Winter Silhouette Bonsai Show, Dec 4-5, 2021

[El Duderino]

Here's the old thread -- various ideas & designs included through it, FWIW

Bonsai Nut T-Shirts!

Next month will be the 10th Anniversary of the creation of BonsaiNut.com, and I thought I would kick-off a project that I've been considering for a while - Bonsai Nut t-shirts! Still working on production details, but I wanted to open the floor to design thoughts or suggestions.

www.bonsainut.com

Thank you. I’ll check it out and report back! Consider me on it until someone tells me to stop

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Just so you know, it’s tradition to have lunch at the Whattaburger.

Must be your tradition as I’ve never heard of it. I also have no idea what you or any other Bonsainut folks look like so even when I have attended the Kanapolis show or the Asheville show I have never met any of you. A name tag or other identifying item would help with that. I suggest a green magic marker dot in the middle of your forehead!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Since I will be attending for the first time... who is the host of the show? Sounds funny, but there is no mention on the site about an affiliated group or club.

 

[PA_Penjing]

I thought this was a Valavanis production. It used to be his thing anyway... i think....

 

[Dav4]

Since I will be attending for the first time... who is the host of the show? Sounds funny, but there is no mention on the site about an affiliated group or club.

Bill V. has had a huge part in the Silhouette show, but the real host is UNC and Dr. Steve Zeisel, a scientist who works at the campus and who is also one of Bill's students, I believe.

 

[bwaynef]

Also, its the "WINTER SILHOUETTE BONSAI SHOW". It just happens to be on the East Coast ...and in Kannapolis NC.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Also, its the "WINTER SILHOUETTE BONSAI SHOW". It just happens to be on the East Coast ...and in Kannapolis NC.

Yes, thank you - I changed the links.

 

[Adair M]

So excited for the show! I actually live 5 minutes away from the research campus in Kannapolis.

Then you can go to the Whataburger whenever you want!

 

[INDIGO-STEVE]

Then you can go to the Whataburger whenever you want!

Whataburger isn't all that . If you want good CHEAP burgers and hotdogs around the same location go to Brian's Grill in China Grove. TRUST ME!

 

[Dav4]

Whataburger isn't all that . If you want good CHEAP burgers and hotdogs around the same location go to Brian's Grill in China Grove. TRUST ME!

It's not the burgers... it's the ambiance !

 

[penumbra]

I suggest a green magic marker dot in the middle of your forehead!

OK then. If I go I will avoid anyone with a forehead dot of any color except green.

 

[AcerAddict]

I'm definitely planning to go, and have already squared away my lodging with some family friends in Salisbury, just 15 mins north of Kannapolis.

However, I have a question about the show. It's highly likely I will buy a tree while I'm there. Will a vendor have any problem holding a tree for me until I can pick it up later in the day? It would be fully paid for in advance, of course.

Follow up question. I'm only going to be there Saturday, and want to arrive before the show opens so I can get in right at the beginning. Since I plan on buying just one tree with my $500-ish budget, I want to make a quick sweep of the vendors at first to see what's available, then circle back and commit to something. I've never been to this show, or any bonsai show, for that matter. How fast do the trees sell at a show like this? If I see one I really like during my first time around, should I pounce on it because it might not be there 20 or 30 minutes later?

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

After a year lapse due to Covid-19, Kannapolis is back bigger and better than ever. Bigger is obvious... but better? Better is because I now live about 20 miles away Looking forward to meeting many new East Coast bonsai peeps!

This is the 8th year for this nationally recognized show. It is held in what is likely the most elegant location for a bonsai show - a 4 story marble lined atrium. Many say this is their favorite show of the year, where trees are exhibited in their winter best form. Exhibitors and vendors come from all over the country. Demos by world-class bonsai artists. Bonsai auction Saturday evening. Banquet dinner by reservation Saturday evening.

THE WINTER SILHOUETTE BONSAI EXHIBITION - just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina

View attachment 388603

I'll be there slinging Waldo STreet Pottery containers. Hope to see you there.

 

[PA_Penjing]

I'm definitely planning to go, and have already squared away my lodging with some family friends in Salisbury, just 15 mins north of Kannapolis.

However, I have a question about the show. It's highly likely I will buy a tree while I'm there. Will a vendor have any problem holding a tree for me until I can pick it up later in the day? It would be fully paid for in advance, of course.

