Upcoming Events
ChicagolandCelebrates 75 Years of The Gesneriad Society
June 28 to July 4, 2026
THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS CHAPTER and the Convention
Committee welcome you to the 69th Convention of The
Gesneriad Society. The convention will be held from
Sunday, June 28, to Saturday, July 4, 2026. This convention
marks the 75th anniversary of the Society and is the second
convention held in “Chicagoland” following the first “Windy City”
gathering in 1998. This year we will meet at the Westin Chicago
North Shore Hotel in Wheeling, Illinois, 16 miles north of
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
The Chicagoland area was originally the homeland of several
native American tribes. The city name shikaawaa originates
from the native American term for the wild leeks that grew
abundantly along the shoreline of the Chicago River. The first
non-native settler, a freed slave named Jean Baptiste Pointe du
Sable, established a trading post at the river mouth in 1797.
Over the next 70 years Chicago expanded to more than 300,000 residents. The Great Fire of 1871 left almost 100,000 homeless; however, within two decades the city had rebuilt sufficiently to host the World’s Columbia Exposition in 1893 celebrating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World and showcasing American industry, innovation, and culture. That period coincides with the opening of Garfield Park, home of the Garfield Park Conservatory that we will visit on our first scheduled tour.
The city again rapidly expanded after World War II, resulting in the distinctive Chicago skyline that is included in the 2026 Convention Logo. Both the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Morton Arboretum were founded during this period of rapid expansion. These two botanical gems, along with a Chicago River Architectural Boat Tour, are part of our field trips.
The main events of the convention will, of course, include panels and programs by experts on gesneriad culture and classification, reports and programs from the Conservation Committee and the Gesneriad Hybridizers Association, judging school training sessions and the judged flower show, the plant sale featuring a huge variety of gesneriads, as well as the Society’s important efforts in fostering education and conservation. Watch for the announcement of the opening of convention registration and remember that admittance to plant sales on opening night is in order by your registration number, so register early. See you in Chicagoland!
All the details can be found on the Gesneriad Society’s webpage with information about location, hotels,travels, & trips and costs.
