Join the Dahlia Society of California or another dahlia society. It’s $10/year and you’ll get a monthly newsletter with helpful tips and local dahlia news and events. Members of the San Leandro D.S., Monterey Bay D.S., or Central Coast D. S. are frequent participants. The more the merrier!

An exhibitor number is a number assigned to each person showing blooms. As the the judges walk around judging blooms, they will not see your name.

If you’ve had an exhibitor number in the past, it’s the same number.

If you are new to showing or new to our show, please contact dahliasocietyofcalifornia@gmail.org and we’ll assign you a number.

If you’ve forgotten your exhibitor number, email us and we’ll send it to you.

Most exhibitors use heavy-bottomed bowls or vases as show containers. Most use pin frogs glued to the bottom with aquarium glue or similar strong water-proof glue. We avoid floral foam. You are not judged on your vase, just your bloom. Technically, you could stick your bloom in a beer bottle and show it, but the pin frogs help with presentation.

The Show Schedule has more rules about vessels. Goodwill or tag sales are great resources for vases.

Click here to see the NEW entry card labels we are using. You can print them out.

Each bloom exhibit needs an entry card where you will write:

Above the Fold

Exhibitor: Your name

Home Club: “DSC” for Dahlia Society of California or whichever club you’re a member of

Below the Fold

Your exhibitor number

Level: Everyone who’s new is a Novice, unless you’re a pro or have won a bunch of awards. Check “Novice.”

IGNORE THE CIRCLES AND JUDGE BOX (Those are for the judges.)

Section: Each section has a special location in the Hall of Flowers. Example: There' will be a table marked Novice + Section A. We will help you find the right spot, so don’t worry! Here’s a quick description of the Sections:

• A. Single blooms

• B. Triples (three of a kind)

• C. Fives (five of a kind)

• D. Multiples (seven or more of a kind)

• E. Seedlings (unnamed newcomers)

• F. Sponsored (cash prize) categories by the Pacific Southwest Dahlia Conference, including our Flower of the Year: SKIP TO MY LOU

• G. Sponsored (cash prize) categories by members of the Dahlia Society of California

• H. Seedlings in groups of 3 in their 4th year of growing

• I. Themed Arrangements: San Francisco Icons (Show Schedule has more details)

• J. Junior Classes (under 18)

• K. Special Classes (such as Floating Waterlilies or Nature’s Oddities)

• L. Photography

See the Show Schedule for complete descriptions of each Section.

Class #: This is the 4-digit code called a classification number. Often you can find these numbers online, but they are listed in the Classification and Handbook of Dahlias published by the ADS. We can help you look these up, but it’s better if you do this before you come to the show. Example: Bridezilla’s class # is 7301.

Bloom name (ex: Bridezilla)

This list contains helpful supplies you’ll want to have handy at the show:

Show Packing List:

• Scissors or snips         

• 5 gallon bucket with your name (You’ll have access to water at the Hall of Flowers)

• Watering pail with name

• Many towels for spills  

• Containers with solidly attached pin frogs!

• ADS Classification Book

• Pens/pencils 

Optional items: 

• Your XL spread sheet with cultivar names and ADS #s

• Entry cards

• Stylet Oil and cotton balls to clean leaves

• Extra fat stems for supporting too gracile stems

• Trolly for transporting exhibits

• Floralife additive for vases

This list contains helpful supplies you’ll want to have handy at the show:

Show Packing List:

• Scissors or snips         

• 5 gallon bucket with your name

• Watering pail with name

• Many towels for spills  

• Containers with solidly attached pin frogs!

• ADS Classification Book

• Pens/pencils 

Optional items: 

• Your XL spread sheet with cultivar names and ADS #s

• Entry cards

• Stylet Oil and cotton balls to clean leaves

• Extra fat stems for supporting too gracile stems

• Trolly for transporting exhibits

• Floralife additive for vases

Your staged blooms must be on the table along with your Entry Card by 9AM on Saturday, Aug. 15.

The Hall of Flowers in the County Fair Building will be open from 6PM on Friday, Aug. 14 to 9AM Sat. Aug. 15 for exhibitors to come and stage their blooms. (Yes, all night!). There’s a small parking lot off Lincoln at 10th Ave. If you have 1 bloom to exhibit or dozens, it’s a fun time staging and getting blooms out into the tables in the room. Lots of friendly people are there to help. We were all first-timers too!