Great Lakes Floral Association

10/14/2026

Today, floral shops across the nation participated in the Society of American Florists "Petal it Forward" initiative, passing out two free flower bouquets to each person — one to keep and one to pass along to a friend, family member, colleague, or even a stranger.

The initiatives aims to illustrate the positive health benefits of giving and receiving flowers, and spread joy across communities! 💐

Did you participate in Petal it Forward today? Drop a photo in the comments below! 👇

10/14/2026

https://conta.cc/4hZ2jjV

Email from Great Lakes Floral Association Get Your Tickets Today Monday 10/19 is Cut Off for Ticket Sales PURCHASE DINNER TICKETS HERE | GLFA | (517) 575-0110 | [email protected] | w

10/11/2026

The full Holiday Traditions, Reinvented session is now on YouTube 🎄

Jacob McCall AAF, AIFD, CFD, FSMD, PFCI puts a fresh spin on familiar seasonal design — mixing traditional holiday materials with unexpected details, playful ideas, and creative mechanics

From fresh evergreens to surprising accents, Jacob shows how holiday work can still feel recognizable without feeling predictable

🎤 Presented by Jacob McCall AAF, AIFD, CFD, FSMD, PFCI
🤝 Sponsored by FTD
▶️ Watch the full session now on the GLFA YouTube channel

10/11/2026

Have you seen an owl with earmuffs on? 🦉🎄

In Holiday Traditions, Reinvented, Jacob McCall AAF, AIFD, CFD, FSMD, PFCI mixes playful holiday details with fresh evergreen material to create something memorable without overdoing it

His advice: don’t be afraid to use real evergreens in party work. They last, they smell incredible, and when used thoughtfully, they don’t have to feel strictly “holiday”

A simple pine branch, one loop of ribbon, and a little unexpected personality can completely change the look

🎤 Presented by Jacob McCall AAF, AIFD, CFD, FSMD, PFCI
🤝 Sponsored by FTD
▶️ Watch the full Holiday Traditions, Reinvented session on the GLFA YouTube channel

10/09/2026

GLFA Member Feature - Fresh Coast Floral Co. in Traverse City, MI 💐

Fresh Coast Floral Co. creates artful floral designs for weddings, events, and celebrations throughout Northern Michigan ✨

📍 Traverse City, MI
🌐 freshcoast-floralco.com
📱

Proud to feature another GLFA member helping their community bloom 🌸

10/06/2026

GLFA Board Feature: Michelle Soupley AIFD, CFD

Michelle serves as GLFA Board Region 7, is a member of the GLFEE Board, and chairs the Sunday Luncheon.

Outside the floral industry, Michelle is an avid knitter who enjoys creating cozy pieces with yarn. She also remains a passionate advocate for the floral industry and the people within it.

Her artistic growth was shaped by the mentorship and example of Alan Thompson AIFD and Jerome Raska AIFD, two industry leaders she credits as major influences in her career.

One of Michelle’s favorite GLFA memories was seeing the Indiana Floral Association officially vote to join GLFA — a milestone that helped strengthen the association and expand its floral community.

Join us in saying thank you to Michelle, for her leadership, service, and continued commitment to GLFA and the floral industry.

09/30/2026

Aloha and mahalo🌺

Cindy Ching AIFD, CF, CFD is inviting you to join her as she is inducted into the Great Lakes Floral Foundation Hall of Fame as the 2026 Person of the Year.

What makes the evening especially meaningful to her: supporting the Great Lakes Floral Foundation and its work funding education and scholarships for people pursuing careers in the floral industry.

📅 Tuesday, October 27, 2026
📍 Bavarian Inn — Frankenmuth, Michigan
🌺 Theme: Hawaiian
👕 Aloha attire encouraged

As Cindy says: “A komo mai” — come join us.

Expect mai tais, tropical atmosphere, and an evening celebrating Cindy’s contributions to the floral industry. 🌴

09/29/2026

New for 2027, attendees will have three hours of uninterrupted tradeshow shopping on Saturday, giving exhibitors more dedicated time to connect, demonstrate, answer questions, and create memorable booth experiences.

A few ways to make the most of it:

🌸 Host a live product demo
Show florists how your product works in real time.

🌿 Create an interactive display
Give attendees something to touch, test, smell, sample, scan, or try.

📸 Build a photo-worthy booth moment
Create something attendees will want to stop for — and share.

🏷️ Offer a tradeshow-only special
Exclusive pricing, bundles, giveaways, or order incentives can help turn interest into action.

🎓 Run a quick education mini-session
Share a five-minute tip, trend, or product-use idea right from your booth.

🎁 Create a giveaway or drawing
Give attendees another reason to stop, ask questions, and meet your team.

💡 Show florists how it helps their business
Connect your product to saving time, increasing sales, improving design, or creating a better customer experience.

09/28/2026

Join Jeremy Rettger AIFD, CFD for a hands-on evening focused on building cascade bouquet skills and learning how to better photograph finished floral work for social media, marketing, and client presentation.

📅 October 15, 2026
🕓 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Bill Doran Company - 9000 Harmon Parkway, Rossford, OH

🎤 Presented by Jeremy Rettger AIFD, CFD
🤝 With support from Bill Doran Company and

09/26/2026

In Art Nouveau Influence for Today’s Bridal Styling, Hitomi Gilliam AIFD, CFD shows how the right structure can create scale and impact before a design is ever fully flowered.

Here, she uses stock to fill and follow the form — letting the structure do the heavy lifting so the design feels large without requiring a huge flower count.

🎤 Presented by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD, CFD
🤝 Sponsored by Teleflora
▶️ Watch the full session on GLFA’s YouTube channel