Flower Shows

Flower Shows we will be attending this year

The Violet Gallery has been attending flower shows since 1989. Check back regularly for new shows added to our calendar. The following shows have currently been confirmed for 2008: (Events in this color type are over for this year)

In February we will be attending the Maymont Flower and Garden Show in Richmond, Virginia. It runs from February 21-24, 2008 at the Richmond Convention Center. This is a great early spring show to chase away those winter-time blues. This show benefits the Maymont Foundation, which maintains a delightful 100 acre estate. Here you will find an arboretum, Italian and Japanese Gardens, a museum, as well as wildlife habitats and nature trails. Children will love the Children's Farm. The Maymont Estate is open all year and the price is right - admission is FREE!! (Note: There is a charge for the flower show).

The BIG show in March for us is the Philadelphia Flower Show. It's being held at the Philadelphia Convention Center, 12th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA, 19107. It runs from March 1 through March 9, 2008. This year the theme is "Jazz It Up ", so bring your sax along!! Again this year (for a number of reasons I won't go into here), we are selling under the name of The Violet Rainbow, booth #304 & #306. We may be selling under The Violet Rainbow name, but it's still us, Brenda and Mahlen with the help of our daughters and some friends. This is promoted as the biggest and best flower show in the country and it lives up to those claims. The displays and gardens you see here rival anything you could find anywhere. If you haven't ever attended this show, you really should put it on your schedule. I'm sure you will be back.

The Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Show, Sunday April 13 (3-6PM) & April 15 & 16 from 9AM-6PM. Every year this show is in a different Pennsylvania locale. This year it is being held at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Street, State College, PA 16803 - phone number 800-233-7505. Garden Club Federation members from across the state come to this show. These folks are very knowledgeable and they have many seminars and workshops for Federation members, however, the market place is open to anyone in the area during show hours.

The African Violet Society Of America (AVSA) National Show (May 29-31 sales room open). The AVSA has worldwide membership. Each year they hold their show in a different region of the country. This year it will be in Tulsa, Ok at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center, 6808 South 107th East Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74133. Even though we have often visited the AVSA Show (last year we went to Denver, CO), we have never sold violets there. This year for the first time we are planning on selling in their market place. At this show you will find some of the most knowledgable people in the country on African violets. Please plan to attend if you are anywhere near Tulsa.

The Ohio State African Violet Society Show, Sep. 19 & 20 (Friday and Saturday). The show is being held again this year at the Kingwood Garden Center, 900 Park Avenue, Mansfield, OH 44906. This is a great end of summer show. Even if you're not into violets, you should go to the Kingwood Center and tour their acres of gardens. They are fabulous and I think most areas are free. There are some tours you can pay to join. If you are in the area you should stop in and spend some time (and money) in the Market Place and tour the grounds (watch you don't step on a peacock).

The Brethren Disaster Relief Auction, Sep 26& 27 (Friday and Saturday) at the Lebanon Expo Center (aka Lebanon County Fairgrounds), Lebanon, PA. This is a great event with almost a carnival like atmosphere. All proceeds from this event benefit the Church of the Brethren Disaster Relief Fund. The money raised is used to help people and communities that have experienced disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina victims. There are a number of events going on at all times along with great country-style home cooking and fresh Farmers Market fruit, vegetables, pies and other baked goods (some of those pies and sticky buns are to die for!). Parking and admission is free, but it's hard to leave this place empty handed or with an empty stomach!

The Mid-Atlantic African Violet Society (MAAVS) Show, Nov. 13-15, in Fredericksburg, Va. This is a great regional show. It moves around the Mid-Atlantic Region from North Carolina to New York. Members from all the mid-Atlantic area local African Violet Societies are invited to this show. If you like African Violets, you should make every effort to attend. There are many vendors and hybridizers at this show from across the country.

I hope to see you at one or more of these shows. Please stop by.

~ Happy Growing~