🎉IT IS TIME!!🎉

Join the Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society for a day of wicked cool plants. The event is FREE and open to the public.

Follow us on Instagram and join our Facebook group for vendor sneak peeks and the most up-to-date show info!

Fun for Families! 
Our Annual Show & Sale features some of the WEIRDEST and most AMAZING plants from all over the planet! You, your parents, your teens and your little ones will love every minute.

Bring beautiful plants to show and win great prizes! 
BACPS members in good standing can bring as many display specimens to enter into the show as they want. Prizes include highly coveted ribbons and gift certificates from some of your favorite vendors.

Learn more about becoming a member or renew your membership here.

What’s New in 2025

New Show Award of Excellence 🤍

In memory of Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society founding member Peter D’Amato, it is our honor and privilege to introduce the Peter D’Amato Rookie Award.

Peter is well known and loved across the world as the man behind California Carnivores and the author of The Savage Garden, the book that has and will inspire millions of carnivorous plant growers of all ages everywhere.

There is a very good chance that you have read his words, looked at his photos, own one of his plants, learned from his experience, or have listened to him speak while you were a rookie. There couldn’t be a more fitting namesake for the Best Rookie Award

Workshops & Speakers

Congrats you picked up a new plant at the show! It probably looks sooo coool that you want to learn all about it right?!

This year we’re adding free short workshop presentations from expert growers throughout the afternoon! Speakers and times will be announced in our newsletter before the show.

A Few New Rules

Make sure you check out our updated Event Rules below.

Member Benefits at the Show & Sale

  • Receive 5 free raffle tickets
  • Receive a discount on merch
  • Enter as many plants as you want in the Show for prizes!

Want to become a member or renew your membership?

Vendor Lineup

SO MANY THANKS TO ALL OF OUR AMAZING VENDORS!

🌟A & J Carnivorous Plants🌟
Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
Bryce’s Bog and Garden
🌟California Carnivores🌟
Carnivero
🌟Carnivorous Carnivores🌟
Chentomology
🌟Cloud Forest Flora🌟
🌟Courting Frogs Nursery🌟
🌟DP’s CPs🌟
🌟Ev & Em Carnivorium🌟
🌟Exotic & Ferocious Foliage🌟
Plants by Bob.
Henry Moore
🌟Hungry Plants🌟

Show & Sale Schedule

 

Display Plant / Showroom Open Hours 12 – 4pm
Show/Display Plant Registration 9 – 10am
Judging of Show Plants 10:30 – 11:45am
Show Winners Pick up Prizes 12pm
Carnivorous Plant Sale 12 – 5pm
Announcements, Raffle, Auction 12:45 – 1:20pm
Raffle Times – first 15 mins of each hour 2pm, 3pm, 4pm
Show Plant Pick up 4:15 – 5pm

 

Expert Talks Schedule (Classroom)

We’re also offering (or rather, we are going to try our best!) these talks on Zoom webinar for everyone to view!

Click on the speaker names below to register for Zoom Webinar. 

Want to help us promote?

Download our flyer to print out and distribute at your favorite hangouts!

Many thanks to this years artist, Roger Hall!

You can follow his work on Instagram at @saveourspeciesart or at inkart.net

Vending Information

Vendor spots are full! Thank you vendors! 

Vendor registration and setup: 9am – 10:45am

Vendors will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please include the number of 8ft. tables desired, if your plants require shade/covering (not guaranteed but we will do our best), and indicate whether you are a Pro, Hobby Vendor, or BACPS Member Hobby Vendor.

Payments should be made via check. Payment instructions will be sent when reservation is confirmed.

Sale tables can be shared but sharing tables must be arranged between vendors. You’re welcome to use our Facebook group to find a vending buddy!

Club Sales Table

Only have a few plants to sell and don’t want to commit to purchasing a table?

BACPS offers a club sales table for hobbyist members in good standing. Plants are to be priced by the owner with price tags that also clearly identify the owner’s full name. The club will keep 20% of the sales.

