The Penang International Orchid Show 2026 returns to Straits Quay from 5 to 13 September, offering nine days of competitive displays, rare blooms, and live judging sessions. The waterfront venue in Tanjung Tokong will host the annual event, which has grown into one of the region’s most anticipated orchid showcases.
Organised by the Federation of Malaya Orchid Society (FOMOS), the show marks the society’s 68th anniversary. Founded in 1958 by a group of orchid enthusiasts in Penang, FOMOS is Malaysia’s oldest orchid society, established five years before the nation’s formation in 1963. The society retains its original historical name from that era. The 2026 edition features 75 orchid species, up from 70 last year, and is expected to draw around 20,000 visitors across its run from 10am to 10pm daily.
International participation continues to grow. Exhibitors, judges, and delegates from the United States, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Singapore will attend. The event builds on FOMOS’s recent international success, which includes second place at the Taiwan International Orchid Show 2026 garden design competition and third at the Genting Pre-APOC Show 2026.
Penang State Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy Wong Hon Wai said the show strengthens the state’s tourism offering. “This is not only a floral extravaganza, but also a precious occasion for Penangites and orchid enthusiasts from around the world to gather, connect, and appreciate the beauty of nature together,” Wong said at a press conference at Komtar in George Town on 27 August.
This year’s venue has shifted to Straits Quay. The show’s traditional home at Penang Botanic Gardens is undergoing cable car construction, with Wong noting the waterfront location provides an ideal backdrop.
The Malaysia Shopping Malls Association listed the event as part of Visit Malaysia 2026 activities at Straits Quay, located at Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang in Tanjung Tokong.
Visitors can expect competitive orchid displays, live expert judging sessions, plant arrangement displays, and extensive sales spaces offering rare and prized varieties. FOMOS president Tony Tan, vice-president Clarence Tang, secretary Tan Kim Lean, assistant secretary Ang Chong Yong, and committee member Lam Hin Wah attended the press conference, alongside Straits Quay senior manager Wong Siew Hui and advertising and promotion manager Cheang Ee Von.
