[Mar 8, 2013] 11th Annual International Orchid Festival at Fairchild... (Coral Gables, FL)

Browse more than 10,000 orchid plants on sale from international vendors and learn how to care for them at the gardening workshops and lectures. Travel through the Rainforest to see where orchids originate from and how they grow. Enjoy delicious teas and savory snacks at the Orchid Tea Room, open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. For a truly spectacular sight, visit the Garden House and marvel at the orchid displays presented by the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and juried by American Orchid Society judges. Children can learn about how vanilla is made from vanilla orchids at the fun and educational OrKids section. The Garden House Lawn will be filled with food vendors and live music.

Don’t forget to visit the new Wings of the Tropics butterfly exhibit in the Clinton Family Conservatory at the Science Village. Also on view are this season’s art installations, including John Chamberlain’s aluminum sculptures, the Sitting Naturally benches, and the Chapungu sculptures from the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL 33156. Admission to the International Orchid Festival is free for Fairchild members and children 5 and under. For non-members, admission is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and up, and $12 for children 6-17. Those who walk, bike, or take public transportation receive $5 off adult admission and $2 off child admission. Those with a Military ID have free admission, with $20 for their spouses and $10 for their children.

For more information and a complete schedule, please visit www.fairchildgarden.org or the International Orchid Festival web page.