The Cactus and Succulent Society of Massachusetts will mark a milestone this month when its 20th annual festival comes to Town Hill in Norfolk.

For enthusiasts and the simply curious alike, the festival provides a glimpse into the esoteric world of cacti and succulents, from familiar favorites to rare and unusual specimens.

This year's event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Norfolk's town common and in the adjacent public library. Inside the library, hundreds of cacti and succulents will be on display, while outside on the common, 27 vendors and artisans will sell plants, horticultural-themed items, and gifts. Festivalgoers will also find a variety of food offerings, including hot dogs and hamburgers grilled by the Norfolk Lions. The first 50 visitors will receive a free plant, one of the event's longstanding traditions. Admission is free, and the festival will take place rain or shine.

According to Lau Magner, the festival's coordinator, in its early days the festival was essentially a club show, giving members a chance to display their prized plants. "You know how people show pictures of their grandchildren? We show pictures of our plants," Magner quipped.

The festival has moved around over the years as its popularity has grown, progressing from a church basement in Needham to Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston and later an armory in Wakefield. In 2016, it found a home in Norfolk, after years of "popping around looking for a home because we kept growing and outgrowing the places we were at," said Magner, a Norfolk resident.

The exhibition itself grew after the society did away with formal judging and strict horticultural rules in favor of a simpler philosophy: "Let's just show off the plants we love," Magner said. The result, he added, was an exhibition that exploded in size and now features more than 300 plants, many considered living sculptures by devotees.

Magner attributes much of the festival's staying power to the curiosity cacti inspire. "The word cactus is what draws people," he said, noting that many visitors first discover the event simply by spotting the society's "Cactus Show" signs in surrounding towns. Once there, he said, visitors often make a day of it, taking in the indoor exhibition before heading outside for shopping and food.

Young festivalgoers can get in on the fun as well at a children's booth, where they can choose a cactus or succulent, plant it in a ceramic pot, decorate the pot, and take it home as a souvenir. The activity debuted last year and was a "huge success" said Magner.

The festival is the signature event of the Cactus and Succulent Society of Massachusetts, an affiliate of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America. The Massachusetts group, which meets monthly at the Norfolk Public Library, has grown to more than 200 members from across New England. Magner serves as the society's vice president.

Education is a primary focus of the annual festival, along with raising money to support the society's programs. Attendees have an opportunity to talk with club members and learn about the wide variety of plants on display, including award-winning and museum-quality specimens. Plants offered for sale by the club are grown by its members.

For more information about the festival, as well as the Cactus and Succulent Society of Massachusetts, visit https://cssma.org. Questions? Send an email to [email protected].

Parking for the festival is available at the Federated Church across the street.