The 2026 Platinum Coast Orchid Show begins Friday at Kiwanis Island Park gym on Merritt Island. Show chair Carolyn Anderson said members of the Platinum Coast Orchid Society have been transforming the sports facility into a tropical display since 1965. The event runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday with admission priced at $8.
Anderson said she now owns 300 orchids after joining the society last year. 'I thought about joining for years but finally bit the bullet,' she said. The society has hosted the annual show for 61 years, turning the gym floor into what members call an 'Orchid Jungle' with displays judged by experts.
Most plants at the show are for sale, but the event also includes educational components. Society members will give talks and demonstrations throughout the weekend. A notable fact highlighted by organizers is that orchids have bilateral symmetry like human faces, with each half mirroring the other when divided vertically.
The show has become a staple for orchid enthusiasts on the Space Coast. Anderson said the society expects hundreds of visitors this weekend. 'We have people coming from across the state,' she said. The event remains free to attend for local society members but requires the $8 fee for the general public.