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Destination Asia Festival 2024 – Annual PSBS Bonsai Exhibition – Morton Arboretum
August 3 @ 9:00 am - August 4 @ 4:30 pm
The Morton Arboretum
Explore the diverse cultures of Asia through music, dance, food, and more. Join us for a fun-filled weekend that will transport you across the globe. Our bonsai exhibition will include more than fifty club and some nonclub members’ trees. As you wander around Meadow Lake, you will experience diverse cultural performances, demonstrations, various shopping and art vendors, and local food trucks.
This event attracts new members to our club, allows members to gather and interact with the Festival attendees, and teaches them about the art of bonsai.
PSBS is proud to be in the Sycamore Room again to host our Annual PSBS Bonsai Exhibition. Our Bonsai Exhibition is where our club members show the trees they have spent so much time on. There will also be several “trees in training” tables where our new members can show their work, and others can display attractive trees in progress. Please consider bringing as many of your trees as possible. As PSBS members, you are allowed up to three display trees for judging but unlimited “trees in training.”
Bonsai Show Overview
Club Members Only
Exhibition Tree Judging Criteria
Demonstrations
The Destination Asia Festival at The Morton Arboretum and the Prairie State Bonsai Show are scheduled for Saturday, August 3rd, and Sunday, August 4th this year. On those dates, PSBS will present four separate demonstrations in the courtyard across from the Visitor Center and Sycamore Room, where the Bonsai Show will be held. These demonstrations are meant to give the people attending the Festival an idea of the effort and care needed to turn a tree into a bonsai.
Demonstrations will be presented at 10:00 AM and 2:30 PM each day of the Festival.
Our Guest Artist, Jennifer Price, will style a White Spruce on Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon, our Guest Judge Chris Baker will present a Dawn Redwood. The diversity continues with Larry Magee working on a Pinus Contorta (Lodgepole Pine) Sunday morning and Matt Mazza creating a bonsai from a crabapple pre-bonsai Sunday afternoon. The variety of artists and tree types promises an intriguing and enriching experience for all attendees.
You may want to plan your attendance at the Festival and your volunteer hours so you will be free to observe your favorite artist and type of tree. We will see you there!
Workshops
The Destination Asia Festival at The Morton Arboretum and the Prairie State Bonsai Show are scheduled for Saturday, August 3rd, and Sunday, August 4th this year. On those dates, PSBS will present eight workshops at the Thornhill Education Center on the west side of the park. PSBS members can enroll in these workshops and save $10 from the guest price. Members cannot enroll on the Arboretum’s website but must call 630-719-2468 and let the representative know you are a PSBS member. You can review the available classes at https://mortonarb.org/explore/categories/adult-programs/.
Morning classes will run from 9:00 AM to Noon, and afternoon classes are scheduled from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
Two new morning workshops are being offered, providing exciting learning opportunities. Both are oriented towards individuals with no or very minimal bonsai experience. On Saturday morning, Linda Camp of BC Bonsai will teach an introductory class using Chinese Elms, assisted by Badar Zulqarni. On Sunday morning, our 2024 guest artist Jennifer Price will teach a similar class with Juniper Procumbens ‘Nana’, assisted by Dan Kosta.
The other Saturday morning class will be a Dwarf Alberta Spruce workshop taught by Phil Malhiot. Saturday afternoon, we will offer two workshops, a Kusamono workshop taught by Guest Artist Jennifer Price and a Tiger Bark Ficus workshop taught by Linda Camp of BC Bonsai.
Sunday morning will include a workshop featuring Japanese Black Pine Mikawa presented by Jim Beck of BC Bonsai. The two Saturday afternoon classes will be a Bring Your Own Tree workshop with Guest Artist Jennifer Price offering helpful advice regarding one of your favorite trees and a Singapore Holly workshop by Larry Magee.
All workshops are currently available for enrollment, but remember, they all have a limited number of participants. Don’t miss out on your favorite class, sign up now to secure your spot.