[I know that not many (if any) of you will be going to this year’s convention, but I thought I would give you a look at just what goes on. The convention is held every other year and is often much closer to home. –editor]

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Registration

Dinner On your own

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Welcoming reception

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Sales of raffle tickets for early entry to sales area

7:00 AM Sales area open to raffle winners

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sales area open to all

8:00 am - 5:00 pm CSSA Silent Auction open to all

9:00 AM Welcoming Remarks

9:30 am-10:30 am Sheila Collenette - Succulent euphorbias in Saudi Arabia

10:45 am-11:45 am John Lavranos - Madagascar

12:00 am-1:00 pm On your own

Lunch Peter Gammarano - Secrets of a Windowsill Garden

2:30 pm-3:30 pm Graham Williamson - Part one of "Kuene to the Karoo" Kaokaland in Namibia to Richtersveld and Bushmanland in South Africa

3:45 pm-4:45 pm Urs Eggli - Succulent Plants - An Inside View

5:00 pm-6:00 pm Panel Discussion

7:30 PM Welcoming Banquet with special guest speaker - Graham Charles - "Highlights of South America - a compilation of 16 visits!". A Presentation of Awards will follow.

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sales area open to all

8:00 am - 5:00 pm CSSA Silent Auction open to all

8:30 am-9:30 am Myron Kimnach - Moroccan Adventure

9:45 am-10:45 am Peter Gammarano - Plant Giants of the Succulent World

11:00 am-Noon Graham Williamson - Part two of "Kuene to the Karoo"

Lunch On your own

1:30 pm-2:30 pm John Lavranos - The Yemen

2:45 pm-3:45 pm Sheila Collenette - The Plants of Jabal Shada

4:00 pm-5:00 pm Dan Mahr - Succulent Trees (including cacti): Part 1

5:00 pm-5:30 pm CSSA President: Open Forum for All CSSA Members

Dinner On your own

7:00 PM CSSA Auction

All day Sales area closed

Morning Depart for Field Trips

Trip 1 A trip to Yakima, Washington to view the outdoor garden of Ron McKitrick then on to view the native Pediocactus in the hills surrounding Yakima with Ron as our guide.

Trip 2 A peregrination to Weyerhaueser Rhododendron gardens and world famous Bonsai collection, a visit to the Ballard locks and the English garden at that location, and a visit to the Seattle Conservatory, which has a wonderful collection of all different types of plants including cacti, succulents and everything in between. We are planning to have lunch at this location outside on the lawn (tents will be set up if the weather requires it).

Note There are no entry fees at either of these locations. The CCSS put a lot of effort into these trips and a few more. Some of the trips were combined (more for your money) and one or two cancelled due to restrictive entrance fees, time, and/or logistics

Dinner On your own

7:30 pm-9:30 pm Meeting for Certification of CSSA Judges

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sales area open to all

8:30 am-9:30 am Dan Mahr - Succulent Trees (including cacti): Part 2

9:45 am-10:45 am Jon Rebman - Succulent Flora of Baja California

11:00 am-Noon Nick Heiting - Cacti and Succulents, an Introduction to Living Plant Art

Lunch On your own

1:30 pm-2:30 pm Joe Clements - Chile – Cold, Dry, Beautiful

2:45 pm-3:45 pm Myron Kimnach - Cacti of the West Indies, Costa Rica, and the Andes

4:00 pm-5:00 pm Leo Martin - Cacti From Seed, Indoors, Cheaply, in a Small Space

Dinner On your own

6:30 PM Affiliates' Meeting Select the 2011 CSSA Convention Host City.*

7:30 PM Newsletter Editor's Meeting

8:30 PM cacti_etc Meeting

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sales area open to all

8:30 am-9:30 am

9:45 am-10:45 am Urs Eggli - Understanding the Cacti of Chile

11:00 am-Noon Leo Martin - Cacti of the Valley of the Río Huaura in Perú

Lunch On your own

1:30 pm-2:30 pm Joe Clements - Southern California Hot Spots

2:45 pm-3:45 pm Jon Rebman - Baja California Succulents – Research

and Resources

4:00 pm-5:00 pm Nick Heiting - Desert Islands, Magic Mountains, Hanging Gardens

7:00 PM Closing Banquet with Spectacular Entertainment

Questions? Contact the convention chairman, Duke Benadom

Duke-kaz@sbcglobal.net This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it