The Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Orchid Rodeo opens on Saturday, February 14 

(CLEVELAND) January 15, 2026 – Grab your cowboy hats and boots, the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s annual orchid show, is back in town! This year’s show, Orchid Rodeo opens on Saturday, February 14 and runs through Sunday, April 5, inviting visitors to saddle up for a ride through the orchid frontier. 

​PHOTOS – COURTESY OF HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS​ 

Tickets are on sale now. Purchase tickets in advance at holdenfg.org 

This year’s orchid show blends the wild west cowboy spirit with the delicate beauty of orchids paired with sculptural cacti, lush greenery, and sun-soaked landscapes. This show will lasso you in with species like Dendrobium, Oncidium and Phalaenopsis in hues of pink, purple, and yellow. Guests will be surrounded by orchids throughout the indoor gardens and glasshouses, a dreamscape for flower lovers, and endless photo opportunities for all. 

“Orchids aren’t all fragile — they’re fierce. They grow on every continent except Antarctica, thrive in some of the harshest conditions on earth, and somehow still bring unexpected color even to the desert,” said Amanda Hannah, Director of Botanical Garden Horticulture at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. “The spirit of Orchid Rodeo blends western traditions with modern pop culture to create something playful, immersive, and wildly colorful. You won’t find anything else like it in Cleveland.” 

Displaying over 100 distinct types of orchids, Orchid Rodeo will display more than 3,000 flowers from exotic blooms to well-known varieties.  

• The Ellipse (Main Lobby) will transport guests to the Wild West with painted canyons and various cacti setting the scene.  

• Entering the Orientation Theatre, guests will walk straight into a frontier‑style saloon, where an orchid‑laden piano and rustic barrel tables create an experience. 

• The Madagascar Glasshouse Biome will have visitors in the eye of a dust storm with tumbleweeds and an outlaw camp around the bend. 

• The Costa Rica Glasshouse Biome will plunge visitors into a gold rush mining camp being overtaken by orchids.  

• Eppig Hallway will be transformed into a rodeo scene complete with carnival “sniffing booths” to engage the senses through specialty orchid sniffing.  

• Galleries will feature some “outlaw” blooms, or rather hard to find flowers that guests won’t find at the local grocery store! 

EVENTS 

Galentine’s Day: Round up your crew on Friday, February 13 from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. for an exclusive first look event at this year’s orchid show. Make matching friendship bracelets, discover new friends with animal encounters, and make memories surrounded by the vibrant Western flair of Orchid Rodeo. Cost: $20 per member, $25 per nonmember. Advance ticket purchase required. Galentine’s Day Registration. 

Cleveland Botanical Garden is for Lovers: Join us this Valentine’s Day from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. for exclusive after-hours access to Orchid Rodeo, as well as live music, tasty treats and adult beverages for purchase at our cafe, and a make-your-own valentine craft! Cost: $20 per member; $25 per nonmember. Cleveland Botanical Garden is for Lovers Registration. 

Orchids After Dark: Every Saturday starting February 21, Orchid Rodeo is open late until 8:30 p.m. Grab an orchid cocktail or mocktail, and stroll through the beauty of orchids throughout our indoor gardens and glasshouses, while vibing to live performances by Cleveland Institute of Music. 

Steeped in Love: ChocolaTea Tasting: Join us on Sunday, February 15 & 22, from 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. to delight your senses with this ChocolaTea Tasting back by popular demand! Indulge in seven curated tea and coffee tastings, alongside four delectable food pairings from Eisen Creek. Cost: $55 per member, $60 per nonmember, includes admission to Orchid Rodeo. Steeped in Love: ChocolaTea Tasting Registration. 

Orchids + Om: Ladies Night Out!: Join us on Friday, February 27 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. for a ladies’ night in partnership with Beauty Boost Cleveland. Participants will enjoy a rejuvenating yoga class, enchanting sound bath, complimentary experience stations and local shopping vendors. Cost: $40 per person. Orchids + Om: Ladies Night Out Registration 

Line Dancing at Orchid Rodeo: Get ready to boot-scootin’ boogie among the blooms at Orchid Rodeo! Join us from 6 – 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 with ‘Line Dance is my Therapy’ & March 21 with ‘DJ Goodboy and Joliee Blak’, for two nights of lively line dancing. No experience is needed, just bring your boots! The night will begin with guided instruction for the first half hour, then hit the dance floor for group line dancing fun the rest of the evening. Tip: Arrive early and soak in Orchid Rodeo before the music starts. Line Dancing at Orchid Rodeo Registration. 

