usually by a minute or two.

It wasn't too bad when I left the Bay Area but things were getting sketchy in the latter 2010's. That Transbay tunnel ride at night used to creep me out. My wife and I got stuck in the tunnel once on our way to a Giants game. The train had to make an immediate stop due to a person walking on the tracks inside the tunnel. It took awhile for the authroties to get the man out. Maybe the longest 45-minute ordeal of my life.

 

[n8]

Unlikely that I will make it this year due to my daughter's soccer tournament and a big 20th anniversary trip the previous week, but hoping I can pull some last-minute strings to make it work.

I would highly recommend volunteering if you are available. In 2022, I helped with photography staging on Friday and initial entry on Saturday morning (which was a little bonkers). While the free entry after my Saturday shift was nice, the ability to view trees and chat with people on Friday, before the exhibit opened, was huge. I got a lot out of that.

Volunteer spots are filling up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0844AAA72CA7F49-50142677-pacific#/

 

[Wood]

In 2022, I helped with photography staging on Friday

I got lucky enough to grab one of those volunteer slots and I'm really looking forward to it

 

[pandacular]

I would love to volunteer, but I convinced my girlfriend to go along, and her birthday is Thursday, so I'll be dedicating most of the weekend to her. Except Saturday morning--I bought her and my friends afternoon tickets so I can have the morning to shop and nerd out.

 

[ZombieNick]

Just to drum up some excitement and see who all from the forum will be there. Will whoever reads this please respond, "I'll be at the PBE this year" with a picture of themselves and their name, so we can all say hi?

Lots of people claiming to be going, but not a lot of pictures . Don't be shy guys, we want to know who to look out for!

 

[pandacular]

Lots of people claiming to be going, but not a lot of pictures . Don't be shy guys, we want to know who to look out for!

I'll post a pic once Rudd posts a pic of you doing some heavy lifting instead of the other way 'round.

Just kidding, here's a nice headshot, and I'm very likely to be found wearing a green corduroy bucket hat.

 

[ZombieNick]

I'll post a pic once Rudd posts a pic of you doing some heavy lifting instead of the other way 'round.

Just kidding, here's a nice headshot, and I'm very likely to be found wearing a green corduroy bucket hat.

What makes you think I do any kind of heavy lifting?

 

[Ruddigger]

I'll post a pic once Rudd posts a pic of you doing some heavy lifting instead of the other way 'round.

Here ya go.

 

[Sansokuu]

I’m going! And most likely the troublemaker this foot belongs to.

 

[yenling83]

I’m going! And most likely the troublemaker this foot belongs to.

Pumped to see the pots you and Nao bring!


I just signed up to volunteer for Security and Front Desk Can't wait!

 

[reddog]

Anybody hear how ticket sales are doing relative to the first PBE?