Santa Barbara International Orchid Show returns for 76th year in 2024

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is returning for its 76th year in 2024, after the Santa Barbara community gave it a triumphant post-COVID return in 2023.

The show is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 8-10 at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, California, with a show theme of "Orchids: Gems of Nature."

Organizers invite nature lovers to enjoy a day surrounded by the magic of orchids and consider a tax-deductible donation to support the show and solidify its future.

“The community truly enveloped this event, and the support for the 2023 Orchid Show and financial support of fellow orchid lovers is allowing us to continue next year,” says Santa Barbara International Orchid Show President Lauris Rose. “Santa Barbara’s 75-year-long history of showcasing this beautiful, elegant flower continues. The Orchid Show is a wonderful way to unite not just orchid growers but nature lovers of all types in the celebration of nature’s premier gift.”

Grand orchid displays are installed by local, national and international artisans and orchid enthusiasts. Exhibits of orchid art, photography, floral arrangements and a comprehensive workshop and demonstration schedule provide visitors with a rich and unique orchid experience. The show is judged by the internationally sanctioned American Orchid Society judging panel.

Tickets can be purchased online at sborchidshow.com starting at $20, with a three-day pass for $30.

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious orchid shows in the United States, reflecting the rich agricultural and orchid-growing history of Santa Barbara County, which took root at the turn of the century. The forerunner of the Orchid Show was a flower show organized by the Santa Barbara Horticultural Society, which took place in 1945 at the Montecito Grange Hall.

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with the purpose of sharing the joy of the orchid world and educating the public about orchids via its annual show. Donations, large and small, are needed to help the show to create new traditions for the future. To donate, visit sborchidshow.com.