2026 Orchid Expo Recap: Our Biggest Weekend in Years
Thank you, Tampa. Over two days at Northdale Park on October 3 and 4, the 2026 Orchid Expo welcomed 588 guests, a 62% increase from last year, making it one of the club's most successful Expos in recent years.
Both days were busy from open to close. Saturday drew a steady crowd from the moment the doors opened, and Sunday held its own, which isn't always the case on the second day of an event. If you were one of the people patiently waiting at a vendor table while someone ahead of you made a very serious decision between two nearly identical Phalaenopsis, thank you for your patience. We've all been that person.
Fourteen New Members
The number we're proudest of isn't attendance. It's the 14 new members who joined the Tampa Orchid Club over the weekend. A big turnout makes for a great day; new members keep a club growing year after year.
To everyone who signed up: welcome. Our monthly meetings are where the real conversations happen, including speakers, plant tables, growing advice, and the occasional friendly disagreement about watering schedules. We're glad you're here, and we look forward to seeing you at Northdale Park.
For our most current information on upcoming meetings, outings, or events, check the front page of our website here: www.tampaorchidclub.com
A Strong Showing at the AOS Judging
This year's American Orchid Society judging drew an impressive range of plants. Thank you to the AOS judges for their time and expertise, and to every grower who entered a plant. Bringing a plant to bloom for an exhibit takes months of care and a little nerve, and the display showed just how much talent our area's orchid growers have.
Thank You to Our Vendors
An Expo is only as good as its vendors, and ours were outstanding. Many beautiful plants left Northdale Park over Expo weekend, and many of them buckled into back seats with more care than some passengers get. Our thanks to:
Orchids in Bloom, Accent Orchids, Miranda Orchids, JTM Baskets, Ritter Orchids, and Bredren Orchids, along with every vendor who brought their plants, supplies, and knowledge to share with our guests.
If you went home with a new orchid and you're already wondering what to do next, these growers are a great resource. Many of them are familiar faces at our meetings, too.
To Our Volunteers
None of this happens without the club members who set up tables, fed the volunteers and vendors, worked the door, answered questions, ran the raffle, and packed everything up again on Sunday afternoon. Special thanks to Cheryl Crilly for coordinating our volunteers and sponsorships. A weekend like this takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work, and it showed in how smoothly everything ran.
Missed the Expo? You Don't Have to Wait a Year
The Expo is our biggest weekend, but the club meets year-round, and the TOC annual auction will be back in the spring soon! If you stopped by our table and didn't get a chance to join, or you heard about the Expo afterward and wish you'd been there, you can become a member anytime at tampaorchidclub.com/join.
Thank you again to everyone who came out, bought a plant, entered the judging, volunteered, or simply came to look. We'll see you next year, and hopefully sooner.
Our Next Gathering
Our next meeting is Tuesday, October 27th, and will feature Julio Hector, AOS Judge, presenting a program on understanding AOS & ribbon judging. We'll also have our regular monthly bloom table, orchid giveaway, silent auction, Darwin's orchid depot, and potluck lunch. This meeting will include a member plant sale. If you would like to sell plants, make sure they are healthy and disease-free.
Check the homepage at www.tampaorchidclub.com for the latest information about our next meeting or event. The Tampa Orchid Club meets monthly on the last Tuesday of the month.
