Monterey Bay Iris— Iris Show
Spring Show
In late April or early May of each year, the Monterey Bay Iris Society presents an iris show. This year our show is being held on Saturday April 23, and Sunday April 24th, 2022 at the London Nelson Community Center, 301 Center Street, Santa Cruz, CA. The show is open to the public from one until 6 on Saturday and 11 am until 5 pm on Sunday. Admission is free. 
We have two main purposes for this show. First, we wish to introduce the interested members of the public to irises. Second, we wish to provide an occasion to judge irises, both unnamed seedlings and established cultivars.
In this show, irises are not judged against other irises of different colors, but are judged for the best possible form, color and size of that particular cultivar. We also judge the skill of the exhibitor in terms of how well the plant has been grown, and how skillfully the stalk has been staged at the show.
Unnamed, unregistered seedlings are judged separately from the named cultivars. Seedlings are new varieties grown from seeds collected from carefully planned crosses between two parent irises. Seedlings are judged differently from the named cultivars. What we are looking for in a seedling is something new that is not found in any other named iris, along with good form, vitality, strong stems, and a high bud count.
Anyone can enter irises in the MBIS show. We especially encourage interested youth to enter the irises that they grow. We have a special category for youth entries along with ribbons and trophies.
If you would like to enter irises from your garden, contact our Show Chairperson Charley Kearns, at 408 315-1520, kcf@verizon.com or c/o Monterey Bay Iris Society, Post Office Box 2361, Los Gatos, California 95031.