Selling at the club table requires advanced registration.
Please email contact@bacps.org to register.

Auction

Have a high value plant you would like to try to sell at auction? Register your plant at the Raffle table before 1pm. 20% (or more if you choose) of the proceeds will go to BACPS. The auction will begin at 1:30pm.

Raffle

Raffle tickets will be available to purchase from the Membership Table.
$1 per ticket
$5 for 6 tickets

Raffle winners will be drawn for 15 minutes at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm.

Each person can only win two raffle prizes per drawing in order to diversify winners. If your ticket is drawn a third time during a raffle calling, it will go back into the pool of tickets.

All proceeds from the raffle will go towards conservation and education efforts by BACPS. Some raffle plants may be set aside for the Show & Sale Auction or to donate to educational talks and classrooms throughout the Bay Area.

Show Entry / Display Plants Information

📢Calling All BACPS Members in Good Standing! 📢

This is your chance to 👏 SHOW 👏 IT 👏 OFF 👏 !!! Bring as many of your show stoppers as you want, let us spend the whole day gushing over all of your hard work!

Schedule

Show/Display Plant Entries and registration on LAFAYETTE St:
9am – 10:30am

Judging of Show Plants: 10:30am – 11:45am

Winners Pick up Prizes from Show Room: 12pm

Show Plants Viewing / Showroom: 12pm – 4pm

Show plant pick up is from 4:15 – 5pm. In order to maintain a secure showroom we will not allow show plants to leave before 4:15pm. If you can’t stay this late, please email contact@bacps.org to make arrangements in advance.

Please pick up your show plants no later than 5pm. We cannot guarantee the care of any plants that are left behind after 5pm. Please make sure you provide good cell phone number with your entry form in the event we need to contact you.

Show Registration Location

Entrance to the Show Room is on Lafayette St., NOT through the courtyard where the show takes place.
Entries must have been grown by the individual for more than 6 months. Plants that were purchased within 6 months of the show will be disqualified. All registrants must fill out a plant registration form at the table outside the display room. If you want to save time, entry forms are available here to print and fill out before you arrive.

Once plants have been registered, volunteers will be available in the display room to help with the placement of the plants and direct exhibitors to where their entries should be placed.

There will be separate tables for entries by professional growers and hobbyists. Bring in your best!!!!

Winner’s Gift Certificate Amounts

Best in Show
1st: $200
2nd: $150
3rd: $100

Individual Display Categories:
1st: $75
2nd: $50
3rd: $25

Who Can Enter

Only BACPS members in good standing may enter to win prizes.

Hobbyists & Hobby Vendors: Can enter general contest.

Professionals: Professional vendors may only enter into the “Professional Grower” category. These will only be judged for first place so bring your best!

Rookies: If you are a new CP enthusiast and this is your first show, you are eligible for the The Peter D’Amato Rookie Award. Rookies must have been in the carnivorous plant hobby for two years or less. This means the grower started growing carnivorous plants between 2023 and now. In addition to being eligible for the Peter D’Amato Rookie Award, your entry will be eligible for all other awards and will be judged with the other entries.

Display Entry Categories:

  1. Venus Flytrap: Dionaea

  2. Sundew: Byblis, Drosera, Drosophyllum, Roridula

  3. Butterwort: Pinguicula

  4. American Pitcher: Sarracenia

  5. Asian Pitcher: Nepenthes

  6. Other Pitcher: Brocchinia, Cephalotus, Darlingtonia, Heliamphora

  7. Aquatic: Aldrovanda, Genlisea, Utricularia

  8. Other Carnivorous Plant

  9. Arrangement: Dish garden, Terrarium, Bog Garden

  10. Art Work: Sculptures, Photography, Arrangements, Paintings, etc.

  11. The Peter D’Amato Rookie Award: Any category except Art Work, see above for “Rookies”

  12. Professionally Grown

Special Awards:

  • Best in Show
  • People’s Choice
  • The Geoff Wong Award for Horticultural Excellence

BACPS Judging Criteria

The following criteria, as applicable, will be applied to plants entered in BACPS judged competitions.

