Events Calendar
Please remember
NO Kofu Kai Meeting in December
Kofu Kai Events and Club Meetings:
(scroll down to see events for other clubs)
Dec. 2025
Please remember there will not be a Kofu Kai meeting in December. We typically don't meet in January either, but check our website again in early January in case that changes.
Nov. 15, 2025
Kofu Kai will have our regular club meeting Saturday evening with CBS Visiting Guest Artist Seth Nelson.
Nov. 14-16, 2025
Kofu Kai's Annual Bonsai Exhibition at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, CA. Please be aware we will setup for the exhibition on Thursday, November 13th after 3:00pm. We will need as many volunteers as possible for the setup on Thursday, and Sunday afternoon to take down the show. The exhibition is open to the public November 14th-16th from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Oct. 18, 2025
Field trip to Tom Vuong's at 10:00 am. Please see our newsletter for details.
Sept. 20, 2025
Bill Ward and Wanda Danesi will be our guest speakers in September. Both Bill and Wanda are exceptional bonsai artists. Come enjoy an evening with these two talented people. You are bound to learn something new.
Aug. 16, 2025
Kofu Kai's Annual Auction. This is a really fun event and shouldn't be missed by any bonsai enthusiasts! Support Kofu Kai by donating trees, pots, tools, etc. Donations can be brought to the church starting at 5:00pm. The auction will start at 6:30 pm. This is a great time to thin out your collection of trees and pots. It is a great way to acquire new material at great prices, and have fun bidding on items. We need a few volunteers to help before and during the auction to move donated items prior to and during the auction.
July 19, 2025 Cesar Ordoñez will conduct an olive workshop at our July meeting. To participate you must sign up in advance. There will be a fee for the workshop. Please see our June newsletter for details. Everyone is welcome to come observe, and ask questions.
June 21, 2025
Ken Bross will be guest speaker in June. Ken will be discussing how to pair a tree with a display table or stand based on the tree's size and design.
May 17, 2025
Please join us this month as the California Bonsai Society brings Heike Van Gunst from Hamburg, Germany as our guest speaker. With over 40 years of experience including chief editor the German BONSAI ART magazine, founder of the Bonsai AK Hamburg & Umland club, to her bonsai related travels to Australia, Belgium, China and Japan, this will be a special evening.
April 19, 2025
Wanda Danesi will be our guest bonsai artist this month. Wanda has been involved in bonsai for many years and enjoys working with a variety of plant material.
March 15, 2025
Will Baddeley, master wood carver will be our guest speaker
Feb. 15, 2025
This month Kris Springer will be our guest artist. He will be critiquing member trees, but this probably won't be your traditional bonsai critique, as Kris tends to be a little less than conventional. This should be good! Please contact David Melitz if you want to bring a tree.
Jan. 18, 2025
No club meeting. Unfortunately, the Baikoen Winter Silhouette's exhibition at the Los Angeles Arboretum has been canceled due to the wildfires in the area and the poor air quality.
If you haven't done so already, please remember to pay your membership dues for 2025. Please go to our "Club Membership" webpage to download our membership form.
Other Club Events:
January 17 & 18, 2026 Baikoen Bonsai Kenkyukai's 61st Annual Winter Silhouettes Exhibition honoring Jim Barrett at the Los Angeles Arboretum & Botanical Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007
December 26-30, 2025 The California Aiseki Kai presents its 36th annual show of suiseki and other viewing stones at the Huntington Library, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino, CA 91108
February 28th to March 1st, 2026
Bonsai-A-thon at the Huntington Library, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108
November 14-16, 2025
Kofu Kai's annual bonsai show at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, CA
November 16, 2025
Eastern Leaf will be hosting a Bring Your Own Tree workshop led by Seth Nelson. Please check Eastern Leaf's website for registration details at easternleaf.com
October 24-26, 2025
Bonsai Rendezvous, Santa Nella CA at the Hotel Mission del Oro. Visit: gsbfbonsai.org for more information.
October 4-5, 2025
Chino Bonsai Club 5t Annual Exhibit, Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Demos, workshop, auction, raffle, reception dinner on Saturday at 5:00 pm 261 S. Junipero Serra Dr., San Gabriel, CA.
September 27-28, 2025
San Diego Bonsai Club 60th Annual Fall Bonsai Show and Sale, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm both days. For more information, please go to their website: sandiegobonsaiclub.com
August 31, 2025
Duck Soup at the Duck Club! This is a Bring Your Own Tree / demo incubator event and potluck. 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at 1 Riparian View, Irvine, CA 92612. Free early registration until midnight August 29, 2025. RSVP in advance to David Melitz, dmelitz@uci.edu, or text to (949) 337-2334, $50 fee at the door. See Kofu Kai's August newsletter for additional details.
August 23-24, 2025
Orange County Bonsai Society show at the Cool Japan Center, 4199 Campus Dr., Irvine, CA 92612. Show hours: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm both days, demonstrations will be at 1:00 pm. Saturday's demonstrator will be Robert Hoogeveen, and Sunday's will be Jason Chan.
August 16, 2025
Kofu Kai's annual benefit auction, Anaheim United Methodist Church, 1000 S. State College Blvd., Anaheim, CA. Drop off auction items between 5:00 and 6:00pm. Auction will begin at 6:30pm. This is a great opportunity to obtain a variety of trees, pre-bonsai material, pots and more! Please feel free to bring items to donate to the auction.
August 16-17, 2025
Naka Memorial Exhibit at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 San Pedro St. #505, Los Angeles, CA For more information: nakamemorialexhibit.com
Most Tuesdays
Bring Your Own Tree Mentoring workshop with Mel Ikeda. 6:30 - 8:30 pm 11832 Euclid Ave., Garden Grove, CA, $15 per session. Contact Paul Minerich pminerich@sbcglobal.net
June 28-29, 2025
Orange County Bonsai Society Show, Cool Japan Center, 4199 Campus Dr. Suite A, Irvine, CA.
June 8, 2025
LA Bonsai Swap meet, Woodley Park, Van Nuys, CA 92612,
May 31-June 1
Coastal Bonsai Club annual show at the Sherman Library and Gardens in Cororna del Mar, CA. 10am to 4pm. Demonstrations on both days. This exhibition will be held concurrently with the Orange County Fuchsia Society annual sale.
May 24-26, 2025
Santa Anita Bonsai Society Show, 10am to 4pm at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, Baldwin Park, CA
May 10-11, 2025
Dai Ichi Bonsai Kai show, Serenity through Bonsai, 10:00am to 4:00pm, and May 11th from 10:00am to 1:00pm, at the Nakaoka Center in Gardena. Reception on Saturday at 6pm
March 8-9, 2025
California Bonsai Society's 67th annual exhibition at the Huntington Library, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA. Exhibit hours: 10:00am to 5:00pm with demonstrations at 1:00pm. Please visit huntington.org for reservations and additional information.
February, 22-23, 2025
Bonsai-A-Thon at The Huntington Library
January 18-19, 2025
Baikoen's Winter Silhouettes Show, CANCELED due to the wildfires and poor air quality.