Join us for book talks by three well-known local authors: Ann McClellan, Sandra Moore, and Stephen Voss. Barry Figard, President of the Baltimore Bonsai Club, will also present on “Why every bonsai has a personal story.”

After Barry and bonsai club members work some magic on miniature bonsai trees, guests are invited to sip Japanese Amazake and Ginger Amazake, served hot on a fall afternoon, as well as Japanese tea. There will be book sales, photography arts, cards, and other gifts, all for your holiday shopping pleasure. A Community Partnership Table will be available, with information on horticultural and peace programs.

Door prizes and a kimono auction will add extra fun to the event. The afternoon ends with a small token for each guest—in the Japanese tradition.

Bonsai Afternoon is presented in partnership with Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee, with assistance from the Baltimore Bonsai Club.

BOOK TALK INFORMATION:

Ann McClellan will talk about the history of the Penjing Museum at the National Arboretum.

Sandra Moore will discuss the background of her children’s book, a story about a 390-year-old bonsai tree that survived the bombing of Hiroshima and became an unexpected gift to the U.S.A.

Stephen Voss, a photographer, will discuss his photography of beautiful bonsai trees and how it became an antidote to a fast-paced job as a political photographer in Washington D.C.

This is a fundraising event for the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister City Committee, a non-profit organization affiliated with Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc., advocating for person-to-person diplomacy. The Committee celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2019, and proceeds from this Bonsai Afternoon will be used to support vertical farming plans and Japanese cherry blossom plantings in Baltimore City.