Alberta On the Plate is a ten-day, dine-around, province-wide festival that is going into its third year and it is all about celebrating Alberta food.

Rheannon Green with Food Tourism Strategies, says the festival “Is meant to celebrate and showcase restaurants that are using and supporting local farms and producers." 

For the ten days, participating restaurants offer multi-course, fixed-price menus highlighting local producers, growers, distillers and brewers. In recognition of Alberta Local Food Week, in August, Alberta on the Plate encourages people to support  Alberta food by dining in or ordering out at their  participating restaurants both during the festival and throughout the year. 

In this third year, they have 87 participating restaurants in 26 different communities and or cities across Alberta. Green says, “So almost any corner of the province we’ve got someone participating which is wonderful. From as far north as Peace River to as far south as Lethbridge and we are growing every year.”

Participating restaurants are currently in the process of creating their festival menus which will be available during the festival from August 6-15. Green says each restaurant can pick as many of the menu options as they want. There are two sets of price points for lunch for $15 or $25 and three different dinner options ranging in price from $25, $35, or $65. 

The menus that are created must incorporate at least three local producers or farms. For example, Green says, “We see a lot of Alberta beef on the menus we see a lot of bison and pork and chicken and eggs and wonderful local products. We don’t restrict our participants so it’s up to them to use whomever they like as long as they are local.”

Just in case you were wondering yes, Cochrane has two participating restaurants in the Alberta on the Plate Dine Around Festival this year.

Green says, “We’ve got Community Flat Bread Co. It is their first time participating so we’re are very excited to have them coming on board. And then we also have Fence and Post they actually participated last year as well, and we’re really excited to have them back because they put together such wonderful menus and such lovely dining experiences.”

Alberta on the Plate, Dine Around Festival runs from August 6-15 and Cochranites do not have to go far to partake in the festivities while enjoying and supporting locally grown products and businesses.

For more information on Alberta on the Plate clicker HERE.