The Cactus and Succulent Society of Massachusetts is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the 16th Eastern C&S Conference at the Radisson Chelmsford Hotel and Conference Center in Chelmsford, Massachusetts Aug. 15 - 17, 2008.
Chelmsford is just a few miles from Andover, MA, where our previous conference was held in 1996. Those of you who attended that conference will recall it was a memorable and fun event with a star-studded cast of speakers and vendors. We plan to outdo ourselves this year and hope you will join us!
Chelmsford, MA is conveniently located about 30 miles north of Boston, at the junction of Routes I-495 and MA Rte. 3, about halfway between Boston, Mass. and Manchester, New Hampshire with direct shuttle limos from both cities' airports only about a half hour away. There is direct commuter rail service nearby to bustling Boston’s world-class attractions. It is only a short drive from Chelmsford to many of New England's wonderful beaches, seaside villages, mountains, historical sites and other tourist attractions. Six states are within a 3-hour drive!
Click here to go to an interactive site listing all the attractions within easy distance of the conference. Aside from succulents the area is rich with history, sporting events, restaurants, and museums.
Southwest Airlines and other carriers service Manchester, NH with direct and connecting low-cost flights from all over the US, along with a number of other major carriers. Boston's Logan Airport is a major international gateway and also has very attractive fares on many major airlines.
The Radisson Chelmsford Hotel and Conference Center is a beautifully maintained property with spectacular public rooms and immaculate guest rooms.
The registration fee for the conference and special negotiated discount hotel rate can be found under the Registration Information link to the right.
While there is a registration fee for attending the speaker sessions and banquet - access to the plant vendor area is open to the public and there will be a nominal fee for admittance to the judged show.
If you have never been to a cactus and succulent conference, you are in for a treat! Despite its stodgy sounding name, a Cactus & Succulent conference is a lively and exciting weekend shared with others who share our fascination with these wonderful and often bizarre plants.
The Conference will feature a slate of world-class, expert speakers, as well as workshops, a spectacular judged show with hundreds of beautiful plants, and some of America’s best growers selling a vast assortment of unusual and rare plants from all over the world. Specialty vendors will be selling pots, books, tools, artwork and other accessories.
A fabulous banquet is planned for Saturday evening followed by an auction of rare and unusual plants, pots, books, accessories and other neat stuff. Perhaps the best part, however, is the chance to meet other like-minded people who enjoy growing these wonderful plants. Many life-long friendships are begun at cactus and succulent conferences.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Dan
Downey and Art Scarpa, Co-Chairs
16th Eastern Cactus & Succulent Conference 2008
Thank you all for a fantastic show and conference! Please visit this site soon for a re-cap of the conference events and photos from the show!
Conference Program Download
Click this link to download a PDF copy of the Conference Program and schedule. Note this is a large file.
Registration Information
Click the link above for information on registration for the Conference, information on the hotel, travel directions, and other details.
Speakers & Schedule
We've arranged for a stellar panel of speakers that span the full spectrum of the succulent world. Click on the Speakers & Schedule heading above for detailed information.
Our Speakers:
- Chris Allen
- Dr. Jerry Barad
- Dennis Cathcart
- Mark Dimmitt
- Steven Hammer
- Fred Kattermann
- Panayoti Kelaidis
- Glen Lord
- Matt Mattus
- Dr. Matt Opel
- Ernst van Jaarsveld
Each will be presenting a talk or workshop in their area of expertise as well as participating in a panel discussion fielding questions from the audience.
Judged Show
A judged show, open to the public, will run all day Saturday and Sunday and include over 100 categories of cactus and succulents. Awards will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes as well as Best in Class and Best in Show.
Plants for Sale
Click the link above for a list of vendors who will be on hand offering a large variety of succulent plants ranging from beginner and easy to grow plants to specimen plants for the connoisseur!
There will also be an auction held for some special plants we've assembled especially for this event at the conculsion of the Banquet.
Banquet
Join us Saturday night for a fun filled banquet where we can all entertain and educate each other with facts and lore on the succulent world. A special auction of specimen plants will be held at the conclusion of the banquet.
Things to do in and around Boston
Click this link for a sampling of some of the many things to do within easy travel distance of the conference location.
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