Special Event

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PBA Festival & World Bonsai Day Celebration
May
9
to May 11
Special Event, World Bonsai Day, Education

PBA Festival & World Bonsai Day Celebration

National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, Arboretum Visitor Center

The 2025 Potomac Bonsai Festival returns to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum on May 9-11, 2025. The Potomac Bonsai Association and it’s affiliated clubs are excited to celebrate bonsai with our annual festival in conjunction with World Bonsai Day (May 10, 2025) and a special celebration of the Quadricentennial of the Yamaki Pine.

Presented in partnership with the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the National Bonsai Foundation, and the U.S. National Arboretum, the festival includes an exhibition of bonsai by PBA members, formal bonsai displays, bonsai vendors, beginner workshops, a bonsai learning series, childrens’ activities, Museum tours, and demonstrations and workshops led by our guest artists.

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Bonsai Basics: Chrysanthemum Bonsai
May
4
to Nov 2
Education, Art Workshop, Special Event

Bonsai Basics: Chrysanthemum Bonsai

This course is hosted by the U.S. National Arboretum, with registration support by Friends of the National Arboretum. This course is offered in partnership with Potomac Bonsai Association and Old Dominion Chrysanthemum Society.

The horticultural perfection of a bonsai does not have to take decades to accomplish. The chrysanthemum can be artfully shaped into a bonsai within one growing season. This Bonsai Basics course is a series of five classes. Participants meet about once a month for lectures and demonstrations, beginning on Saturday, May 4th and concluding on Saturday, November 2nd.

This course is hosted by the Arboretum, with registration support by FONA. Registration costs $200 for the entire course. FONA members, use your discount code to receive 20% off. Register soon, spots are limited and this event fills quickly!

REGISTRATION

At registration, students will select from one of four small groups that meet on different dates and times. With no more than ten students in each, these groups allow for individualized attention from the instructors. All students will meet jointly for the first and last lessons. There is no variation in course content among the groups.

Group schedules are listed below. Students may not switch small groups during the course. If a group is not available when you register, that group is full. There is no waitlist for individual small groups, only the course as a whole.

Group A
Saturday, May 4 (1 PM – 4 PM)
Saturday, June 15 (10 AM – 12 PM)
Saturday, August 3 (10 AM – 12 PM)
Saturday, September 21 (10 AM – 12 PM)
Saturday, November 2 (1 PM – 4 PM)

Group B
Saturday, May 4 (1 PM – 4 PM)
Saturday, June 15 (1 PM – 3 PM)
Saturday, August 3 (1 PM – 3 PM)
Saturday, September 21 (1 PM – 3 PM)
Saturday, November 2 (1 PM – 4 PM)

Group C
Saturday, May 4 (1 PM – 4 PM)
Sunday, June 16 (10 AM – 12 PM)
Sunday, August 4 (10 AM – 12 PM)
Sunday, September 22 (10 AM – 12 PM)
Saturday, November 2 (1 PM – 4 PM)

Group D
Saturday, May 4 (1 PM – 4 PM)
Sunday, June 16 (1 PM – 3 PM)
Sunday, August 4 (1 PM – 3 PM)
Sunday, September 22 (1 PM – 3 PM)
Saturday, November 2 (1 PM – 4 PM)

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Ikebana International Annual Exhibition
Apr
12
to Apr 21
Special Event, Exhibit, Education

Ikebana International Annual Exhibition

  • Google Calendar ICS

Presented by Ikebana International, Washington, D.C. Chapter No. 1
U.S. National Arboretum
April 12 - 21, 10 am - 4 pm
Free and open to the public

Special Events:

  • Free Live Demonstrations on April 13, 14, 20, 21 from 1 - 2 pm

  • Ikebana for Kids Workshop on April 21 from 1 -2 :30 pm (Need Prior Registration)

Ikebana International, Washington D.C. Chapter No. 1 will host its annual exhibition at the U.S. National Arboretum. The exhibition will demonstrate the creativity and artistry of their members in arrangements representing several different schools of ikebana.  There will also be live demonstrations showcasing ikebana styles of four different schools. 

