Alberta Open Farm Days is an annual 2-day summer event that presents Albertans with an opportunity to experience the farm firsthand from farmers and ranchers. The program started in 2013 and has encouraged Albertans to engage with their local communities and experience agri-tourism.
In 2024, over 150 farms participated in Alberta Open Farm Day, welcoming over 52,000 Albertans to their farms and ranches. Host farms have included traditional farms, livestock (bison, cattle, alpaca, sheep, llama, goat, poultry) farms and ranches, organic operations, corn mazes, wineries, craft distilleries, meaderies, craft breweries, stables, petting zoos, along with honey, fruit, vegetable, grain and u-pick farms.
Since 2013, Open Farm Days has seen over 235,000 people visit over 1,200 farms and ranches, injecting over $1.7 million into the rural economy through on-farm sales. In 2024, reported on-farm sales surpassed $300,000 for the first time.
Over the years, Alberta Open Farm Days has also evolved to offer professional development opportunities for hosts, helping them build successful ag-tourism programs. Training sessions were provided to equip farms with valuable insights on marketing, ticketing, food planning and booking, as well as insurance.