📸 Alberta Open Farm Days 2026 Photo Contest: Celebrate Alberta’s Agricultural Spirit
Every farm has a story to tell, and every pasture, barn, or sunrise brings a new chapter to Alberta’s rich agricultural tapestry. That’s why we’re so excited to announce the Alberta Open Farm Days 2026 Photo Contest—an opportunity for farmers, ranchers, photographers, and community members to showcase the heart of Alberta’s rural landscapes and help inspire the official look and feel of next year’s campaign.
Why We’re Launching the Contest
At Alberta Open Farm Days, we believe that opening gates isn’t just about inviting visitors onto farms—it’s about sharing the authentic stories of Alberta’s agricultural communities. Every August, farms and ranches across the province welcome thousands of guests who are eager to learn, connect, and celebrate local agriculture. These visits create memories, build community, and foster appreciation for the people who feed and sustain us all.
Now, we’re turning to you—our farm families and rural photographers—to help us tell that story visually. Through your lens, we want to capture the passion, beauty, and resilience of Alberta’s agricultural community. Your photo could become the face of the 2026 Alberta Open Farm Days campaign—featured as our official logo image and showcased across our website, social media, promotional materials, and more.
We’re launching this contest not just to find a winning photo, but to celebrate the incredible diversity of Alberta’s farms and the people who make them special. We want to highlight the land, the livestock, and the hardworking hands that bring Alberta’s agricultural story to life.
This Year’s Theme: Rangelands and Pastoralists
Our 2026 campaign theme is “Rangelands and Pastoralists.” Alberta’s rangelands are a cornerstone of the province’s agricultural heritage. They stretch across rolling hills and grasslands, supporting diverse ecosystems and communities that rely on them for their livelihoods. Pastoralists—those who raise livestock on these rangelands—embody the spirit of stewardship, resilience, and connection to the land that defines Alberta agriculture.
Whether it’s cattle grazing beneath a big Alberta sky, sheep clustered in a pasture, or a rancher tending to their animals, we want to see images that showcase the connection between land, livestock, and people. These photos should capture the timeless spirit of Alberta’s rangelands and the hardworking individuals who care for them.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for original, high-resolution photos that highlight Alberta’s rural beauty and capture the essence of the agricultural lifestyle. These could include:
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Sweeping landscapes of Alberta’s rangelands
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Cattle, sheep, or other livestock in their natural settings
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Farm families working together on the land
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Sunrise or sunset shots that capture the grandeur of Alberta’s skies
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Close-ups that reveal the textures and details of life on the farm
Photos may be cropped and adjusted for tone, color, or converted to black and white. The most important thing is that the photo is taken by you and showcases the authentic spirit of Alberta’s farms and rural landscapes.
Eligibility & Submission Guidelines
We want this contest to be accessible to as many photographers and farmers as possible, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a proud amateur with a keen eye for Alberta’s beauty.
Here’s what you need to know:
📌 Who Can Enter:
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Photos must be taken by the entrant and depict Alberta farms, rural life, or landscapes.
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Photos can be submitted by anyone, including amateur, professional, or youth photographers.
📌 What to Include:
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Your name and contact information
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A title for your photo
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The location where the photo was taken (farm name, county, or general area)
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A brief description of the photo (optional but encouraged)
📌 How to Submit:
✅ Web Entries: Submit online via the Photo Contest Submission Form.
✅ Email Entries: Email submissions must include your full name, category (Amateur, Professional, or Youth), and a brief photo description. The contest email address will be shared soon.
✅ Social Media Entries: Post your photo on the Photo Contest Facebook event page using the hashtag #OFDPhotoContest25. Include your name, contact info, and mailing address.
Note: All winning entries must provide a high-resolution version of their photo (minimum 3600 x 2700 px at 300 dpi for web entries, or 3300 x 4200 px for social media entries) within one week of notification, or the prize will be forfeited and a new winner selected.
Usage & Rights
By entering the contest, you grant Alberta Open Farm Days a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to use, reproduce, and distribute your photo in all formats—including print, digital, social media, promotional materials, merchandise, and more. Don’t worry—entrants retain the copyright to their photos. If your image includes identifiable people, you must have appropriate model releases available upon request.
Prizes & Deadlines
💰 Grand Prize: $250 cash (non-transferable; no substitutions)
📅 Contest Closes: July 15, 2025 (11:59 p.m. EST)
🏆 Winners Announced: Mid-August 2025
Photos will be judged by Alberta Open Farm Days’ panel of experts, and all decisions are final. The winning image will be celebrated as the 2026 Alberta Open Farm Days campaign logo—a tribute to Alberta’s agricultural spirit and a reminder of the power of a single photograph to tell a compelling story.
Why Enter?
This is more than just a contest—it’s an opportunity to share your farm’s story and inspire thousands of Albertans to discover the incredible beauty and resilience of our rural communities. Imagine seeing your photo featured on websites, social media, posters, and more, inviting visitors to step through the farm gate and experience firsthand the magic of Alberta agriculture.
Whether you’re a farm family eager to share your slice of Alberta, a photographer drawn to the wide-open spaces, or a rancher with a camera always at the ready, we can’t wait to see what you’ll share.
Let’s Tell Alberta’s Story Together
Every photo has a story behind it—and every farm is part of Alberta’s story. This year, we’re inviting you to help tell that story to the entire province and beyond.
👉 Submit your photos today: https://albertaopenfarmdays.ca/photo-contest-form/
Thank you for being part of Alberta Open Farm Days and for helping us celebrate the people, places, and moments that make Alberta agriculture so special. We can’t wait to see your incredible photos—and to feature your farm in the 2026 Alberta Open Farm Days campaign!