Chicago Botanic Garden to host 60th anniversary Orchid Show
Celebrate Orchids! is the theme of this spring’s orchid show at the Chicago Botanic Garden, as the Illinois Orchid Society celebrates its 60th anniversary. On April 28 and 29, exhibitors and vendors from as far away as Taiwan will display exotic orchid flowers, photographs, artwork and jewelry. The grand indoor space of Nichols Hall, with its Canadian hemlock walls and ceiling, will overflow with orchids of all shapes and colors.
Tom Mirenda, Orchid Collection specialist at the Smithsonian Institution, will be keynote speaker and honored guest. For more than 10 years, Mirenda has maintained and developed the Smithsonian’s collection of more than 8,000 orchids. From this diverse collection of orchid species and hybrids, Mirenda creates educational exhibits for the thousands of visitors that come to the National Museum of Natural History. Most recently, he designed and curated “Orchids: A View from the East,” an exhibit that explored the role of orchids in Chinese culture, from ancient times to the present day. Details concerning his participation in the 60th anniversary Show are being finalized.
Miss Illinois 2011 Hannah Smith will be present to help celebrate 60 years of orchids and orchid growing. Visitors may have their photograph taken with Miss Illinois or join her in workshops about how to repot orchids, make an orchid corsage, or make an orchid lei. Miss Illinois, an accomplished ballet dancer, will participate in a hula demonstration and award trophies for best orchids and best orchid exhibits.
“Best of Class” ribbons will be awarded in 27 orchid categories. Following the judging by American Orchid Society judges, visitors will be invited to join tours through the exhibit hall to learn about the judging process. Judges and experienced clerks will answer questions about why some beautiful orchids are awarded ribbons and others are not. Ticketed events for orchid aficionados will be held after hours on Saturday evening.
Orchids will be displayed throughout the garden’s exhibit halls and will be sold in Burnstein Hall and the Greenhouse Galleries. Visitors can choose orchids from more than twenty orchid vendors, including exotic species and hybrids not readily available in the retail market. Growing supplies, pots, and orchid related art will be available for purchase. Members of the Illinois Orchid Society will be available to answer questions about orchid growing and to provide repotting services for a $5 donation.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, Sunday April 29. Photographers are welcome between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday. Admission to the show and to the Garden is free. Parking is $20; parking is free for Garden members.
The Illinois Orchid Society holds its meetings at the Chicago Botanic Garden on the second Sunday of the month. Meetings are open to the public. For more information on orchid society meetings go to www.iosoc.com For more information about the Chicago Botanic Garden’s programs and events, call (847) 835-5440 or visit chicagobotanic.org