ANNOUNCING THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL SLOW FLOWERS SUMMIT
AT THE BANFF CENTRE FOR ARTS & CREATIVITY
Slow Flowers Society brings its seventh annual conference to Canada for two days of design inspiration, creative floral installations, and conversations about sustainable flowers
June 23-25, 2024
SEATTLE, WA (January 15, 2024) -- Debra Prinzing, founder and creative director of Slow Flowers LLC, announced the program details, venue partners and speaker lineup for the seventh Slow Flowers Summit.
"The Slow Flowers Summit has served the progressive floral community since its debut in 2017. Unlike any other professional conference, it brings together influencers in both growing and design -- all to support domestic floral agriculture and sustainable floristry," says Prinzing, producer of the Summit and founder of the Slow Flowers Movement. "The Summit invites flower lovers, artists, gardeners, growers, wholesalers and retailers to come together in this event that celebrates responsible design practices."
The Slow Flowers Summit takes place June 23-25, 2024 at The Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity in Banff, Alberta, Canada, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. “One hallmark of the Slow Flowers Summit is that we hold the gathering in beautiful locations, including botanical gardens and locations of cultural importance,” she explains. "We have been wanting to bring a conference to Canada, to showcase the Slow Flowers Movement and its leaders there. We are thrilled to hold the 2024 Summit at such a glorious location. Our registrants will be treated to great facilities and accommodations at The Banff Centre, and we’re thrilled that they’ll experience this inspiring destination during their education and design activities."
Educator and sustainable floristry expert Becky Feasby, owner of Calgary-based Prairie Girl Flowers, is serving as the local ambassador for this first-ever Canadian Summit. “I’m thrilled that the Summit will highlight flower farming and floral design talents from Alberta and across Canada,” she says.
Prinzing developed the Slow Flowers Summit as an in-person complement to other Slow Flowers’ virtual programming. “Our goal is to promote domestic flowers, raise consumer awareness and unite flower farmers with florists and customers across North America,” she continues. "When flower farmers, floral designers, and flower lovers combine their botanical passion it sparks innovation, inventive, and inclusive approaches that we hope others in the floral marketplace will emulate."
SPEAKERS:
The Slow Flowers Summit's speaker lineup includes prominent floral designers, flower farmers, and horticulture experts. For 2024, the speaker lineup includes:
Hitomi Gilliam, Hitomi Gilliam AIFD (Bowen Island, British Columbia)
Melanie Harrington, Dahlia May Flower Farm (Trenton, Ontario)
Janis Harris, Harris Flower Farm (St. Thomas, Ontario)
Heather Henson, Boreal Blooms (Cold Lake, Alberta)
Lourdes Still, Masagana Flower Farm (Steinbach, Manitoba)
Latifa Pelletier-Ahmed, ALCLA Native Plants (Calgary, Alberta)
Cynthia Zamaria, Cynthia Zamaria/House + Flower (Toronto, Ontario)
Jaimie Reeves, The Local Flower Collective (Toronto, Ontario)
Moira MacKinnon, Cooperative Flower Network (Edmonton, Alberta)
Becky Feasby, Prairie Girl Flowers (Calgary, Alberta)
TICKETS:
Registration to the 2-day event is $899USD, including a welcome reception, breakfasts, lunches, and coffee breaks. Slow Flowers members may register for $799USD.
More details can be found at Slow Flowers Summit (www.slowflowerssummit.com).
ABOUT:
Organizer of the Slow Flowers Summit, Debra Prinzing is the founder and creative director of Slow Flowers Society. Through her many Slow Flowers-branded projects, Prinzing has convened a national conversation that stimulates consumers and professionals alike to make conscious choices about their floral purchases. Prinzing is the producer of Slowflowers.com, the online directory to farms, florists, shops and studios who supply domestic and local flowers across North America. Each week, approximately 3,500 listeners tune into "Slow Flowers Podcast," available at slowflowerspodcast.com, or on iTunes and other podcast services. Prinzing is the author of 12 books, including Slow Flowers and The 50 Mile Bouquet.
