Community Events for Sustainability and Food Security in Edmonton
OFRE events
At Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton, we believe in growing food skills that last a lifetime. Our events bring Edmontonians together to reduce food waste, build food security, and share the joy of local harvests. From orchard care to preserving the fall bounty, every workshop connects community with sustainability.
Upcoming Events
workshops and classes
Learn how to can tomatoes, ferment kraut, bake sourdough, or press apples into cider. Our hands-on homesteading classes turn seasonal chaos into pantry calm (and sometimes jam).
Riverdale Apple Cider Celebration
Celebrate the harvest in Riverdale Park with hands-on apple pressing, orchard blessings, and fresh local cider—family-friendly fun rooted in food, sustainability, and the spirit of Edmonton’s river valley.
Edmonton Fruit Festival 2025
Every fall, the DBG Fruit Growers Group hosts their Fruit Festival — a community tasting event where Edmontonians sample hardy Zone 3 fruit, connect with local growers, and plan resilient backyard orchards for the seasons ahead.
Beginner Jam Making Workshop in Edmonton 2025
Learn how to make plum jam in this beginner-friendly canning class. Preserve summer fruits, gain safe food preservation skills, and take home a pint of homemade jam you made yourself!
Avonmore Apple Cider Celebration
Avonmore’s Apple Cider Celebration brings families together for hands-on food preservation, pedal-powered cider pressing, and a joyful orchard blessing. Free, fun, and kid-powered, it’s a seasonal celebration of local food traditions.
Hands-On Homesteading Classes in the Heart of Edmonton
Discover the Joy of Seasonal Skill-Building
At Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton (OFRE), our events invite you to reconnect with the time-tested skills that turn backyard harvests into pantry staples. If you're wrangling crabapples, eyeing your neighbour’s rhubarb jungle, or wondering what to do with six zucchinis the size of baseball bats—we've got a workshop for that.
From fermentation adventures to zero-waste preserving techniques, every OFRE event is built on hands-on learning, community connection, and the power of local abundance.
Grow, Harvest, Preserve: What to Expect
Our workshops cover the full cycle of seasonal food resilience:
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Urban homesteading basics like water bath canning, root cellaring, and dehydration for long-term storage
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Food preservation for all skill levels—from jams and jellies to fermented foods for gut health
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Garden-to-jar solutions for zero-waste cooking, including creative ways to use scraps, gluts, and gleaned produce
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Backyard fruit tree care and seasonal orchard maintenance (yes, we’ll help you tackle that apple maggot situation!)
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Family-friendly and beginner-welcoming sessions taught by local food leaders and preservation pros
Empowering Edmontonians Through Food Literacy
We believe food security starts with food knowledge. That’s why OFRE events blend practical skills with community-building:
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Affordable, accessible workshops designed for busy urban dwellers
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Classes tailored to Edmonton’s climate and Zone 3 harvest rhythms
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A warm, welcoming space to learn, share, and grow—no pressure, just pickles
Whether you’re preserving your garden’s bounty, rescuing fruit from a neighbour’s tree, or learning to stretch your food dollars, you’ll leave each event with new skills and deeper roots in Edmonton’s food community.
Stay in the Loop
New workshops are added seasonally—some sell out fast! Be sure to join our newsletter and be a part of the action.