For more information about the Iris Society of Dallas please send us an email.
The 2023 American Iris Society Convention Dallas, Texas
April 12 – 16
Hosted by The Iris Society of Dallas
Complete information will be forthcoming, but for now, here are the highlights.
REGISTRATION
Full Registration is $349. This includes the two days of garden tours including lunches, presentations on various iris related subjects, judges training sessions, the Welcome dinner, the Awards Brunch on Sunday, a Convention book, and goodie bag.
Garden Tours ONLY Registration is $275 which is the bus tours with lunches, a Convention book, and goodie bag.
Meals ONLY Registration is $100 which is the Welcome dinner and the Awards brunch only.
CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION FORM
CONVENTION HOTEL
Courtyard By Marriot Dallas DFW Airport North
2200 Bass Pro Court
Grapevine, Texas 76051
Rooms
Room Rate: $139 per night for single or double.
Reservations: Contact the Courtyard By Marriott at 817-251-9095
Ask for the "Iris Society of Dallas" rate.
Online registration link will be available soon.
Hotel Services: Shuttle to/from DFW Airport
Cafe
Small Dogs allowed
Outdoor pool
When you stay at Courtyard by Marriott Dallas DFW Airport North/Grapevine in Grapevine, you'll be near the airport, within a 5-minute drive of Grapevine Mills Mall and SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium. This hotel is 1.3 mi (2.2 km) from LEGOLAND® Discovery Center and 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from Grapevine Lake.
Near Cowboys Golf Course. Make yourself at home in one of the 170 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and flat-screen televisions. Wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary, while MP3 docking stations and cable programming provide entertainment. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature designer toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include desks and microwaves, as well as phones with free local calls.
Distances are displayed to the nearest 0.1 mile and kilometer.
Grapevine Mills Mall - 1.3 km / 0.8 mi
Cowboys Golf Course - 2 km / 1.2 mi
SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium - 2 km / 1.3 mi
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center - 2 km / 1.3 mi
Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark - 2.2 km / 1.4 mi
Grapevine Lake - 2.4 km / 1.5 mi
Gaylord Texan Convention Center - 2.7 km / 1.7 mi
Grapevine Historic Main Street District - 3.9 km / 2.4 mi
Palace Arts Center Theatre - 4 km / 2.5 mi
Messina Hof Grapevine Winery - 4 km / 2.5 mi
Grapevine Historical Museum - 4.6 km / 2.9 mi
Grapevine Municipal Golf Course - 4.6 km / 2.9 mi
Grapevine Vintage Railroad - 4.6 km / 2.9 mi
Grapevine Botanical Gardens - 4.7 km / 2.9 mi
Founder's Plaza Observation Area - 5.1 km / 3.2 mi
The nearest airports are:
Dallas-Fort Worth Intl. Airport (DFW) - 8.1 km / 5 mi
Love Field Airport (DAL) - 29.5 km / 18.4 mi
The preferred airport for Courtyard by Marriott Dallas DFW Airport North/Grapevine is Dallas-Fort Worth Intl. Airport (DFW). Yes! There is an airport shuttle. A roundtrip airport shuttle is complimentary (available on request).
Don't miss out on recreational opportunities including an outdoor pool and a fitness center. This hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, tour/ticket assistance, a picnic area, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. Satisfy your appetite with American cuisine at The Bistro, a bistro which features a bar/lounge. Dining is also available at the coffee shop/cafe. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available daily from 6 AM to 10 AM for a fee. Property is cleaned with disinfectant Property confirms they are implementing enhanced cleaning measures Social distancing measures are in place Guests are provided with free hand sanitizer Property confirms they are implementing guest safety measures.
- Breakfast fee: between USD 8 and USD 25 for adults, USD 8 and USD 25 for children (approximately)
- Early check-in is available for a fee (subject to availability)
CLICK HERE to download FINAL CONVENTION SCHEDULE
CONVENTION EVENTS
Bearded Iris Panel Discussion - Delane Langton, Howie Dash, Bob Skaggs, Lynda Miller
Beardless Iris Panel Discussion - Chad Harris, Steve Poole, Robert Treadway, Lee Walker
Geek Dinner and live Auction
Representatives from most AIS groups will have tables. There will not be any section breakout meetings/programs
Silent Auction
Region Baskets
Potted Iris Sales
Live Auction
Two days of Garden Tours
Welcome dinner
Awards brunch
TOUR GARDENS
Five gardens will be visited during the two days of tours. Snacks will be served in each garden and a lunch provided both days.
Gardens on DAY 1
Judy Schneider - Whitesboro, Texas - the Shady Spot is literally an "iris farm": the iris planted in beds everywhere and growing in huge tubs are accompanied by chickens, goats, a llama, and other animals, not to mention the "herd" of Frenchies.
Dell Perry - Plano, Texas - Seandel Iris Gardens is located on a corner city lot and is a display garden for the Median Iris Society, the Historic Iris Preservation Society, and the Aril Society International. It contains 1600+ iris varieties, over most classes, mixed in among the yard art.
Michael and Mary Ellen Reed - Farmer's Branch, Texas - Nestled next to a golf course, this garden is a beautiful creation with irises, daylilies, southern bulbs and other plants all living in harmony, and protected by "fierce" dachshunds.
Gardens on DAY 2
Connie Ford - Gun Barrel, Texas Situated on the shore of Cedar Creek Reservoir, the Ford garden is the home of many beardless iris, including Louisiana, Japanese, Siberian, spuria, species, and species cross, as well as bearded irises of most all classes including arilbreds.
Hooker and Bonnie Nichols - Terrell, Texas - Located in a charming rural area of East Texas, this garden is the new home of Hilcrest Iris Gardens where both Hooker and Bonnie hybridize various classes of iris, primarily Louisiana and bearded novelty irises.
PLEASE NOTE
While Tom Burseen's garden is a doable drive from the hotel, he is not open for garden visitors this year. Please respect his wishes and do not attempt to visit him. Most of his seedlings are at another location not in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. There is virtually nothing to see at his place.
REGION BASKETS
One of the fun traditions of an AIS Convention is the auctioning of the Region Baskets. What is a Region Basket ? you ask.
Each of the AIS Regions is encouraged to put together a collection of items that represent the Region - food, souvenirs, t-shirts/caps, irises by your Region's hybridizers or have the name of regional states or cities in their names, etc., and bring them in a basket or other container to the Convention, where they will be bid on in a silent auction. They can be simple or as involved as the Region desires. They are a very popular part of the Convention and can create some very friendly rivalry between some Regions.
Start building your Region's basket today.
