Marie Selby Botanical Garden will intertwine Sarasota's circus and orchid legacies at its upcoming annual orchid exhibit.

On view Oct. 9- Nov. 28, Aerialists from the Tree Top to the Big Top! takes place at Selby's downtown Sarasota campus. It showcases orchids in tree canopies through the lens of circus performers, primarily aerialists. 

“We are thrilled to present this year’s Orchid Show in collaboration with The Ringling,” says Jennifer Rominiecki, Selby Gardens' president and CEO. “It will be a wonderful opportunity to share the stories of our unique legacies in a creative and engaging way—one that has never been done before.”

Sarasota was long the home of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and to circus performers and their families at the winter quarters here. The Ringling Museum complex displays circus collections within its circus museum. Sarasota's circus tradition also extends to the Circus Arts Conservatory and Sailor Circus Academy, the oldest youth circus in America.

At the show, guests can expect to see an abundance of bold patterns suspended from various heights, creating an immersive experience.

The Museum of Botany & Arts will feature vintage circus posters in the north gallery, loaned by the Tibbals Circus Collection at The Ringling. The south gallery will focus on orchids found growing on the top of canopies, their colors and their patterns.

Virtual programming related to the exhibit is scheduled as well, including botanical briefings with Selby's vice president for botany, Bruce Holst, at noon on Nov. 10, and one with Dr. David Berry, vice president for visitor engagement and chief museum curator, and Jennifer Lemmer Posey, Tibbals curator of circus at The Ringling, at noon on Nov. 17. There will also be a performance by local arts organizations at 6 p.m. on Nov. 9.

For more information call (941) 210-0874 or visit selby.org.