The New England Carnivorous Plant Society is said to rock. Nice strong group of growers with good professional reputations in the community I'm told. I've never been to any of their meetings however I'd love to have a group like that anywhere within driving distance of where I live.
There are carnies in both the Chicago and Milwaukee areas but there's no organized group and I don't think there ever has been. Unfortunately, quite a few of the carnies I know aren't into computers which is another stumbling block. And then there's the deal with plant theft and some of the growers who have been at it for decades flat out won't interact with anyone unless they are comfortable with them. That being said, there are quite a few closet carnies in the area. Try to get one of them to open their greenhouses or bogs for an unknown enthusiast and you may find yourself up against a brick wall. They seem to stick to their own. Very nice people who would give you the shirt of their back but they simply aren't social with folk they don't know. They grow in solitude for the most part and interact amongst themselves keeping up by reading professional journals and sharing research successes and failures with other closet growers. Sort of bizarre but they bail me out when ever I need for which I am very grateful.
It would be really nice to have one night a month to get together with other people who grow carnivorous plants. I don't see it happening any time soon. People are spread too thin. Additionally, many carnivorous plant people are members of native plant organizations and are quite conservation minded so maybe that's why there are so few organizations such as the NECPS across the nation. I can only count but a handful unlike what I've found for orchid orgs. Other groups that rock would be-
The Colorado Carnivorous Plant Society-
http://www.coloradocarnivorousplantsociety.com/
The Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society-
http://www.bacps.org./
The Los Angeles Carnivorous Plant Society
http://www.geocities.com/lacps/
I know people from the last two groups. Very good folk.
Quite a few CP societies in the UK, NZ, AU, CAN, and elsewhere but nothing in Chicago or Milwaukee. Go figure. Wanna start one goldenrose? I'll attend and I know two more who would attend.