The 2024 MVIS Iris show is scheduled for April 13 at the Mesilla Valley Mall near the theater.

The Mesilla Valley Iris Society has an Annual AIS sponsored show each year in mid-late April usually at the Mesilla Valley Mall near the theater.   Over 100 irises are brought in by members as well as the public to be judged by trained judges of the American Iris Society.  

There are several reasons for having a show.  First and foremost is that a show educates the public.   There are often educational exhibits and displays of many types of irises.  Shows also provide hybridisers an opportunity to get feedback on their latest hybridizing efforts from judges.  This includes seedlings and established cultivars. 

Note, that a displayed cultivar is not usually judged against other name cultivars but is instead evaluated for its form, color display of the blooms.  The skill of the exhibitor is judged in how well they groomed the stalk for the show and how well the iris was grown.    There are several ribbons awarded with blue ribbon awarded for first place.  Only one blue ribbon is awarded per named cultivar and it has to earn that blue ribbon.  Only when the Best of Sections and Best of Show are chosen are blue-ribbon awarded cultivar compared to other cultivars. 

Unnamed, unregistered seedlings are judged separately from the named cultivars.  There is minimum grooming since the judges want to count the number of blossoms even if the blossoms are spent.   Judges want to see high bud count, healthy plant, some type of improvement over older varieties and distinctiveness.