Celebrate spring at the Annual Spring Orchid Show

By JoAnn R. Walter —

The Southern Tier Orchid Society invites you to its 37th annual Spring Orchid Show on April 12 and 13 at the Johnson City Senior Center, located at 30 Brocton St. in Johnson City, N.Y.

The event is open to the public on Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $5 per person. Children ages 12 and under are free. The facility is accessible for the disabled.

The event will feature raffles, door prizes, a scavenger hunt, several vendors, fun facts, and more. Orchids will be available for purchase.

Guests who participate in a raffle could take home one of several blooming plants that will be on display. For guests who sign up for the society’s postcard initiative, they will be entered to win a door prize. 

An Intro to Orchids seminar is scheduled for the Saturday session at 2 p.m., and then on Sunday, a repotting demonstration will be held.

Also on hand, an intriguing exhibit will be presented by the Finger Lakes Bonsai Society. An orchid art exhibit will also be on display.

Members of the Central New York Orchid Society and Greater Genesee Orchid Society, along with the Southern Tier Orchid Society, will each host informational tables.

Upwards of 300 exotic orchids will be on display and will put the spotlight on the passionate growers from across the area who devote hours of doting care to their orchids.

Individuals from the Northeast Region of the American Orchid Society will be traveling in to judge the registered orchids. Judging will be completed prior to doors opening on Saturday, and various ribbons will be awarded.   

According to the American Orchid Society, the orchid family is one of the oldest of the plant families. Of the tens of thousands of varieties, there are orchids of every color, fragrance, size, and shape, and they can be found across almost every region of the world.

Event Co-Chair Jeff Hackett shared about the show, “Guests will find extremely rare orchid varieties, such as those you won’t find at the florist.” 

Linda Mittel, Club President of the Southern Tier Orchid Society, noted, “Anyone who enjoys plants is welcome to come, even if you’re not an orchid person. We encourage everyone to come and see the beauty of these colorful orchids. They are quite a lovely plant and the epitome of all blooming plants.” 

Event Co-Chair Sam Hance added, “Photographers will be inspired to take photos of the spectacular orchids. It is a great opportunity and an interesting subject for many people.”  

The conservation of saving natural orchids is critical, too, and the Southern Tier Orchid Society stays informed about work in progress by the N.Y.S. Department of Conservation. Hackett noted that one indicator to identify the health of certain bodies of water can be analyzed by observing how orchids react to their surroundings.

Hackett remarked, “Orchids, such as bog orchids, are a positive sign of the quality of that water if they thrive.”

The Southern Tier Orchid Society, a non-profit, works to promote education. The approximately 80-member group meets on the third Sunday of each month, although due to how Easter falls this year, their next meeting will be held in May. The family-friendly group also gets together for an annual picnic and holiday party.

For individuals interested in becoming a member, there will be a reduced membership fee available during the April show.  

To learn more about the society, visit their website, www.southerntierorchids.org. Or, you can email them with questions at stosorchids.shows@gmail.com.