Medellin’s Annual Orchid and Flower Show Draws 120,000 Visitors

The 23rd annual “Orquideas, Pajaros y Flores” (orchids, birds and flowers) show in Medellin’s Botanical Garden this year not only drew huge crowds (estimated at 120,000 visitors) but also a cavalcade of orchid collectors and photographers.

For this year’s show (August 5 through 9), Medellin Herald brought the husband-and-wife photo-journalism team of John Stormzand and Donna Stormzand from the United States to help capture the breath-taking beauty of the event.

According to the show organizers, hundreds of flower varieties – not only orchids, but also roses, heliconias and many other flower types – competed in special displays, mainly under the Botanical Garden’s novel “Orquideorama” sculptured roof.

In addition to the flower displays, another 120 stands adjacent to the show featured novel Colombian and international arts, crafts, foods and refreshments.

Roses, heliconias, begonias, sunflowers, fucsias, bromeliads, tulips and camellias competed for vistor attention, along with some 15,000 orchids, according to the show organizers.

This year’s show excluded caged-birds, unlike previous versions of the event. Instead, show organizers included information-stands on wild-bird conservation and observation.

For more information on the annual “Orquideas, Pajaros y Flores” shows as well as the under-development orchid-conservation project in Jardin, Antioquia, contact the Sociedad Colombiana de Orquideología (www.sco.org.co).