Horticultural excellence will be the primary factor in making awards.  Entries that are comparably well-grown will be differentiated by quality of presentation.

Difficulty of cultivation will be considered in evaluating horticultural excellence.  Rarity by itself is not a consideration.

  • Horticultural Excellence (70 points)
    • Vigor:  maturity, size, form, color
    • Health:  no diseases or pests; no blemishes from disease, pests, sunburn, etc.
    • Attention to details:  balance and symmetry, training, spacing, condition of companion plants
  • Presentation (30 points)
    • Overall appearance:  aesthetically appealing, eye catching
    • Grooming:  dead leaves & flowers trimmed, weeds removed, pot clean
    • Attention to details:  container complementary to plant, unobtrusively staked, top dressed if needed

Individuals who are not displaying plants will not be allowed to enter the display area until judging is completed. Registrants who are displaying plants are to set up their displays and then immediately leave the display area to avoid unnecessary congestion and disturbance to other participants.

Event Rules

1. Absolutely no shopping or browsing before 12pm. This includes vendors, volunteers, and the general public. No asking vendors to put plants aside to pay for later. Volunteering and vending are NOT ways to get early access to sale plants.

2. Only vendors and volunteers with Show & Sale badges are allowed in the sale area during setup.
Please give all of our vendors space to set up. If you are found to be shopping, you will be asked to leave the event until the show starts. Repeat offenders will no longer be allowed to participate in BACPS events.

3. No outside plants allowed for personal sales or trades. This is the one BACPS event a year you will not be allowed to bring plants for personal sales or trades with other members, only registered vendors are allowed to bring plants in to sell.

If you are not a registered vendor and are found selling or trading plants on school property you will be asked to leave with a warning. Repeat offenders may no longer be allowed to participate in BACPS events.

4. Selling at the club table requires advanced registration. Please email contact@bacps.org to register.

5. During show hours you MUST check in at the entrance and receive a hand stamp. Honestly, you don’t even have to put your real name, list yourself as Bob the Builder for all we care. We just need an accurate head count.

6. Be respectful to our volunteers. If you are found to be causing troubles for our volunteers, you will be asked to leave and may no longer be able to participate in BACPS events.

7. Show plant pick up is from 4:15 – 5pm. In order to maintain a secure showroom we will not allow show plants to leave until after 4:15pm. If you can’t stay this late, please email contact@bacps.org to make arrangements in advance.

Please pick up your show plants no later than 5pm. We cannot guarantee the care of any plants that are left behind after 5pm. Please make sure you provide good cell phone number with your entry form in the event we need to contact you.

Check in Process

Attendees are required sign in at the front and receive a hand stamp to enter.
We have physical sign in sheets and QR codes available that lead to a google form. When the line gets backed up we’ll start walking the QR code down the line. Fill out the Google form and show the volunteer at the front the completed entry on your phone to receive a stamp and head in.

We REALLY just need a headcount. Honestly!

Venue and COVID Information

Remember, the last several years have been tough for a lot of people, please be patient and kind to your fellow carnivorous plant enthusiasts.

Safety Requirements for COVID

Always follow the guidelines for Alameda County. We recommend masks for anyone immunocompromised or if you just want to be careful. People do come in close contact. Most of the event is outdoors.

Parking

Parking is free. There is an area for parking on the grounds with entry on Chestnut Street. The EXIT is on Lafayette St. There is also plenty of street parking. Be respectful of the neighborhood and residents. Do not block driveways etc.

Entrance to the event: The gate to enter the grounds is on Chestnut.

If you park on the school grounds, exit the parking area through the gate to Chestnut and walk along the sidewalk to the gate marked for people on the map below to enter the grounds. If there is a line, please keep proper distancing.