Aim for Ames for Irises

May 23 & 24, 2025

Ames, Iowa

We are pleased to host the 2025 Siberian and Species Iris Convention in conjunction with the spring meeting of AIS Region 21. The convention will begin Friday afternoon, May 23, and conclude Saturday evening, May 24. It will include tours of three gardens, two with guest Siberian and species irises, in-garden judges’ training, and silent and live auctions.

The host hotel is the Gateway Hotel & Conference Center, 2100 Green Hills Drive in Ames, www.gatewayames.com. Twenty guest rooms have been reserved on Friday and Saturday nights for convention attendees at the rate of $132/night (U.S. funds) plus 12% tax for two queen or one king bed. Guest rooms have recently been renovated. Please contact the hotel directly at 515-292-8600 and mention the Region 21 Iris Convention to receive this pricing. Pricing is good until May 2, 2025 but we encourage making your reservation as soon as possible so that we can request additional rooms if needed.

Convention Registration is $120 U.S. funds if postmarked by April 1, 2025 or $140 U.S. funds if received between April 2 and April 20, 2025. No refunds can be given for cancellations made after April 20, 2025. Convention registration includes a welcome dinner and garden tour at the Jurik garden on Friday evening, continental breakfast on Saturday morning at the Girton garden, Saturday lunch and tours at the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens, judges’ training at the Jurik garden, and an evening banquet, speaker, and auction at the Gateway Hotel Saturday evening.

A charter bus for 40 passengers has been reserved for transportation on Saturday. We will rely on ride-sharing on Friday evening for the across town trip from the hotel to the Jurik garden with sign up available at the registration table Friday afternoon.

The closest airport is the Des Moines International Airport (40 miles south of Ames). You may elect to rent a car there or to contact Kris Jurik, k.jurik@yahoo.com, to arrange for pick up by a volunteer.

Details, tentative schedule, and registrations form: https://siberianirises.org/convention2025.pdf

Thank you to Region 21 and the Lincoln Iris Society for providing logistical and financial support.

Co-Chairs: Lois Girton and Kris Jurik