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Thursday, September 28

7:30 AM – 4 PM         Biltmore Estate & Gardens (Special Registration Required)
Nestled within 8,000 acres of pristine Blue Ridge Mountain beauty, the Biltmore Estate is a one-of-a-kind destination. You will discover the estate’s origin and its evolution from the country home of the Vanderbilt family to beloved national treasure. This audio-guided tour spans three floors and the basement of the luxurious home, and then you can explore the historic gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, the father of American landscape design. You will be in horticultural paradise experiencing the indoor and outdoor gardens! This tour includes transportation and admission to the house and gardens. Lunch options are available at the Biltmore for all budgets and styles. This tour requires walking. The cost is $149. Seating is limited so register early. 

4:30 PM                                     Elected Leaders and City Administrators Roundtable
America in Bloom is pleased to present an idea sharing and networking program designed exclusively for elected leaders and municipal administrators. Through peer-to-peer discussion, learn about the solutions communities are using to solve some of today’s challenges facing municipalities of all sizes. This roundtable is a must for all elected officials and municipal leaders. Refreshments will be served. 

5:30 PM                                     Opening Night Reception
Catch up with old friends and make new ones during this informal cash bar event. Participate in the silent auction and help kick off the conference.

6:30 PM                                     Community Connections Dinner Celebration & Silent Auction
Now it’s time to celebrate your achievements. This is a time for food, fun, and awards! Each AIB community will be recognized for their efforts. All Dwight Lund Community Champion nominees will be honored and the winner announced. This is where we celebrate YOU and what YOUR community is doing to make America bloom! At the end of the festivities, enjoy dessert while networking with your peers and making your final bids on silent auction items.

Friday, September 29

7:15 AM                               Morning Jolt: Caffeine & Conversation
Caffeine + conversation = great start to the day. Grab some coffee and converse with other AIB attendees and the Showcase of Innovation companies. These companies feature innovative products and services relevant to your community. Note, there is no breakfast provided this morning. Breakfast is available at the hotel restaurant and snack bar.

8 AM                                     Let’s Get Started!
AIB Symposium Chair Pam Newton and Greenwood, South Carolina representatives will kick things off and prepare you for the days ahead.

8:15 AM                               Keynote Presentation: Protecting the Life that Sustains Us – Conserving Pollinators
Ann Barklow, Clemson University Master Gardener
Research has shown significant global declines in native pollinator population sizes and ranges. Fortunately, correct landscape practices can help to build thriving, diverse native pollinator populations. In this presentation, you will learn how to galvanize your community to sustain pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and more. Ann will show how volunteers can be involved, mosquito prevention programs and pest control practices to implement, how to educate the residents, and more.

8:45 AM                               Engaging with County Extension and Utilizing Other Partners
Stephanie Ann Turner, Clemson University Extension
What does “right plant, right place” mean? Why is integrated pest management important? What is a mulch volcano, and why is that bad? Across every state and territory, Cooperative Extension is engaged in providing resources and education. Stephanie will highlight how your local Extension office can be a great partner in your efforts to improve the economy, environment, and well-being of residents through the delivery of unbiased research-based information and education. Learn more about Extension programming like South Carolina Master Gardener, Carolina Yards, 4-H, School and Community Garden Programs, and the Home Garden Information Center. Hear inspirational stories of other community partnerships that align with Extension activities and how they can be partners in your In Bloom success.

9:30 AM                               Showcase of Innovation & Conversation
This networking break allows you to continue sharing ideas and meeting Showcase of Innovation companies. 

9:45 AM                               Best Ideas Community Forum
Facilitator: Sue Amatangelo, AIB Advisor
This popular hour-long interactive session will be packed with ideas you take home and implement. Through roundtable discussions you will hear about solutions – big and small – that can help to transform your community. Come with your own best ideas to share!

10:45 AM                            Best Ideas Talk Back: The Doctor Will See You Now
Dr. Charlie Hall, Texas A&M University
Your favorite speaker is back! And this time, we’re putting Dr. Charlie Hall on the spot. Dr. Hall will listen in on your Best Ideas roundtable conversations from the previous session and then use this fast-paced program to react to what he heard. This session showcases Charlie’s unique ability to connect your best ideas to the economic, environmental, and human health benefits of beautification. The doctor is in! 

11:15 AM                               Showcase of Innovation & Conversation
This networking break allows you to continue sharing ideas and meeting Showcase of Innovation companies. 

11:30 AM                            Networking Lunch
This relaxing lunch allows you to connect with other attendees, continue the conversations and idea sharing you’ve had today, and get ready for an exciting afternoon and evening in our host community of Greenwood, South Carolina.