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Film Screening of "Bicentennial Bonsai: Emissaries of Peace"
May
13
4:30 PM16:30
Special Event, World Bonsai Day

Film Screening of "Bicentennial Bonsai: Emissaries of Peace"

Attend a special after Museum hours event in celebration of World Bonsai Day! Enjoy tours, music, sake tastings, bento-boxes and a film screening of BICENTENNIAL BONSAI: EMISSARIES OF PEACE followed by a Q&A with filmmakers. Registration required.

A film by Paul Awad and Kathryn O’Sullivan
35 min | 2020 | Washington, DC Premier

If more people did bonsai, there would be more peace in the world.
-Saburo Kato (1915–2008), bonsai master

In 1975, only thirty years after the United States and Japan had been at war, Japan gave 53 priceless bonsai to the United States in celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial. Some bonsai were several hundred years old. One had remarkably survived the bombing of Hiroshima. Bicentennial Bonsai: Emissaries of Peace chronicles this historic gift, includes rare interviews and archival footage, and reveals how we can rediscover our shared humanity and establish a path toward healing and world peace. Paul Awad and Kathryn O’Sullivan are a husband-and-wife filmmaking team based in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.

EVENING’S SCHEDULE
4:30 – gates to the Bonsai Museum open for after-hours tours*
5:00 – koto music, free sake tastings, and pre-ordered bento boxes in the museum
6:00 – movie screening in the auditorium followed by Q&A with filmmakers

Registration
General Admission: $12.50
NBF, FONA, JASWDC members**: $10
Bento Box (vegan or chicken) pre-order: $20

**Type your discount code into the “Coupon Code” box on the last page of registration and hit “Apply” to see the discount when you check out. NBF, FONA, and JASWDC will be sending discount code information to their members. Contact your organization if you have any questions.

REGISTRATION CLOSES MAY 10

*Due to another event happening at the Arboretum this evening, we recommend you arrive early to find parking.

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Bonsai Basics: Chrysanthemum Bonsai
May
13
to Nov 4
Special Event, Education, World Bonsai Day

Bonsai Basics: Chrysanthemum Bonsai

Shape your own flowering bonsai in a single growing season.

The horticultural perfection of a bonsai does not have to take decades to accomplish. The chrysanthemum can be artfully shaped into a bonsai within one growing season. Register for a series of five chrysanthemum bonsai classes, beginning on World Bonsai Day, Saturday, May 13th, 2023, and produce a styled, blooming chrysanthemum bonsai by November.

This Bonsai Basics is a course for beginners and intermediates, consisting of five classes beginning May 13 and ending November 4. A maximum of 40 students will meet all together for the first and last class for lectures and demonstrations. In between, students attend three, two-hour classes in small groups of 10 for more intensive teaching by curatorial staff of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

Participants will learn the basics of watering, wiring, pinching, pruning, potting, and displaying chrysanthemum bonsai. While these principles also apply to bonsai that are traditional woody tree species, using the chrysanthemum allows students to see the results of their pruning, wiring, and other work, within only a few months instead of after years of training. When cared for correctly, these “gnome” species of chrysanthemums, bred for their small flower and leaf size, will bloom heavily in the fall, providing students with an opportunity to present their personally designed,flowering bonsai in an all-group display. This course is offered in partnership with Potomac Bonsai Association and Old Dominion Chrysanthemum Society.

Program Prerequisite Requirements:
Participants must be 12 years of age or older and have access to an outdoor growing area with a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun per day.

Course Fee: $150 for all 5 classes

For more details on course materials, schedule and how to register, click here.

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World Bonsai Day
May
13
10:00 AM10:00
World Bonsai Day, Special Event

World Bonsai Day

National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is pleased to participate in the 13th Annual World Bonsai Day, created by the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF). This event honors the memory of Mr. Saburo Kato, a bonsai master and founder of WBFF, who believed that bonsai has the power to unite people by acting as a bridge to international friendship and peace.

The day’s activities will include something for everyone and will happen both in-person at the Museum and online at bonsai-nbf.org/wbd-2023.

