I am a member of my local garden club, HIPS and the Maine Iris Society. Maine is a big state, so many of the meetings are too far away for me to do easily.
MIS is awesome. In addition to the Spring show, there is a nice newsletter, an auction, a swap picnic and more. The people are super nice and so happy to have newcomers.
We have several hybridizers or the children thereof. It is pretty cool when you get handed a rhizome by the person who crossed it.
I am seriously going to try to get my car back so I can go to the swap, no matter where it is this year. (My son moved 15 miles north and we share a car, so I ask in advance. I work from home. I don't need it much.)