Floral Design Competitions

Design competition has long been part of state floral conventions and remains one of the most anticipated parts of the annual gathering. Competition gives floral designers a stage to demonstrate skill, creativity, and craftsmanship in front of peers, judges, and the public. It also raises the standard for the whole industry: when one designer tries something new and succeeds, everyone in the room walks away with a fresh idea to take back to the shop.

State florist associations or other organizers may host two flagship competitions each year, often held in conjunction with an annual convention. Eligibility is typically limited to designers who meet the organizers’ requirements. Competitors range from first-time entrants to seasoned designers who have competed at the state and national level. Whether designers are building their first competitive piece or adding another ribbon to a full display case, there is often a category and a division for different experience levels.

The Arkansas Cup

A statewide design championship is typically built around a surprise theme announced to competitors shortly before the competition begins, which means nobody can prepare in advance — the result depends entirely on technique, improvisation, and the ability to work with unfamiliar materials under a time limit. Competitors usually receive a standard allotment of flowers, foliage, containers, and mechanics, and are generally expected to bring only their own tools, aprons, and basic supplies.

Entries are judged on design principles, including scale, proportion, balance, color harmony, line, and focal emphasis. Judges also weigh mechanical execution — is the arrangement stable, is the mechanics concealed, is the water source adequate? — along with originality, suitability to the announced theme, and overall presentation. Scores are tallied on standardized score sheets, and the highest total is named Arkansas Cup champion. Ribbons are typically awarded for first through third place, with additional recognition for the People’s Choice selection chosen by convention attendees.

Arkansas Cup competitors are encouraged to attend the judges’ critique afterward. This is often the most valuable thirty minutes of the entire convention: judges explain, item by item, why certain choices scored well and where points were lost. Designers who compete year after year consistently cite the critique as the reason their work improved fastest.

The Mid-America Cup

The Mid-America Cup is an invitational-style competition that brings together top designers from Arkansas and neighboring states. Because the field is drawn from a wider region, the Mid-America Cup tends to be the most technically demanding event on our calendar. Competitors take on a series of timed challenges across a day of competition, and each challenge emphasizes a different facet of floral work — sympathy work, wedding and event design, wearable florals, and interpretive or conceptual pieces are all typical categories.

The Mid-America Cup places a heavy emphasis on stage presentation and time management alongside finished design. Competitors work in view of an audience, which adds pressure but also makes the event genuinely exciting for spectators. If you are interested in being considered for the Mid-America Cup lineup, contact the competition committee early in the year through the contact page of this site — spots are limited and are generally confirmed well before convention registration opens.

Divisions, Categories, and Eligibility

Competition rules are published each year with the convention materials and are posted under the Competition section of the menu. In general, competitors are grouped into divisions by experience so that newer designers are not competing directly against industry veterans. Typical divisions include a novice or student division for designers with limited professional experience, an open division for working designers, and a master division for past champions and instructors. A competitor may not enter a lower division once they have placed in a higher one.

Categories usually include traditional mass design, linear or line-mass design, sympathy and funeral work, wedding bouquets, corsages and wearable flowers, and a themed or interpretive design. Each category has its own specification sheet describing size limits, required materials, and permitted mechanics. Read that sheet carefully — a beautiful piece can be disqualified for something as simple as exceeding a height limit or using a prohibited prop.

How to Enter

Entry is handled through the convention registration process. Register for the convention first, then select the competition option and the categories you intend to enter. Entry fees are modest and help cover the cost of flowers and supplies provided to competitors. Early registration matters: some categories cap the number of competitors, and the committee needs an accurate count to order materials.

Once your entry is confirmed, review the rules packet, confirm the arrival and setup times for your categories, and plan to arrive early on competition day. Bring your own knife, shears, wire, tape, and any specialty tools you rely on, along with a towel and a trash bag. If you have questions about eligibility, categories, or what counts as an allowed supply, ask the competition committee before the entry deadline rather than on the morning of the event.

Tips for Competitors

Practice the clock. Most disappointments in competition come from running out of time, not from a lack of design skill. Build a piece at home in the same window you will have on the competition floor and time yourself honestly. Design for the category, not for your own shop’s style — judges score against the specification, and a piece that ignores the brief will lose points no matter how lovely it is. Finish your mechanics before you start worrying about the flowers; a clean, well-secured base lets you work faster and confidently. Finally, clean everything: trimmed stems, stray leaves, water spots, and visible tape all cost points.

Competition is meant to stretch you, and everyone in the room — including the judges — has been a nervous first-timer. Enter, do your best work, listen to the critique, and come back next year.