IN-PERSON MUSEUM EVENTS

DOCENT-LED TOUR | 10 am - 4 pm

Join a free, docent-led tour of the Museum throughout the day. No registration required. Free to the public.

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES | 10 am - 12 pm & 1 pm - 3 pm

There will be a children's activity table located in the Bonsai Museum’s Exhibit Gallery. It is a fun way for children to engage in and learn about Japanese culture and botany. Children and interested adults will have the opportunity to color Japanese themed coloring pages such as koi, pagodas, fans, and ladies in kimonos; stamp leaves onto drawings of bonsai; and try their hands at a variety of origami animals and shapes, such as frogs, cranes, flowers, stars, and boxes. No registration required. Come and go as you’d like within the scheduled times. Free to the public.

CHRYSANTHEMUM BONSAI WORKSHOP | 1 pm - 4 pm

A fee-based series of workshops on chrysanthemum bonsai begins on this day. Learn more here about that series.

FILM SCREENING: BICENTENNIAL BONSAI: EMISSARIES OF PEACE | 4:30 pm - 8 pm
Attend a special after Museum hours event! Enjoy tours, music, sake tastings, bento-boxes and a film screening of BICENTENNIAL BONSAI: EMISSARIES OF PEACE followed by a Q&A with filmmakers. Registration required. More info here.

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PBA Juried Bonsai Exhibit
May
5
to May 14
Exhibit, Special Event, World Bonsai Day

PBA Juried Bonsai Exhibit

Exhibits Gallery, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

This exhibit showcases the best bonsai from members of the Potomac Bonsai Association in formal displays. It will be on view for the public during the Potomac Bonsai Festival and will continue through the following weekend and celebration of World Bonsai Day. 

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Ikebana International Chapter 1's Annual Exhibition
Apr
7
to Apr 16
Exhibit, Special Event

Ikebana International Chapter 1's Annual Exhibition

A program of our friends at CHAPTER 1 Ikebana International and USNA

Exhibits Gallery, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Enjoy spring flowers with a Japanese twist! The Washington D.C. Chapter (Chapter 1) of Ikebana International will exhibit flower arrangements representing a variety of ikebana schools and styles. There will be a change-out of the exhibits on April 10 and 13, so plan return visits to see everything. Master teachers will give free ikebana demonstrations on April 8, 9, 15, and 16.

All events are open to the public and are free of charge.

Free Demonstrations: April 8, 9, 15, 16, 1 - 2 pm

Ikebana for Kids Workshop: April 16, 1 -2 :30 pm (Needs prior registration)

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Beginner Bonsai Classes
May
7
to May 8
Education, Special Event, World Bonsai Day

Beginner Bonsai Classes

This event is run by our friends at Potomac Bonsai Association for their Spring Festival.

Come to the Potomac Bonsai Association’s beginner bonsai learning tent outside the Museum to receive one-on-one instruction from experienced club members. Students will learn how to prune, wire, and repot a bonsai they can take home after class.3-hour class. $50 fee (cash or card) per session; all materials provided. No advanced registration required!

Location: Outside the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

This event is part of the Potomac Bonsai Association’s annual spring festival, which takes place from May 6th - 8th. Find a full festival schedule here.

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Bonsai Vendor Tent
May
6
to May 8
Special Event

Bonsai Vendor Tent

This event is run by our friends at the Potomac Bonsai Association.

Bonsai Vendor Tent
Friday, May 6th, 12 pm - 4 pm
Saturday and Sunday, May 7th - 8th, 9 am - 4 pm
Outside the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Find everything you need to begin growing bonsai. Twelve vendors from the region will be selling everything from refined bonsai to pre-bonsai material, tools, soil, and planters.

This event is part of the Potomac Bonsai Association’s Spring Festival. Learn more about festival and other events here.

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PBA Fall Bonsai Show 2021
Oct
8
to Oct 10
Special Event, Exhibit

PBA Fall Bonsai Show 2021

The Potomac Bonsai Association (PBA) will host an exhibition of bonsai by affiliated club members. Member bonsai will be displayed in the courtyard and formal displays will be set up in the display wing of the special exhibits building of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the National Arboretum, Washington D.C.

More information here.

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