WHAT IS UGLY POTATO DAY BY ODD BUNCH?
Scaling Food Redistribution
Ugly Potato Day by Odd Bunch is a free community event where thousands of people come together to take home fresh produce that grocery stores rejected for being too big, too small, or just too odd-looking. What started as a small on-farm giveaway has grown into one of Canada's largest food rescue events, with live music, games, giveaways, and hundreds of thousands of pounds of produce handed out in a single day.
This year we're in two cities: Kelowna (Aug 1) and Surrey (Aug 8), with Calgary coming this fall.
Tickets for this year available soon!
WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR
-
+20,000 attendees
-
+490,000 lbs of food (2M meals)
-
95 volunteers
-
Featured on CBC, Global, Daily Hive.
Meet our headline sponsor: Odd Bunch
Saving produce from waste, and saving you money.
Odd Bunch rescues surplus and imperfect produce from farms, greenhouses, and distributors across Canada and delivers it to your door for 30–50% less than grocery stores. They rescued over 40 million pounds of food in 2025 alone, and they’re just getting started.
Find them at the event for:
• Free cold-pressed juice
• Spin-to-win prizes
• A chance to win free groceries for a year!
A New Partner in Food Rescue
We’re excited to welcome Sharing Excess as a new partner this year! Their expertise in large-scale food rescue and redistribution helps recover and redirect surplus food efficiently to communities that need it most.
Together, we’re strengthening our system and expanding our ability to get more food to more people.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Ugly Potato Day by Odd Bunch all about?
Ugly Potato Day is a free event where we give away hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh produce that would have otherwise gone to waste. The food comes from local farms and distributors who have surplus or cosmetically imperfect produce.
You show up, grab what you need, and take it home. There is also live music, games, prizes, and giveaways.
Where does the food come from?
The produce is sourced from farms and distributors across BC who have surplus stock or produce that grocery stores passed on for cosmetic reasons or surplus.
None of it is bad. It just looks a little different.
Where does the donated food go?
All the donated produce goes to food-insecure families in BC.
What should I bring to the event?
Please bring reusable bags or boxes to carry your produce — but no carts or wagons are allowed for safety and space reasons. We also recommend wearing comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing, and don’t forget your free ticket!
Is the event kid-friendly?
Ugly Potato Day by Odd Bunch is a family-friendly event—kids are more than welcome to join the fun!
Can't make it to the event? Donate a meal instead!
Together, we can feed our communities.
The History of Ugly Potato Day by Odd Bunch
In 2022, Heppell’s Potato Corp took a meaningful step to give back to our community by opening our farm and offering our imperfect potatoes free of charge. That first day, just 12 people showed up.
Since then, we have hosted nearly two dozen similar events, that attract over 15,000 people. Through partnerships with other local farms, each event can see us giving away 250,000 pounds of potatoes, carrots, squash, beets, apples, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, bread, cabbage, cucumbers, garlic, and other veggies and perishables!
As farmers, we understand that 20% of our community struggles with food insecurity. We firmly believe it is our responsibility to help address this need by sharing our ‘misfit’ produce.
Our Ugly Potato Days by Odd Bunch have given away over 4 million servings so far, and we're just getting started. Our biggest event yet will be hosted in 2026, so stay tuned!
Ugly Potato Day by Odd Bunch has one mission: to feed food-insecure communities while showing the world that just because produce is ugly-looking doesn’t mean it’s not nutritious and delicious.
Giving away 45,000 pounds of Ugly Vegetables
