2009 MIDWEST REGIONAL
HOSTA CONVENTION
Hosted
by
Illinois Prairie Hosta Society
June 11-13,
2009
I Hotel and Conference Center
1900 South First Street
Champaign, IL 61820
The Illinois Prairie Hosta Society is proud to host the ‘Grand Prairie Hostas’ 2009 Midwest Regional Hosta Convention in Champaign, Illinois, June 11-13, 2009. The convention location is the I Hotel and Conference Center, a brand new luxury hotel and state-of-the-art conference center. The convention includes all the expected activities such as national and local vendors, accredited hosta leaf show, live and silent auctions, garden tours, raffles, banquet, hospitality suite, and optional garden tours on Sunday. New events include a Thursday evening alfresco cocktail party, educational seminars on Friday, and optional golf outings on Friday and Saturday.
The metro area of Champaign,
Urbana and the University of Illinois campus offers attendees a variety of
restaurants, garden centers, shopping, museums, parks and other activities.
Travel to Champaign is easy and
direct via three interstate highways, Willard Airport (CMI), Amtrak or Greyhound.
Contact the I Hotel for room reservations at 217.819.5000
or visit www.stayatthei.com, and
use Attendee Code AHOS.
2009
Convention Highlights
THURSDAY: The convention begins on Thursday when
the vendors open. Only a short distance
from the convention hotel, enjoy an alfresco cocktail party in the adjacent
gardens of two hostaholics.
After returning to the hotel, the evening concludes in the hospitality
suite with a variety of refreshments and atmosphere to visit with old and new
friends.
FRIDAY: Friday features several educational seminars
and a judges clinic. The hosta leaf
show, a major attraction, opens in the afternoon. The vendor area is open to attendees and the public all day, so
come early for the best selection.
During evening cocktails enjoy the silent auction, followed by dinner
and the live auction. The evening
concludes in the hospitality suite.
SATURDAY: Saturday begins with breakfast and a tour of
six great gardens. After the garden
tours the buses proceed to a local nursery for a barbeque lunch and shopping,
of course! After lunch the buses return
to the hotel with time to relax, visit the vendors and hosta leaf show, and get
ready for the convention banquet. The
evening concludes in the hospitality suite.
SUNDAY: Before leaving on Sunday, take optional tours of beautiful private gardens or the University of Illinois’ Idea Garden, Japan House, and Allerton Park in nearby Monticello, IL.
Please join us June 11-13,
2009 for a ‘Grand Prairie Hostas’ good time!
www.mrhs2009.com