Fall Fruit & Foliage Bonsai Exhibition

CALL FOR BONSAI | VENDORS 

CALL FOR BONSAI ENTRIES

It is the goal of the North American Bonsai Federation (NABF)  to exhibit the finest fall fruiting and/or foliage bonsai in North America. The Fall Fruit & Foliage Bonsai Exhibition will be held at Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton, Michigan. Applicants are encouraged to submit for consideration what they assess to be the best fall fruiting and/or foliage bonsai in their collection. The selection panel will choose from the entries submitted those trees that they believe best represents the style and diversity of fall fruiting and/or foliage bonsai.

APPLICATION CRITERIA

• Each applicant must complete an application for entry. 
• Preliminary selection will be by digital image.
• Each applicant may enter a maximum of two bonsai for consideration by the selection panel.
• Selection of bonsai will be by a juried panel and decisions regarding tree selection may be finalized after July 1, 2026. Once the selection process is complete, you will be notified of the selection panel's decision via email and, if your bonsai is chosen for display, you will receive further instructions regarding the delivery and participation. 
• There is no entry fee; although, if your tree is selected, we ask that a bonsai-related item of value is donated to the auction.

ENTRY FORMS AND PHOTO SUBMISSION

 Deadline July 1, 2026

• A maximum of two bonsai may be entered for jury consideration.
• One photo is required to be submitted along with your application for each bonsai tree entered.
• Applicants will need to supply their own stand(s), the NABF does not maintain a collection of stands. Acessories, such as accent plants, stones or artifacts are not required but strongly encouraged. Scrolls are optional. If you plan to display accessories alongside your tree, please include either or both with your photo submission, if possible. The juried panel will assume accessories included in the photographs will be displayed with the tree at the exhibition.

DELIVERY OF BONSAI

• All bonsai accepted for exhibition must be delivered on Friday, October 16, 2026 between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  Any bonsai received after that date and time will NOT be exhibited.
• Trees will be spot watered throughout the weekend of the event, but please make sure your tree(s) are watered thoroughly before delivery.

The North American Bonsai Federation (NABF) reserves the right, in conjunction with feedback from Hidden Lake Gardens, to reorganize and move tree / displays around the Exhibition at its discretion, for aesthetic or logistic purposes, at any point during the Exhibition. Lighting is fixed within the Exhibition hall; tree owners are not able or allowed to modify the lighting above or around his/her tree(s).

Disclaimer: The North American Bonsai Federation (NABF), Hidden Lake Gardens, and Michigan State University are not responsible for loss, theft or damage of items placed for Exhibition.

BONSAI VENDORS