ECHO’s Global Food and Farm Festival returns

ECHO North America invites the community to its 15th Global Food and Farm Festival (GF3) on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This family-friendly celebration at the 57-acre ECHO Global Farm offers interactive experiences, cooking demonstrations, educational workshops, and activities for all ages.

Farm Day promises a full day of discovery that highlights sustainable agriculture and global food solutions.

The festival supports ECHO’s mission to reduce hunger through sustainable agriculture by giving visitors a firsthand look at techniques and innovations used worldwide.

Through training, seed distribution, farm demonstrations, and technical support, ECHO empowers individuals and communities to grow food and improve lives in the United States and across the globe.

Attendees can explore themed garden areas representing different climate zones, learn how sustainable water pumps work, and discover small-scale farming techniques adapted for real-world challenges.

The festival features things like interactive exhibits and demonstrations, live cooking shows using produce straight from ECHO’s gardens, hands-on activities like wool spinning, sugar cane crushing, seed saving and microscope exploration.

People can also have a meet-and-greet with the farm animals. There will also be food trucks. If you like what you see, there will be nursery plants for sale and the opportunity for people to buy seeds to plant their own garden.

In addition to Farm Day, ECHO is hosting hands-on workshops with tropical garden lunches on select dates through April 11, 2026. Topics range from urban gardening and compost building to beekeeping experiences and regenerative practices for edible landscapes. Participants can gain practical skills and ask questions in small-group settings.

Grace Ju Miller, Director of ECHO North America, says the festival is “something for everyone,” adding that many visitors are surprised to discover ECHO’s work right in Lee County.

“This is the perfect opportunity for people to come out to our open house,” she said, noting the joy of watching families learn together.

John Smith, Festival Director, adds that GF3 has grown significantly since its early days.

“We used to have a few hundred attend. Now, we have over a thousand people. It’s an event people care about,” he said.

$7 per person in advance, $10 at the door; ages 0–5 free; $30 family pass.

ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in North Fort Myers. For more than four decades, the organization has worked to equip families and communities with sustainable farming knowledge and tools.

Its North America Impact Center serves as a training hub and demonstration farm, showcasing tropical agriculture techniques, seed diversity, and appropriate technologies that help fight hunger around the world.

For more information on the exact dates and times, click here.