Northeast Bonsai will be showing member trees at the 2026 Topsfield Fair!
Photos from the 2025 Topsfield Fair below
Display Areas
There will be two areas where bonsai will be displayed at the Topsfield Fair: The Club Display and the Judged Area. Both of these are in the Flower Building at the Fairgrounds. We encourage all members to attend the fair and bring family and friends to see bonsai!
Judged Area
The Judged Area is generally the “open enrollment” area, and any member can (and should) enter a tree here. These trees will be entered in categories of experience and tree size, and each will be judged separately. There will be winners in each category. The judges will also provide a brief write up on winning trees including thoughts on future growth.
Judged Area Rules
Members can show up to 5 trees in one of the following (3) categories according to their skill/experience level (these correlate to the club show categories: Novice, Experienced Beginner, and Advanced):
LL: Bonsai Novice (for folks who are new or just starting)
MM: Bonsai Hobbyist Amateur (for members who have had some formal bonsai training but still early in the hobby)
NN: Bonsai Hobbyist Advanced (For members with formal training and/or longevity in the hobby)
All categories will have the sub-category Saikei (landscape planting)
MM and NN categories will have the sub-categories:
Mame, Shohin (small, up to 6")
Komono (medium, 6" to 12")
Chin (large, 12" to 24")
Dai (x-large, 24"+)
Judging will be done by qualified judges (all NEBA members) through the Topsfield Fair judging system
A first, second and third place award will be named for each sub-category.
An award will be given for “best in show”.
The Golden Rule: Our club values the bonsai practitioner’s personal skill and style, we take pride in the work we have accomplished and look for constructive feedback and new ideas to grow and improve. When showing a tree it is requested that the majority of the work has been completed by the member showing the tree. It is highly encouraged to display bonsai that have been in your care their entire life. It is highly discouraged to display “purchased” “finished”, “pre-styled” or “complete” bonsai that have not remained in your care for at least 3 years.
Club Display
The Club Display area is reserved for our club’s best trees. If you think that you have a tree that is ready for this area, and you would like to display it, please reach out to club president Dave Furman through email (northeastbonsai@gmail.com). You can send pictures of the tree, and we can evaluate whether it meets the criteria for this area.
See the Topsfield Fair website for more details on the fair.