Florida orchid shows?
 

Hello!

I am planning a trip to Florida some time in the next year and would like to plan it so that I can hit up an orchid show while I am there.

What are some good orchid shows in Florida that would be good to see?

They're somewhat tentative as of now. Tamiami is a great show. Bring cash. You pay each vendor rather than at a centralized payment site, and not all take credit cards.

Redland International Orchid Show - 2022 date has not yet been announced (2021 was cancelled), so keep checking.

Interesting Seca, I have never seen a centralized payment site at any show I've attended. I would think that would be a nightmare for both the vendors and the show committee.

Last I heard the Tamiami show is changing both date and location. They will now be first weekend of October (vs mid Jan)at Redland Fruit & Spice Park (vs Tamiami Park in greater Miami). Unfortunately I will no longer be able to attend that one due to the date change. Bummer!

My absolute favorite is the Redland show in late May. Hopefully it will be back in 2022.

Cactus and succulent shows do it. The host club takes a percentage and provides the checkout volunteers. Vendors need to use bar codes provided by the host club on each plant. It doesn't work well, especially not when it's very busy, but there's too much inertia to change..

Yep, I bought my airplane tickets for this a few months ago!! Should be great!

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Tamiami International Orchid Festival | Orchid Festival This needs a bit of updating, as you'll see if you click on it.

Exciting! I don't know if I can wait until 2022... I may have to make a few trips!

Orchid shows teach patience.

If you fly to the show, how do you get your purchases home with you?

Bring an empty suitcase or one with extra room, with some packing materials. Ideally, small enough to go into the overhead (which is still substantial). If you fall in love with something too big to transport that way, the vendor can probably ship it to you. But you can get a LOT into a carry-on-sized suitcase.

I visited friends in Miami and took them to the Tamiami show. When I arrived they were surprised that I brought an empty suitcase. It didn't leave empty.

For orchid lovers, we get them home any way we can! I included a flattened box, packing paper, and tape in my suitcase for a recent trip from Alabama to San Diego. Bought two Paphs home in the overhead bin. The buds didn't even blast. Yay!

On my bucket list now is the Tamiami show in Oct; may need to drive my pickup!!!

Does anyone know of Orchid shows in Central or North Florida?

as there is interest in the Tamiami orchid show at Fruit and Spice park in early October 2021 am posting the confirmed vendor list that I received from the show's management
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HI Ben--

Parking at the October show is free but if you use the church parking they ask for a couple bucks.

Parking at the January show the fairgrounds charges $5.

The vendor list will be updated on the site, but here is the confirmed orchid grower list, I'm not bothering with allied vendors at the moment but many of them are confirmed too:

Accent Orchids

Awz Orchids

Best of Thai

BL Orchids

Ching Hua Orchids

Dan and Margie Orchids

Equagenera

Floralia

Hamlyn Orchids

Jim-N-I Orchids

Krull Smith

Lee & Co Orchids

Living Colors Orchids

Macs Orchids

Motes Orchids

Mundiflora

Odom’s Orchids

Colomborquideas/Orquifollajes

Orchid Eros

Orchid Inn

orquideas del valle

Pelican Coast Farms

Plantio de Orquidea

RF Orchids

Ritter-Tropic 1 Orchids

Smiley Orchids

So Orchids

Soroa Orchids

Sunset Valley Orchids

Ten Shin Gardens

Waldor Orchids

Wilson Orchids



let me know if any other questions and hope to see you there.

Bart

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I will be there and already confirmed a stay as its an 400 miles each way ride... can't wait....[COLOR="Silver"]

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Yes, in Gainesville at Kanapaha botanical garden
see link
GAINESVILLE ORCHID SOCIETY - Gainesville Orchid Society Home

Yep, judging at Tamiami is Thursday afternoon, for those who are interested.

A. Ship dirty laundry home via UPS or USPS ground service. Stuff suitcase with orchids.

B. Bring only old clothing, and toss it. Stuff suitcase with orchids.

C. Buy cardboard box at Home Depot. Fill it with loot, and ship home via FEDEX (UPS will not ship live plants).

D. Same as 'C', except pay the additional luggage fee and bring on plane.

There will be the show at Krull-Smith for the International Vanda and Slipper Symposium the first weekend of November. Plenty of cool vanda and slippers but also tons of everything else at the show itself too. All the greenhouses will be open for people to walk through and see all the plants in bloom. Symposium should be fun with speakers like Dr. Motes, Bob Fuchs, Peter Lin, Harold Koopowitz, etc.

The Tamiami festival vendor list has been updated and posted on their website, notably the Hawaii usual suspects (Carmela, Kawamoto, H&R) including one of my favorites (H&R) are not on the list, with covid being what it is in FLA it is not surprising.

Tamiami International Orchid Festival | Orchid Festival

Well, don't forget that H&R is going out of business soon as Harry and Roy retire. I suspect that might play a significant role as well!

Yes, I have heard that and I feel its just another painful nail in the hobby collector's orchid world's coffin.
How long a list can be assembled of the orchid nurseries that have gone out of business in the past 25 years? The orchid world is evolving and constricting and I miss the old days, but Ohh well
"c'est la vie!"