Staff Report
The 75th Annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show offers visitors a chance to experience rare and endangered blooms seen only in the nature reserves of Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.
The show takes place March 13-15 at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, at Highway 101 and Los Positas Road in Santa Barbara.
To purchase tickets to the show, visit SBOrchidShow.com. General admission tickets are $12 to $14 dollars each, with kids under 12 free with an adult ticket.
Each year, the eagerly anticipated event joins hundreds of horticulturists, hobbyists and enthusiasts showcasing over 25,000 species of uniquely captivating plants at one of the country’s largest and oldest orchid celebrations.
The show will display the work of the Orchid Conservation Alliance (OCA) and its co-founder, Peter Tobias, as they seek to build a legacy of preservation and ensure the long-term survival of endangered flowers in their native South American wildland habitats.
Founded in 2006 by Peter Tobias, Ron Kaufmann, and Steve Beckendorf, the OCA promotes the conservation of orchids and their natural habitats worldwide. Over the last 14 years, the nonprofit organization raised more than $500,000 — in partnership with the Rainforest Trust — to protect more than 3,250 acres of prime rainforest. The OCA established reserves in Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru by purchasing homesteads in remote South American villages and developing a sustainable model of trust and collaboration with local personnel. As a result, the OCA successfully ensured the survival of certain rare and endangered blooms, their pollinators, and the diversity of fauna and wildlife in the forests where they grow. To learn more about the OCA, visit OrchidConservationAlliance.org.
