Richmond Farm Fest draws large crowds to Garden City Lands

Richmond Farm Fest drew large crowds to Garden City Lands on Sunday, as visitors explored activities celebrating the city’s agricultural heritage. The event was co-organized by the City of Richmond and Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s (KPU) Sustainable Agriculture & Food System program across the 136-acre site.

Running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the festival included a farmers’ and artisans’ market with locally grown produce, snacks and crafts, as well as a children’s zone focused on farm work and food production. Culinary demonstrations featured Black and Blue Steakhouse executive chef Jonathan Lee, while KPU Farm hosted agricultural and garden displays.

KPU’s Mike Bomford led a tour of the Garden City Lands Bog and described ongoing rehabilitation work there. A guided walk through the community garden, one of 17 managed by Urban Bounty in Richmond, included sustainable gardening demonstrations and a three-bin composting system.

Entertainment on the community stage included singer and pianist Rachel Chiu, the Zach Saunders Trio, The Heels and Canadian bluegrass band Jackson Hollow. Roving performers and puppet shows also appeared, while food trucks sold meals and drinks.