Year-Long Schedule of Exhibitions, Programs, and Special Events Delivers Robust Line-Up
September 9, 2025 | Sarasota, FL – Marie Selby Botanical Gardens officially launches its season with a year-long calendar of special exhibitions, programs, and dynamic events. As Selby Gardens advances its mission to offer bayfront sanctuaries that connect people with air plants, native nature, and the rich history of the region, it invites guests to explore the beauty and significance of its gardens—both today and for generations to come.
Jennifer Rominiecki, President and CEO of Selby Gardens, shared, “We are thrilled to welcome visitors from our local community, across the country, and around the world to the 2025–2026 season at both of our campuses. Our expanded Downtown Sarasota campus includes 188,030 square feet of solar-powered facilities and guest amenities—making Selby Gardens the world’s first net-positive energy botanical garden complex, producing more energy than it consumes.”
Rominiecki added, “Marie Selby’s visionary gift has grown into a cherished botanical institution with two campuses and a world-renowned research center. We are excited to present a full year of extraordinary horticultural displays and dynamic exhibitions as part of our ongoing commitment to being The Living Museum™.”
For more information about exhibitions, events, sponsorships, ticket sales, and membership, visit Selby.org.
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
EXHIBITIONS
The Orchid Show 2025: Rebecca Louise Law
Presented By Better-Gro
October 11 – December 7, 2025
Downtown Sarasota campus
Selby Gardens is excited to collaborate with British contemporary artist, Rebecca Louise Law, on
The Orchid Show 2025 at the Downtown Sarasota campus. Exploring the theme of survival, the exhibition will feature an immersive art installation of dried flowers by Law in the Richard and Ellen Sandor Museum of Botany & the Arts. Accompanying Law’s installation will be a striking presentation of living orchids and other plants in the Display Conservatory, designed by Selby Gardens’ horticulture team. The spectacular results will blur the lines between art and nature in unexpected ways.
Selby Gardens is home to the finest scientifically documented collection of living orchids in the world. The Orchid Show will build on the strength of this outstanding collection and celebrate the beauty and diversity of one of the most popular families of flowering plants.
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Robert Louis Stevenson: A Child’s Garden of Verses
Sponsored by A. Hamilton and Edith T. Gardener Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation
Presenting Sponsor of the Patti Smith Residency: Marianne & Bill McComb
November 15, 2025 – August 30, 2026
Historic Spanish Point campus
The next exhibition at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus will celebrate childhood and the imagination of youth through the words and images of A Child’s Garden of Verses, the beloved book of poetry for children by the celebrated Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. The exhibition will feature photographs of pages from a vintage edition of the book, combining Stevenson’s poetry with illustrations by the notable American artist, Alexander Dobkin. Accompanying the photographs will be simple interactives that draw their inspiration from Stevenson’s poems and enhance the visitor experience. An audio element will enable visitors to hear the poems read by Selby Gardens’ artist-in-residence, Patti Smith.
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Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series
On view February 8 – May 31, 2026
Downtown Sarasota campus
Details to be announced
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Lynn Goldsmith and Patti Smith: Flowers and Friendship
June 20 – September 13, 2026
Presenting Sponsor of the Patti Smith Residency: Marianne & Bill McComb
Downtown Sarasota campus
The summer 2026 exhibition at Selby Gardens will celebrate the creative collaboration between two legendary figures and longtime friends, photographer Lynn Goldsmith and singer-songwriter Patti Smith, who is Selby Gardens’ artist in residence. The exhibition will feature Goldsmith’s photographs of Smith, past and present, in the Richard and Ellen Sandor Museum of Botany & the Arts. The images will offer an intimate portrait of an iconic artist over the course of her remarkable career. Supplementing the photographs in the museum will be a stunning selection of Goldsmith’s fine art photographs of flowers set dramatically in the gardens of the Downtown Sarasota campus.
