The recent BSOB Bonsai Show at the Brevard Zoo was more than just fun for participants—it revealed something important about the future of bonsai clubs. The results of attendee voting for the People’s Choice and Most Creative Display awards point to a clear direction clubs must embrace if they want to thrive in today’s environment.
Let’s back up for a moment. In May 2025 at the BSF Annual Convention, the Bonsai Society of Brevard, under my leadership, hosted the Creative Bonsai Art Installation. While the creative display was well received, the audience was largely made up of bonsai enthusiasts who already understood bonsai. It wasn’t an opportunity to recruit new members—a challenge all clubs face today as membership declines for many reasons.
So how do we stay relevant and bring in new people? The zoo show gave us a big clue.
As a follow-on to the BSF convention’s experiment, we encouraged BSOB members to design creative bonsai displays. They responded with seven imaginative installations that went well beyond tradition. We then asked zoo attendees—most of whom (98%) knew almost nothing about bonsai—to vote for both their favorite display and the most creative display. The results were overwhelming: newcomers were drawn to creativity.
The People Spoke
The People’s Choice award went to a Cinderella-themed installation with a bonsai, the Fairy Godmother, and the glass slipper. The Most Creative award went to a Monster Cloud bonsai Forest planting paired with toy figures from Monsters Inc. Children actually played with the toys. Families were delighted by the Cinderella story as its details slowly revealed themselves. The remaining votes went to the other creative displays. One child wanted to vote for another display that featured a Lionel train, while an adult commented that a display that paired a bonsai with an oil painting belonged in a museum. The lesson was clear: combining bonsai with broader cultural elements gives displays a voice that resonates.
Build A Tree Workshop
That excitement spilled over into the “Build a Tree” workshop, where adults, teens, and children after seeing the creative display eagerly created their own bonsai. The result? Energy, engagement, and the very real possibility of many new members.
The data is clear and the proof is in front of us. If clubs, leaders, and show organizers want to stay relevant and attract a broader audience, the path forward is simple: get creative.