Alberta farms, ranches and food producers will welcome visitors this weekend as the province highlights more than $7.5 million committed to greenhouse and vertical-farming projects.

The 14th annual Alberta Open Farm Days takes place Aug. 15 and 16, with almost 150 experiences scheduled across the province.

Participating locations include farms, ranches, greenhouses, orchards, breweries, agricultural societies and food producers. Activities vary by location and may include farm tours, livestock demonstrations, equipment displays, markets and meals made with Alberta ingredients.

Most farm visits are free, although some meals and special activities require advance registration or a ticket.

The 2026 theme focuses on rangelands and pastoralists, drawing attention to grazing lands and the people who manage livestock on them.

The weekend also falls during Alberta Local Food Week, which runs from Aug. 10 to 16.

This year’s events come as Alberta expands support for controlled-environment agriculture, which includes commercial greenhouses and vertical farms.

As of the end of July, $7.524 million had been awarded to six operators through the Growing Greenhouses Program. The recipients are Big Marble Farms, the Hutterian Brethren Church of Holden, Gull Valley Greenhouses Ltd., groHERE Harvest Ltd., Trafford Farms Inc. and Star Produce Ltd.

The money can support new greenhouse or vertical-farm construction and improvements that increase production at existing facilities.

The three-year program has a $10-million budget and is jointly funded by the federal and Alberta governments through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The program uses a 50-50 cost-sharing structure, with applicants covering half of eligible expenses. A recipient may receive up to $4 million over the program’s duration, subject to a maximum payment of $2 million in one fiscal year.

Applications are currently closed because of significant interest, according to the province.

The program was introduced in December 2025 to increase the year-round supply of Alberta-grown food and strengthen a sector that can produce fruit, vegetables and other food products beyond the province’s traditional outdoor growing season.

Open Farm Days provides visitors with a closer look at both traditional agriculture and newer production systems. Experiences listed for this weekend range from cattle and crop operations to greenhouses, orchards, farmers’ markets and local-food dinners.

Visitors are encouraged to check individual listings before travelling because hours, admission requirements and available activities differ among locations.