Southland Orchid

 Show Committee

        The Southland Orchid Show Committee now has a great opportunity to partner with the Huntington Library and Gardens to produce the first Southland Orchid Show there, from October 21-23, 2005.  The Southland Orchid Show Committee has previously been producing the East West Orchid Show for 16 years. This show is placed as one of the international best orchid shows and has been gaining more attention since our hosting of the 1998 AOS Trustees Meeting here in Los Angeles.  We now have a renewed interest in combining forces with a number of organizations within the southern California area to focus attention on our region and help many other well known orchid growing regions to understand our unique role.  We are seeking input from other show committees from around the world to help make our show a more broad based international affair.  We are also seeking assistance from local orchid hobbyists as committee members or assistants.  The Southland Orchid Show Committee wants to thank all of the committee members and volunteers who helped to produce the last four decades of shows and to thank all of the superb orchid growers who have graced our show with their vibrant flowers.

Southland Orchid Show Committee

A Brief History

The Southland Orchid Show Committee came into being in 1958 in order to plan an Orchid Show in Southern California.  It was proposed that a number of Southern California Orchid Societies join together to stage one large orchid show each year.  Initially there were seven societies that participated.

The first Southland Orchid Show was held in 1959 at the Los Angeles State and County Arboretum in Arcadia, California, in the maintenance building with an add-on tent.  The next shows were held at the same facility, but in large circus tents with their attendant problems of rain, dust, heat, cold and high heels on the grassy surface.  Later shows were held in the basement of the Library Building, supplemented by tents outside.

In 1965, the first Southland Orchid Show to be held away from the Arboretum was at the Orange County Fairgrounds.  The Southland Orchid Show was not held in 1966 in deference to the Fifth World Orchid Conference, which was at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California.  All of the societies affiliated with the Southland Orchid Show were deeply involved in that activity.

The Southland Orchid Show has been held on several occasions at the Montclair Mall, Mall of Orange, Fashion Park Mall, Northridge, Fashion Square Mall, and in conjunction with other activities at the Anaheim Convention Center and the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

From 1986 to 2003 the Southland Orchid Show was held under the sponsorship of the New Otani Hotel and Gardens  and the Weller Court Shopping Center in Los Angeles.   This show was designated as the East West Orchid Show.

On two occasions first in 1990 at the Red Lion Hotel in Ontario, California and again in 1998 in conjunction with the East West Orchid Show,  the Southland Orchid Show Committee has acted as hosts for the American Orchid Society Trustees Meeting.

The Southland Orchid Show organization is a non-profit California Corporation.  Each member orchid society has two voting members and an alternate.  The objectives of the Southland Orchid Show Committee include promoting orchid shows, providing information about orchids and in general encouraging interest in orchids among the general population.  The Southland Orchid Show stages one or more orchid shows each year at which time the member societies have an opportunity to increase their membership by inviting show attendees to come to their next meeting.  At present there are twelve Southern California Orchid Societies that are members of the Southland Orchid Show Committee.