12:15 PM                             Buses Depart for Greenwood, South Carolina Adventure
You get to experience the beauty of Greenwood, South Carolina, a community that mixes hometown hospitality, heritage celebration, and beautiful landscapes.

2 PM                                     Community Tour of Greenwood, South Carolina
Today’s community tour will present a look at Greenwood’s rich history with tours of the Railroad Historical Center and the Benjamin E. Mays Historic Preservation Site. Your learning tour will continue as you walk through the city center and explore pollinator gardens, recent commercial and residential development, and the vibrant Arts and Cultural District. You will learn about Greenwood’s renowned SC Festival of Flowers’ Signature Topiary Display, including where they live and how they are created. The showstopping of topiaries will be displayed throughout the walking tour, so make sure you’re prepared for numerous photo opportunities!

5:30 PM                               Reception
The Community Tour ends with a hosted reception and time for relaxation and conversation in Greenwood’s renovated Arts Center, the perfect venue for networking and socializing while taking in award-winning art exhibits. Refreshments will be provided by the talented Culinary Arts Students from the G. Frank Russell Career Center.

6:30 PM                               “A Taste of the South” Dinner Hosted by the City of Greenwood
Dinner will be served in the City’s Uptown Farmers’ Market that architecturally continues the rich railroad tradition in its “depot” design.  Enjoy an ultimate Southern buffet complete with all the “fixins.” Dessert will be provided by the Career Center’s Culinary Arts Department, all in a true Southern setting complete with Southern flora and fauna. The fun won’t stop there, as the Greenwood in Bloom Committee has prepared a special and fun end to the evening. Everyone will have the opportunity to learn South Carolina’s State Dance, the Shag! So, bring your appetites and dancing shoes to Greenwood. We look forward to hosting y’all!

8 PM                                     Buses Depart for Return to Spartanburg

Saturday, September 30

7:45 AM                               Morning Jolt: Caffeine & Conversation
Caffeine + conversation = great start to the day. Grab some coffee and converse with other AIB attendees and the Showcase of Innovation companies. These companies feature innovative products and services relevant to your community. Note, there is no breakfast provided this morning. Breakfast is available at the hotel restaurant and snack bar.

8:15 AM                               America in Bloom’s State of the Organization
Jack Clasen, AIB President and Laura Kunkle, AIB Executive Director
In this session you will hear about the organization’s current status, including its achievements, challenges, and plans for the future. Jack and Laura will share how AIB is striving to make even more of an impact in communities.

8:30 AM                               Problem Solving America in Bloom Style
Facilitator: Pam Newton, AIB Symposium Chair
Put your thinking cap on for this problem-solving session. Together, we will explore creative ideas to help solve common issues facing communities.

9:15 AM                               Meet with the Advisors
These sessions are set up so that each community can meet with Advisors and delegates from other AIB communities. Get excellent insight into the ordinary and extraordinary things towns and cities are doing across America. AIB Advisors will share what they saw during their visits to communities and how to enhance your town’s participation in AIB.

11:15 AM                            Showcase of Innovation & Conversation
This networking break allows you to continue sharing ideas and meeting Showcase of Innovation companies.

11:30 AM                            Hot Topics Deep Dive Breakout Sessions
We pick the topics, you pick where to go! Each breakout session will focus on a hot topic impacting communities. This is the perfect opportunity to share your ideas, ask questions, and learn from your peers. We’ll provide plenty of space for discussion, so be prepared to take lots of notes as you explore innovative solutions and best practices for tackling these issues.

Afternoon                          Lunch on Your Own, Self-Guided Historic Tour of Spartanburg, and Shuttle to Hatcher Gardens
You asked for more free time, so here it is! This afternoon is yours to explore. The hotel is just a few blocks from Spartanburg’s thriving downtown. There you can enjoy lunch on your own and learn more about the historic downtown through a self-guided walking tour (maps provided). Then, hop on the shuttle to go Hatcher Gardens and Woodland Preserve. This 10-acre public garden is a place where nature’s charm meets the thrill of learning and stunning scenery provides a sanctuary for wildlife. A shuttle will continually loop from the hotel to downtown to Hatcher Gardens and back to the hotel. So come and go as you wish and explore the beautiful area.  

5:30 PM                               Closing Night Reception
This final night cash bar reception allows you to mingle with old and new friends, swap contact information, and make plans to stay in touch.

6:30 PM                               Evening in Bloom: America in Bloom Awards Banquet
The anticipation goes into high gear with more food, fun, and awards. This final-night event shines the spotlight on the transformative efforts by AIB communities.