SHOW WHAT YOU GROW!
WHO: Denman and Hornby Islanders of all ages.
WHAT: Come to the 2026 Blackberry Faire and Show What You Grow! Sponsored by the Denman Island Garden Society, this friendly competition covers just about everything growable. Choose from vegetables (15 categories), fruits (6 categories), flowers, herbs, harvest baskets (fill ‘em up!), largest/weirdest vegetable, homemade preserves (jams, jellies, pickles, conserves), and baking (cakes, cookies, breads). Please refer to the Show What You Grow poster included in this issue for complete details. Prizes will be awarded in each category, and this year there will be a Grand Prize as well. Enter as many categories as you like, but all entries must be grown or hand-made by the entrant.
Kids 12 and under can submit entries in baking (muffins, cookies), flowers (prettiest bouquet, biggest sunflower), decorated or special vegetable, and fall-themed art depicting a farm or garden in any medium, including three-dimensional. Spoiler alert: all kids’ entries are guaranteed a prize.
A hand-made scarecrow competition will be held in the ORCA, with winners decided by popular vote. All scarecrows must free-standing, but there is no limit on size, materials used, or the number of creators for each. Make it a family project, conspire with a friend, or let your imagination run solo.
WHEN: Sunday, September 6, 2026 during the Blackberry Faire.
WHERE: Denman Community Hall and ORCA (Outdoor Recreation Covered Area).
WHY: To celebrate harvest time and the bounty of fall.
To share your gardening and/or culinary successes this year, admire the successes of others, and get ideas for next year.
To vie for prizes and bragging rights, at least until next year’s competition.
To HAVE FUN!
HOW: Bring all entries, including scarecrows, to the hall between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. – and don’t forget to pick them up between 1:30 and 3:00 p.m. Vegetables, fruits and edibles will be placed on standardized plates (provided), but please bring your own containers for herbs and flowers. Each entry will be given a tag for your name, but the tag will then be sealed to make all entries anonymous until after the judging.
Except for scarecrows, judges will score entries on several attributes, comparing the total against an ideal of 100 points. For fruits, tomatoes, preserves and baked goods, taste will account for about half the score.
Volunteers are needed to help with setting up, receiving and organizing entries, judging, cleanup, and decorating the hall on Saturday afternoon. If you can help, or have fall-themed natural or hand-made decorations to share, please call Shirley Ward at 250-335-2480.
, fruits (6 categories), flowers, herbs, harvest baskets (fill ‘em up!), largest/weirdest vegetable, homemade preserves (jams, jellies, pickles, conserves), and baking (cakes, cookies, breads). ){kind=link}