Sunday Morning CHANGES!

The Flower City Challenge Half Marathon will be held in downtown Rochester on Sunday morning, April 28th, 2024. As a result, there will be limitations on how visitors will be able to access the RSMC for the hours of 7:45 to 10:00 a.m. After 10:00 a.m., traffic restrictions will lifted.

Here are some documents that you may find useful in navigating to our show during those hours – particularly for our vendors, volunteers, and anyone else who needs to arrive prior to the Show’s opening at 10:00 a.m.

Spring Show:
Apr. 25 – Apr. 28, 2024

The GROS held our first Orchid Show in April of 1969 at the Garden Center of Rochester; we recorded some 225 visitors.. Many other of our annual shows of that era consisted of groups of orchids displayed on shelves, with little adornment or attempt to create a “natural” or artistic environment that is typical of orchid shows today.

In 1971, the club presented its show at Sibley’s – Rochester’s fabled flagship downtown department store, and over the years, we’ve held our annual Spring Shows at various locations around Rochester. By 1978, our show at the Garden Center drew over 1,800 people!

Our first show to feature American Orchid Society judging dates to 1980, when two plants received awards: Oncidum Purple Envy ‘Suzy’ AM/AOS and Phalaenopsis Spitzberg ‘Mrs. March’, HCC/AOS.

All 2023 Show information will be posted here as it becomes available. If you have any questions, please go to our Contact page and select “2024 Show Chairman” as the message recipient.

2024 GROS Orchid Show Schedule

  • Thursday, April 25, 2024
  • Registration of plants 10 a.m. – 4 pm.
  • Exhibit setup 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Friday, April 26, 2024
  • Ribbon judging, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
  • AOS award judging , 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Show open to the public, including vendor sales, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Show Reception & Awards Ceremony in the Eisenhart 6:00 – 8 p.m. **
  • **Purchase of tickets required. See details & get tickets here.
  • Saturday, April 27, 2024
  • Show open to the public, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • 11 a.m.  Presentation: “What’s an Orchid – The Basics” – Dave Weiss
  • 12:30 p.m. Presentation: “How to Grow Orchids in Rochester” – Natalie Auburn
  • 2 p.m. Presentation:  “How to Grow Unusual and Miniature Orchids” – Carol Butcher
    • Sunday, April 28, 2024
    • Show open to the public, 10 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    • 11 a.m. Presentation: “What’s an Orchid – The Basics”” – Dave Weiss
    • 12:30 p.m. Presentation:  “How to Grow Orchids in Rochester” – Dave Weiss
    • 2 p.m. Presentation: “How to Grow Unusual and Miniature Orchids” – Carol Butcher

2024 GROS Orchid Show Forms

2024 Plant Registration Forms

GROS 2024 Spring Orchid Show poser image

Orchid Vendors

(TBA)