In partnership with the American Orchid Society (AOS), the public is invited to a sanctioned orchid bench show with judging. Members of the public may submit an orchid for judging (rules are listed below), or come and view the orchids and watch the judging. This event is sponsored by the Southwest Florida Orchid Society.
The show runs from Oct. 9-11; however, the judging takes place only on Oct. 9. This coincides with the O.C.T. Plant Sale and Workshops event where we’ll have vendors selling orchids, cacti and tillandsias!
Orchid Show Rules
Judging will take place on Friday, October 9 (set up is from 10 am to 1 pm).
This show has been approved to conduct American Orchid Society (AOS) judging at this event. Ribbon judging, conducted by AOS judges and other qualified persons, will begin at approximately 1 p.m. on October 9. AOS judging will commence after the ribbon judging followed by the judge’s dinner.
Show Director, Karen M. Maxwell
Show Clerk, Debbie Hughes
AOS Judge Chair, Wes Higgins
AOS Photographer, TBD
Media inquiries should be directed to Lisa Wilson.
Rules & Regulations
- Commercial exhibitors desiring to sell plants and supplies must request reservation of sales space in advance from Show Director.
- Persons or groups intending to enter a plant should contact the Show Clerk (Debbie Hughes) in advance.
- This show competition will be governed by the AOS’s current “Handbook of Judging and Exhibition.” Where additional rules are deemed necessary, such rules will be formulated by the Show Committee.
- Decisions of the Judges and rulings of the Show Committee shall be final.
- Plant entry will be on Friday, October 9, 2026, beginning at 10 am and completed no later than 1 pm.
- Initial classification and plant registration may be submitted to the Show Clerk before 10 am on Friday, October 9, 2026.
- The Judges dinner will be served at 5 pm following AOS judging.
- The Show Committee reserves the right to reject tardy or unsuitable entries. Plants may NOT be removed before 4 pm on Sunday, October 11, 2026, without written consent of the Show Director. Note: All exhibitor plants must be removed from the venue by 5 pm, October 11, 2026; plants or materials left behind by exhibitors after that time will be disposed of at the discretion of the Show Committee.
- Judges shall consider adherence to show entry classifications in judging each plant (Classes 1-16).
- Plants entered must be properly groomed and labeled with name and hybrid parents. Plant identification labels will be furnished by the exhibitor.
- An exhibitor may not enter the same plant in more than one class.
- All plants on display, at the discretion of the judges, may be removed if diseased, infected with pests, or in any way in unacceptable condition for display. Plants will be held and returned to the table at 4 pm tear down for retrieval by their owners.
- Commercial Vendors will participate by submitting a designated number of plants, each properly groomed and labeled with name and hybrid parents.
- Commercial Vendors can sell plants from the display; however, plants must stay on display until 4 pm of tear down.
- Judges have the right to award or withhold any scheduled ribbon or award; they may sub-divide and/or combine classes at their discretion, but in coordination with the Southwest Florida Orchid Society Head Clerk. In the case of classes with only one or two entries, the Judges are not obligated to give a first-place award if they do not deem the entries to be of a high enough caliber.
- All plants exhibited in the Southwest Florida Orchid Society show will be eligible for AOS Judging awards unless marked NOT FOR AOS JUDGING.
- Winners within the Classes 1 to 16 will be awarded show ribbons as follows: BLUE RIBBON: First Place, RED RIBBON: Second Place, WHITE RIBBON: Third Place
INDIVIDUAL PLANTS IN FLOWER
Classes 1-16
- Angraecum Alliance
- Bulbophyllum Alliance
- Catasetum Alliance
- Cattleya Alliance
- Coelogyne Alliance
- Cymbidium Alliance
- Dendrobium Alliance
- Maxillaria Alliance
- Oncidium Alliance
- Phalaenopsis Alliance
- Pleurothallis Alliance
- Slipper Alliance
- Stanhopea Alliance
- Vanda Alliance
- Zygopetalum Alliance
- Miscellaneous(other genera not in above alliances)
NOTICE: Neither the Southwest Florida Orchid Society nor its volunteers, Edison and Ford Winter Estates, or its employees shall be held responsible for lost or stolen plants or materials offered in various commercial spaces. Precautions will be taken to safeguard these items.
Back to Calendar