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SEASONAL LIGHT SHOWS
Lights at Spooky Point
Sponsored by Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County and Koski Family Foundation
On view October 3 – November 1, 2026
A Halloween Tradition, Lights at Spooky Point returns to Historic Spanish Point for a third season and brings fantastically fun creations and unique Halloween Lights at every bend of an eerily lit path through the wooded campus and past several historic structures. This classic Halloween experience is designed for all ages. Visit Selby.org for ticket information.
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Lights in Bloom®
Presented by Community Foundation of Sarasota County
On view December 5, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Downtown Sarasota campus
Visit Selby.org
Lights in Bloom® will feature more than two million lights illuminating the gardens and walkways of our Downtown Sarasota campus and is a fun holiday tradition that offers photo opportunities, activities, and entertainment. This award-winning holiday light show will return to Selby Gardens this December. Visit Selby.org for ticket information.
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EVENTS
Spooktacular
October 26, 2025
Spooktacular is part of the Ann Winslow Donelly and Norbert P. Donelly Family and Community Engagement Series. The event is also sponsored by: Koski Family Foundation
Downtown Sarasota campus
A family-friendly, Halloween-inspired event which includes traditional, Halloween happenings like trick-or-treating, arts and crafts, fun and educational activities, as well as more frightening (but not too scary) options for older children including storytelling. Children are encouraged to dress in costume and bring their own trick-or-treat bags to collect their goodies. Food and beverage available for purchase. Selby Spooktacular is free for Selby Gardens’ members and included with general admission.
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Lunch in the Gardens Series
Series Sponsor: Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
Chaired by leading community philanthropists, our Lunch in the Gardens series features engaging speakers with interactive elements during a delightful lunch in the unforgettable bayfront setting of our Downtown Sarasota Campus. Proceeds support Selby Gardens’ community education programs, international research, conservation, and beautiful world-class horticulture displays. Tickets and sponsorship information available at Selby.org.
SERIES CHAIRS: Jean Weidner Goldstein, Teri A Hansen, and Margaret Wise
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Fall 2025 Lunch in the Gardens
October 22, 2025
Celebrating The Orchid Show: Rebecca Louise Law
Special Guest: Rebecca Louise Law
Co-Chairs: Ariane Dart and Katie Hollingsworth
Downtown Sarasota campus
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Spring 2026 Lunch in the Gardens
April 22, 2026
Celebrating the 2026 Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series (to be announced)
Co-Chairs: Nikki Sedacca and Montana Taplinger
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Cocktails at the Cottage
November 12, 2025
Benefitting the Historic Spanish Point campus with an exclusive preview of the exhibition Robert Louis Stevenson: A Child’s Garden of Verses
Co-chairs: Renée Gilmore, Jeannie Russell, Pauline Wamsler
Historic Spanish Point campus
Details and ticket information to be announced.
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New Year’s Eve Gala
December 31, 2025
Enjoy private access to our award-winning Lights in Bloom® holiday light show, passed hors d’oeuvres, a seated four-course dinner, entertainment, dancing, champagne toast, and fireworks overlooking Sarasota Bay
Downtown Sarasota campus
Details and ticket information to be announced.
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An Evening with Patti Smith Dedicated to Robert Louis Stevenson
January 14, 2026
Presenting Sponsor of the Patti Smith Residency: Marianne & Bill McComb
Writer, performer, visual artist, and Selby Gardens’ Artist in Residence returns to Historic Spanish Point in connection with the exhibition Robert Louis Stevenson: A Child’s Garden of Verses
Historic Spanish Point
Details and ticket information to be announced.
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The Orchid Ball 2026
February 7, 2026
This elegant evening celebrates the soon-to-be-announced 2026 Jean & Alfred Goldstein exhibition throughout the grounds of Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus. Proceeds benefit Selby Gardens’ community education programs, international research and beautiful world-class horticulture displays, while enabling thousands of underserved children and their families to connect with our bayfront sanctuaries
Co-Chairs: Liebe Gamble and Ashley Kozel
Downtown Sarasota campus
Details and ticket information to be announced.
Images & Captions:
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