The Hilo Orchid Show and Sale this week will celebrate 70 years as one of the community’s longest running events.
Starting Thursday night, the Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium will be full of gorgeous displays of thousands of orchids that were grown and cultivated by 16 local commercial growers as well as several hobbyists. Displays will be centered around this year’s theme of “Orchid Hula,” and will include exotic orchid species and hybrids not typically found in stores.
“We’re very fortunate that Hilo is the host for the biggest orchid show and sale in all of Hawaii,” said Hilo Orchid Society Show Chair Karl Mendonca. “We’ve been slowly inching our way up to the numbers we had prepandemic, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how many growers we have this year.
“The show is returning to its former glory.”
Before they are open to view by the public, the displays and individual orchids will be judged by about 60 judges, some of whom have been certified by the American Orchid Society.
Awards are bestowed in two categories — American Orchid Society Awards and Hilo Orchid Society Ribbons. Each category will be coordinated by an AOS-certified judge who lives on Hawaii Island.
“It really does take 60 people divided into categories to do a full day of judging,” said Thomas Mirenda, Hilo Orchid Society member and AOS-certified judge. “There are 30,000 different orchid species, not counting hybrids, which is why there are so many categories and so many awards.”
The judging is recorded, certified and submitted to AOS, which recognizes the winners and keeps records of every competition. Winners often compete in nationwide orchid shows after winning in Hilo.
During judging, the names are removed from the displays until the awards are announced. The top winners from each category then compete for the most prestigious awards – the Hilo Orchid Show’s Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion — which last year were both awarded to hobbyist Jeffrey Fendentz of Mountain View.
“Everyone was shocked to see both awards go to a hobbyist. I looked back at the names on the trophy, and it was 14 years ago that a hobbyist was able to win Grand Champion,” Mendonca said.
“He was flabbergasted himself, because although he has incredible specimens, since he’s been growing forever, they aren’t always perfect,” Mirenda said. “I think it’s important to see that it’s not just commercial growers that win big. It can be one of us, too.”
Mendonca could not find any Hilo Orchid Society records indicating the same hobbyist had won Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion in the same year, making the sweep a first.
“It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of work to make these displays, but I’m excited to see what everyone comes up with this year,” Mendonca said. “The quality and variety is unbelievable in Hilo. We’re among the best orchids in the world.”
When the show opens to the general public, there will be a large selection of orchids for sale suited for growers of all skill levels, lectures and demonstrations about growing and caring for orchids, and an “orchid doctor” ready to answer questions.
“We chose the theme of ‘Orchid Hula’ because we are bringing back hula performances for the first time since the pandemic,” Mendonca said. “We will also have a bigger and better Keiki Orchid World, which will offer keiki-level educational material and activities for them to enjoy during and after the show. It’s all part of making this a family event.”
Education and outreach is a big part of the Hilo Orchid Society’s greater mission of the conservation and preservation of orchids around the world. Each year, proceeds from the show’s silent auction goes to the society’s scholarship fund for undergraduate and graduate students in the University of Hawaii system.
“We recently changed the scholarships to shift more toward students pursuing orchid conservation and preservation here and in different parts of the world,” Mirenda said. “We want to support students who are putting effort into the conservation of orchids at all levels.”
The Hilo Orchid Show will be open to the general public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. next Sunday.
Tickets can be purchased at the door and are $6 for adults. Admission is free for everyone 17 under.
Tickets also are available for $3 from Hilo Orchid Society members prior to the show and at Garden Exchange and Paradise Plants in Hilo.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
