Welcome to Alberta Open Farm Days. This annual province-wide event invites those in the agriculture and food sector to open their gates and connect with the public for a weekend of discovery on August 15 and 16, 2026. Albertans of all ages are invited to experience firsthand where their food comes from, meet the people behind it, and learn more about agriculture across the province. Alberta Open Farm Days is an opportunity to build community, share stories, and highlight the essential role agriculture plays in our daily lives. We encourage you to get involved and help bring Alberta agriculture to life.
About Alberta Open Farm Days
What It Is
Farms and agriculture-related businesses across Alberta participate as hosts by welcoming visitors to their location during the event weekend. Hosts choose which day or days they are open and their hours of operation. Each participating location is asked to offer at least one complimentary experience for visitors. Hosts may also offer optional paid experiences. Every host is encouraged to showcase their role in agriculture in a way that reflects their operation, values, and story.
When
Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16, 2026
Why Participate
Alberta Open Farm Days provides an opportunity to connect with curious consumers, educate the public about agriculture and food production, and promote direct sales, agritourism experiences, or community partnerships.
Who Can Participate
Any farm, ranch, business, or organization with a connection to agriculture, food production, culinary experiences, heritage, or tourism is welcome to participate. This includes those offering tours, demonstrations, tastings, or workshops related to food and agriculture, such as:
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Farms and producers
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Accommodations
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Tour operators
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Retailers
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Restaurants
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Communities and associations
- Agricultural Socieites
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Beverage producers
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Cooking schools
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Agritourism attractions
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Finished food products
Host Support
Event Insurance
Alberta Open Farm Days carries a general event liability insurance policy that cover businesses, farm, tours, etc. not currently open to the public.
Hosts are encouraged to rent a portable washroom for their event. Alberta Open Farm Days offers reimbursement of up to $200 toward the cost of rental.
Marketing Tools and Support
A range of promotional tools is available to help you share your participation with your community, including media releases, posters, postcards, and ready-to-use social media content. Hosts also have access to additional resources through the host portal, along with the option to book one-on-one consultations for personalized guidance and support. For free tours and free-admission experiences, Alberta Open Farm Days also provides a booking link directly on each host’s event page at no cost. Hosts offering paid experiences are responsible for setting up and managing their own booking and ticketing systems.
Training, Resource Library, and Webinars
Alberta Open Farm Days provides training, consultations, recorded webinars, and a growing resource library to help hosts prepare. Topics include event planning, safety, storytelling, and visitor experience planning.
What to Offer
As part of Alberta’s agriculture and food community, hosts are required to offer a meaningful or educational farm experience at no cost during Alberta Open Farm Days. This ensures all visitors can take part and gain a better understanding of agriculture in Alberta. The free experience does not need to be complex, but it should be intentional and help tell part of your story.
Hosts may also offer paid experiences to help cover participation costs. Keep in mind that most visitors attend in groups, so group-friendly activities and per-person pricing are often easiest to manage.
There are many ways to share your story. Examples of experiences include:
Demonstrations and Displays
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Animal care
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Antique tools and equipment
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Beekeeping
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Bread-making or flour milling
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Conservation or sustainable technology
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Sheep shearing, pruning, or other farm demonstrations
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Display gardens
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Food preparation such as cheese-making or canning
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Harvest demonstrations
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Heritage displays or museums
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Traditional crafts such as wool spinning, quilting, or soap-making
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Crop identification
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Seed cleaning or sorting
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Grain processing demonstrations
Direct Sales
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Roadside farm stands
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Farmers’ or vendor markets
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Handcrafted products
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Value-added food products
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Farm or ranch merchandise
Tours
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Crop or pasture tours
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Guided farm or ranch tours
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Heritage buildings or trails
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Production process tours
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Self-guided farm loops or themed trails
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Vineyard, winery, brewery, or cidery tours
Hands-On Experiences
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Candle-making with local beeswax
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Helping with animal care
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Farming or ranch skills classes
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Cooking or food preservation classes
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Flower cutting or arranging
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Hay rides
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Petting areas
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Photography or art classes
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Pony rides
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U-pick produce
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Wine, beer, cider, or beverage tastings
What’s Next?
1. Explore Participation Options
Review the host information on the Alberta Open Farm Days website to determine how your operation or organization could participate.
2. Generate On-Farm Event Ideas
Brainstorm with your family, team, or partners about what you would like to share and how best to share it. Consider what is in season in August and any potential partnerships that could enhance your event. Once you have a general idea, you can move forward with registration.