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The Tamiami International Orchid Festival (orchidfestival.com) will take place Friday, May 13, through Sunday, May 15. In its 19th year, it brings the entire orchid community of South Florida together under one roof at the Miami-Dade Fair Expo Center.
“The festival has become far and away the largest orchid event of the season: Florida’s Winter Orchid Extravaganza,” said Dr. Martin Motes, president of Motes Orchids and author of the book, Florida Orchid Growing.
Truly international in scope, the orchid festival will host 90 growers and allied vendors from all over the U.S. and countries around the world, including Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Brazil, Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. Leading orchid nurseries from around the world will be offering the public new varieties of orchid species and orchid hybrids rarely available in South Florida. Most local and state commercial orchid growers will also be present.
Orchid-themed arts and crafts will be offered for sale, as well as a full range of supplies, materials, and tools for all the orchid grower’s needs.
Both individual plants and exhibits set up by local orchid societies will be eligible for ribbons, trophies, and the much-coveted American Orchid Society awards. All plants entered in the show are eligible for the $500 cash prize for Grand Champion and $250 prize for Reserve Champion. The public is invited to bring plants for exhibit and judging on Thursday, May 12, between noon and 5 p.m.
Local orchid societies also will be competing for cash prizes for the best orchid exhibit and they will be present during the entire festival to recruit new members, help the public with their orchid-related questions, and to share in the show’s success.
Admission is $15 at the door but attendees can save when they buy tickets in advance (children under 12 free) and there is ample parking convenient to Fuchs Pavilion, located in the Dade County Fairgrounds Expo Center, 10900 Coral Way. ($5 venue parking fee entire day) Open 11a.m. to 6 p.m. To pre-order tickets, visit www.tamiamiorchidfestival.com.