Greater Cleveland Orchid Society Show & Sale: Join us on Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 15 from noon – 5 p.m. for the Greater Cleveland Orchid Society Show and Sale. Various orchid varieties, potting materials, and accessories will be available for purchase through multiple vendors in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Orchid Society. Stop by Woodland Hall to view and vote for your favorite display. Included with general admission. 

CLASSES 

Virtual Ask the Orchid Doctor: Join us on Saturday, February 21 or March 21, from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. for a FREE virtual class on orchid care. Horticulturist Dawn Gerlica will help answer your questions and talk about best practices for growing orchids. Classes take place on Zoom, so you can even show your plant from home! Ask an Orchid Doctor Registration  

Behind-the-Scenes Orchid Photography: Join us Sunday, February 22 from 8 a.m.- 1 p.m. for a photography workshop to capture the splendor of Orchid Rodeo! With bizarre shapes and fascinating colors, orchids offer botanical dreamscapes for photography. Photographer Debbie DiCarlo will host a workshop that includes the opportunity to get up close and personal with plants. Following a brief session with tips and tricks, participants will have the chance to explore Orchid Rodeo with tripods before the doors open to the public. Cost: $80 per member; $120 per non-member. Behind the Scenes Orchids Photography Registration. 

Orchid Care 101: When it’s your first orchid rodeo, proper care can feel like a daunting task. This class will cover the basics of orchid care, focusing on Phalaenopsis. Participants will begin with care tips and learn how to repot, then practice what they learned! All participants will re-pot a Phalaenopsis and take home their freshly potted plant. Cost: $30 per member, $45 per nonmember. Date & times vary, visit holdenfg.org for details. Orchid Care 101 Registration. 

Quick Care: Specialty Orchid Tips: On Saturday, March 7, expand your orchid expertise beyond Phalaenopsis with these quick classes designed to advance your skills. Each program will introduce a special species and delve into intricacies of their care. Whether you’re looking to increase your confidence in caring for orchids you already own or preparing your shopping list for the Orchid Show & Sale on March 14 – 15, these programs will start you off on the right foot! Cost: $9 per member, $24 per non-member. Times vary based on orchid species covered, visit holdenfg.org for details. Quick Care: Specialty Orchid Tips Registration. 

Featured Art Displays – For the Love of Silk by Gunter Schwegler will fill the walls of the Orientation Theatre at Orchid Rodeo. Schwegler lives in Cleveland Heights and is a fiber artist specializing in silk painting. Enduring Desert Ecosystems by Melanie Peck will also be on display in the Guren Gallery. Peck is based in Painesville, and her work is inspired by the overlooked beauty of desert ecosystems, highlighting the resilience and vulnerability of desert flora and fauna. 

In the Eleanor Squire Library: Visit the garden library to peruse books about orchids and more, for children and adults. The library is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Schedule permitting, please check holdenfg.org for updates.  

In the Garden Store: Orchids, including some exotic varieties, will be available for purchase at the Garden Store along with soil, fertilizer, and pots specifically for orchids. Take the rodeo home with a selection of Orchid Rodeo merchandise including shirts, mugs and magnets! Silk paintings, scarves, and other accessories by Gunter Schwegler are also available for purchase. 

Orchid Rodeo hours are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.– 8:30 p.m., and Sundays Noon – 5 p.m. The Botanical Garden will be closed on Mondays except for Monday, February 16, President’s Day, when we are open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Botanical Garden will close early on Saturday, February 14 at 5 p.m. for an opening night ticketed event. Please note hours are subject to change, check holdenfg.org for updated information. 

Orchid Rodeo admission is $21 per adult and $15 per child ages three to 12 (free for children two and under). Admission is free for Holden Forests & Gardens members. The Botanical Garden is located at 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio. Indoor parking is available for a fee based on availability. For complete details about Orchid Rodeo visit holdenfg.org.