Farms.com Home  › News

Open Farm Days 2026 sees record-breaking attendance and spending

Alberta Open Farm Days provides Albertans with an opportunity to connect with the people, places and products behind the province’s agriculture industry.

During this annual event, which is organized, planned and delivered by the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies (AAAS), farms, ranches and communities across the province open their gates to the public and share the story of Alberta agriculture.

In 2026, 133 participating farms recorded 51,061 visits to farms and culinary events across the province. Direct sales of food and products hit a record in the event’s 14-year history, with visitors spending a record $422,940. Since the inaugural Open Farm Days in 2013, Alberta farms have opened their gates more than 1,400 times, generating more than 380,000 farm visits and over $2.6 million in direct sales.

“The record spending we saw in 2026 demonstrates the value of connecting Albertans directly with local producers, while the strong number of visits shows there continues to be significant interest in experiencing agriculture firsthand,” says Tim Carson, CEO, Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies. “Open Farm Days gives producers an opportunity to tell their stories, build relationships with consumers and explore new opportunities for their farms and communities.”

Feedback in 2026 included the strongest visitor survey response to date. Of those surveyed, 45% visited one farm while 47.5% visited between 2 and 4 farms. Thirty-nine per cent of visits involved 2 people, while 37.5% involved groups of 3 or more, including families.

Visitors also expressed interest in expanding their Open Farm Days experience. Survey results included in the 2026 report show 77% were interested in planned routes for a single-day or full-weekend experience, while 60% were interested in unique overnight accommodations such as glamping, farm stays and camping.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Fertilizer, Black Swans, the Acreage Battle Ahead and Quieting the Global Noise With Matt Bennett

Video: Fertilizer, Black Swans, the Acreage Battle Ahead and Quieting the Global Noise With Matt Bennett

Matt Bennett returns for Market Plus to unpack the 2027 acreage battle — corn, soybeans and a likely jump in winter wheat all competing for the same ground. He weighs whether corn and bean prices have topped out, why he's still hedging into '27, and why geopolitical noise from the Black Sea to the Strait of Hormuz makes this "a very hard to predict world.