What to Expect at a Manly Warringah Orchid Society Auction or Show

Auctions and shows run by the Manly Warringah Orchid Society (MWOS) are open to the public as well as members. Auctions are the better fit if your goal is to buy plants — the society describes them as a chance to pick up a wide variety of quality plants at excellent prices. Shows are the better fit if you want to look at displays, talk to growers, watch demonstrations and buy plants in the same visit. Both are held at fixed Northern Beaches venues, so the practical difference for a first-time visitor is mainly what you go there to do.

MWOS auctions: what happens

The society lists two auctions in its 2026 diary:

What the society says you can expect:

• A wide variety of quality plants
• Prices it describes as excellent
• Open to members of the society and the public

For the April auction, the society notes that a catalogue should be available at least two weeks before the auction, under the Events section of the website. If you want to plan what to bid on rather than browse on the day, check that section in the weeks beforehand.

MWOS shows: what happens

Three show-style events appear in the 2026 diary:

The society describes each of these as offering:

• Spectacular orchid displays
• Unique plants for purchase
• The chance to talk to an expert
• Demonstrations to view

Note that the two August events fall on consecutive weekends at different venues — Belrose Supercenter for Orchids by the Sea, then St Ives Showground for the St Ives Orchid Fair.

Choosing between an auction and a show

• Go to an auction if you mainly want to acquire plants across a range of varieties and are comfortable buying without a display programme around it.
• Go to a show if you want to see how plants are grown and displayed, ask questions of experienced growers, and watch demonstrations — with plant sales available too.
• Either works if you are new to orchids and just want to see what the society does; both are explicitly open to the public.

Before you go

Dates, venues and catalogue availability are the details most likely to shift, so confirm against the society's Events section rather than relying on a saved copy of the diary. For the April auction in particular, the catalogue is the item to look for, since it is published ahead of the day rather than at the door.

If you would rather meet the society in a lower-key setting first, its monthly members' meetings at Cromer Community Centre are also open to the public.