For FloriCon 2023 we want to help you to reignite the passion and skills of floristry. If it is for yourself, staff or something fun to connect to your floral friends, we have you covered.
There will be four individual competitions over the weekend as well as a whole day skills workshop as well as an inspirational work table run by Lily Beelen and aimed at commercial designs.
Individual Competitions
To take part in these competitions simply select the schedule which suits you best. Buy a weekend and a competition ticket using the links below, make your piece and bring it to the show. Don’t forget to read the T&C’s for all the specifics and timings.
We cant wait to see where your creative mind will take you!
Competition 1 (Student competition)
Sponsored by The Floristry School
(Sheffield College)
| Schedule 1 Student Competition | |
| Date | Saturday 14th October 2023 |
| Duration | Pre-made |
| Theme | Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Festival |
| Description | Create a design to be placed on a picnic table at the festival. The design must include an element that has been repurposed/reused or recycled* |
| Shape | Free |
| Size | Maximum size 75cm x 35cm – height 100cm |
| Technique | Free |
| Material | All material for this design is to be supplied by the competitor. |
| Preparation | Pre-made |
| Judging | Fresh flower and/or plant material must be visually dominant. The judges will be looking for a high standard of design and technical skill. |
| Judging Criteria | Judging criteria as used by the UK Floristry Judges Guild. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. *The competitor should specify which element has been repurposed/reused or recycled in a written statement to be placed alongside the design. |
| Display | Tables will be provided for display purposes only. |
Competitions 3
| Schedule 3 | |
| Date | Saturday 14th October 2023 |
| Duration | Pre-made |
| Theme | Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Festival |
| Description | Design and create a necklace to be worn at the festival. *The design must include an element that has been repurposed/reused or recycled. |
| Shape | Free |
| Size | Free |
| Technique | Glued |
| Material | All material for this design is to be supplied by the competitor. |
| Preparation | Pre-made |
| Judging | Fresh flower and/or plant material must be visually dominant. The judges will be looking for a high standard of design and technical skill. |
| Judging Criteria | Judging criteria as used by the UK Floristry Judges Guild. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. *The competitor should specify which element has been repurposed/reused or recycled in a written statement to be placed alongside the design. |
| Display | If a stand/prop is used the design must be removable for judging purposes. |
Competition 4
| Schedule 4 | |
| Date | Sunday 15th October 2023 |
| Duration | Pre-made |
| Theme | Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Festival |
| Description | Create a design to be carried on the catwalk at the festival. The design must include an element that has been repurposed/reused or recycled.* |
| Shape | Free |
| Size | Free |
| Technique | Free |
| Material | All material for this design is to be supplied by the competitor. |
| Preparation | Pre-made |
| Judging | Fresh flower and/or plant material must be visually dominant. The judges will be looking for a high standard of design and technical skill. |
| Judging Criteria | Judging criteria as used by the UK Floristry Judges Guild. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. *The competitor should specify which element has been repurposed/reused or recycled in a written statement to be placed alongside the design. |
| Display | If a stand/prop is used the design must be removable for judging purposes |
Skills Workshop
The Skills Workshop will run on Saturday and Sunday so you’ll be able to buy a ticket for either or both days if you wish. This workshop will be aimed at refreshing skills and working on honing some of the basics. If you want to refresh yourself, give staff a boost or meet peers at the same career stage as you, this will be an interactive and fun day. Aimed at working florists at a Level 3 standard. This workshop will assist you in your day to day job as well as set you in good stead for competition work.
Your tutors
Mark Entwistle will be teaching on the Saturday Skills Workshop. He has been in the floral industry for 35 years. After passing his exams and taking part in many competitions, he worked as a tutor before becoming the Creative Director of The Black Rose in Knutsford, Cheshire, where he worked on catering to clients bespoke needs as well as wedding and event work. Mark has won many RHS medals and a few years ago took his Demonstrator exams. Mark now works all over the UK delivering demonstrations and workshops whilst also freelancing on weddings and events.
Zoe Rowlinson will be teaching on the Sunday Skills Workshop. Zoe is the Weddings and Events manager for Fabulous Flowers in Oxford. She has a masters in floral design and 4 RHS Chelsea medals. Zoe also represented the UK for EuroSkills in Lille in 2014 after securing Gold at the UK Skills competition in 2013. She is passionate about training florists of the future and currently lectures L4 and 5 students as part of the Moreton Morrell Floristry department.
SATURDAY WORKSHOP WILL COVER:
Structural arrangement design and hand tied frameworks. Using natural and reusable materials Mark will guide you through designs that can be used to enhance your hand tied work and your commercial contract work. Excellent for both competitor and retail florist.
SUNDAY WORKSHOP WILL COVER:
Technical focused wiring, with gluing and gluing platforms. There will be floral crowns and floral jewellery to get your creative teeth into. This class can give you the commercial edge as well as helping with precision competition work.
All materials will be provided, simply buy your ticket and come along with your toolbox.
THE WORKSHOPS RUN 10.30am-4pm EACH DAY. Registration is from 10.15am
Just Lily: Lilly Beelen
Lily Beelen will be with us for the show weekend. She will be based in the Babbage room and working with materials readily available to all florists. We hope you’ll be inspired and take away with you some quick and commercially effective design ideas.
Lily is very experienced in running interactive sessions all over the world for budding and seasoned florists … she loves to inspire and motivate new floral talent. Lily will be showcasing some of her floral designs and everyone is invited to get hands-on with the flowers. All skill levels are welcome, and Lily will be answering questions, passing on her brilliant floral knowledge and inspiring you to get your creative floral juices flowing .
