How to Join the Midwest Bonsai Society and What Membership Offers

The Midwest Bonsai Society (MBS) is based at the Chicago Botanic Garden and exists to promote public awareness, cultivation, and the living art of bonsai. If you want to join, the society's site provides two routes: a Join/Renew page and a printable membership form. Once you're a member, the site points to several member-facing areas — meetings, the Chicago Chapter, the annual exhibition, the newsletter archive, and a Member's Toolbox — plus a stated purpose of connecting you with other bonsai enthusiasts in the Chicago area.

Who the Society Is For

MBS describes itself as promoting public awareness, cultivation, and the living art of bonsai, and it operates from the Chicago Botanic Garden. That makes it a reasonable fit if you are:

• In or near the Chicago area and want an in-person bonsai community
• Interested in learning bonsai cultivation rather than only viewing finished trees
• Looking for recurring events (meetings, a chapter, an annual exhibition) rather than a one-off class
• Wanting member resources such as a newsletter archive and a Member's Toolbox

If you are outside the region, the site still offers public material — a Bonsai FAQ, Chicagoland resources, bonsai links, a gallery, videos, and a Bonsai Helpline — but the membership benefits described are tied to participating in the society's local activities.

How to Join

The site lists membership under a Membership section with a Why Join? page, a Join/Renew page, and a Printable Form. The practical steps:

1. Open the Why Join? page to review what membership is intended to give you.
2. Go to Join/Renew to join or renew online, or download the Printable Form if you prefer to submit by mail.
3. If you use the printable form, complete it and send it in according to the instructions on that form.
4. After joining, look for the member areas: Meetings, Chicago Chapter, Newsletter Archive, and Member's Toolbox.

The site does not publish dues amounts, payment platforms, or login requirements in the material available here, so check the Join/Renew page and the printable form for current cost and payment details before assuming anything about price or access.

What Membership Offers

Based on the site's navigation and descriptions, membership connects you to:

The society also frames membership around connecting with others — "Connect with Others - Join the Society" is one of its featured calls to action — and around learning about bonsai (盆栽).

The Annual Exhibition as a Membership Draw

The society's headline event is the Mid-America Bonsai Exhibition, held at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The 48th Annual exhibition is scheduled for August 14–16, 2026, with guest master Boon Manakitivipart judging and critiquing exhibited trees. The schedule given on the site:

• Friday, August 14: 12 noon – 5 p.m.
• Saturday, August 15: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Sunday, August 16: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The exhibition includes tree displays, vendor sales, workshops, a Saturday night banquet, volunteer opportunities, and a judged show with online tree registration for those who want to exhibit. Vendors from across the United States bring trees, supplies, pots, and more. If you join, this is the clearest example of the kind of event membership plugs you into — and it's also open to the public, so you can attend first and decide about joining afterward.

A Sensible Way to Decide

• Join if you want ongoing local involvement: meetings, a chapter, a newsletter archive, a members' toolbox, and a community around the Chicago Botanic Garden.
• Attend first if you're unsure. The August exhibition is public and gives you a low-commitment look at the society's scale and people before you pay dues.
• Use the public resources either way. The Bonsai FAQ, gallery, videos, and Bonsai Helpline are available from the site regardless of membership.

For current dues, renewal terms, and any member login details, go directly to the Join/Renew page and the Printable Form, since those specifics aren't stated in the site material summarized here.