Follow up question. I'm only going to be there Saturday, and want to arrive before the show opens so I can get in right at the beginning. Since I plan on buying just one tree with my $500-ish budget, I want to make a quick sweep of the vendors at first to see what's available, then circle back and commit to something. I've never been to this show, or any bonsai show, for that matter. How fast do the trees sell at a show like this? If I see one I really like during my first time around, should I pounce on it because it might not be there 20 or 30 minutes later?

I'm sure nearly any vendor would be happy to do that

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I've never been to this show, or any bonsai show, for that matter. How fast do the trees sell at a show like this? If I see one I really like during my first time around, should I pounce on it because it might not be there 20 or 30 minutes later?

That is a question without a definitive answer.

I have never been to this particular show, but at other bonsai shows, the vendors normally bring in trucks full of trees. In a perfect world, they want to sell every tree in their truck. Rarely are they going to arrive with a half empty truck - they try to bring as much as they can. And usually the trees they put out at the beginning are not necessarily their best trees or their worst - they are often just a mix of whatever is on their truck. So sometimes if you wait, the first trees go really fast for full price, and then later in the show as more trees come out, the price drops, and you may get a bargain compared to what you might have paid at the beginning of the show.

But it all depends. I have also been to shows with a lot a traffic, where vendors completely sell out. And some vendors will only bring higher-end trees where they know each individual tree and they bring out their best trees first - because they will have the highest prices and be the hardest to sell. There is always an initial surge where people first in the door grab a bunch of stuff... but the first trees are not always the best.

 

[AcerAddict]

That is a question without a definitive answer.

Unfortunately, that's what I thought someone would say. After last year being so wacky because of this virus stuff, it would not surprise me to hear from people that "the crowd was way larger than usual this year" since we didn't get to do much in 2020.

So sometimes if you wait, the first trees go really fast for full price, and then later in the show as more trees come out, the price drops, and you may get a bargain compared to what you might have paid at the beginning of the show.

That makes sense, but since I'm only going to be there for Saturday, I'll have to pick from whatever is available that day. I can always ask a vendor if they have something "in the back" that's for sale, but just not out front right then. At least by Sunday afternoon, I would guess that as a whole, most of the nicer trees would have been sold already anyway. I just can't imagine a vendor saying "OK, there's only 2 hours left in the show. Let me put out my really nice trees for sale now."

And some vendors will only bring higher-end trees where they know each individual tree and they bring out their best trees first - because they will have the highest prices and be the hardest to sell.

With a budget around $500, I know I'm not going to be getting any jaw-dropping, award-winning trees. I'll be shopping primarily for a pre-bonsai anyway. Although, I would like to get something that the vendor is familiar with and could perhaps share the story about how it was collected or how many years they've had it, etc. I feel like I know enough about bonsai in general that I'll be able to zero in on trees that are likely in my budget, and skip over the less expensive entry-level stuff, as well as the "Will that be one kidney or two?" specimen offerings. I've got a pretty short list of the species I'm looking for, so that will help from a time standpoint. Vendor A has only junipers out there? OK, let me skip them for now and find one with lots of maples on the table. However it goes, I'm looking forward to it!

 

[Adair M]

This is a relatively small, but high quality show. It’s been growing, but there are a limited number of display tables, as well as vendor tables. My experience has been that there is usually enough inventory for anyone to find something they would want to take home.

 

[bwaynef]

Last time I promised myself that I wasn't going to get anything. Then Mark Comstock posted on his FB for everyone to ask him about the maples still in the van. I never should've asked. It was my own fault.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

The last time I was there was actually the Shohin show a couple of years ago, it is in the same place. As mentioned above there isn’t a lot of space a d the number of dealers selling trees was not all that many, more tools, and that kind of thing. I’d try to be there early and buy what you like right away as I don’t remember anyone pulling more trees out of the van later in the day. I did manage to buy a small Seiju elm from Bill Valavanis but that was about all that tempted me. I expect to see the same bunch of vendors as at the Bonsai Expo in Asheville, just not as many. However due to Covid I do think the dealers that show may have more stock to trot out. The guys from Bonsai Learning Center nearby may be an exception since they can more easily haul in more trees on day 2.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I'll be there slinging Waldo STreet Pottery containers. Hope to see you there.

Great to hear that. I saw your pots at the Bonsai Expo a couple of years ago and was impressed but didn’t see one to fit my needs. Hopefully that will be different this year.