High Desert Food & Farm Alliance Launches Accessibility Week

High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA) is launching its first Accessibility Week, a new initiative designed to help ensure that people of all abilities experience and enjoy Central Oregon’s vibrant local food system.

Taking place October 1-8, 2026, Accessibility Week will bring together farms, food businesses, artists, hospitality partners and community organizations for a series of experiences designed with accessibility and inclusion in mind.

At the heart of the initiative is a simple belief that has guided HDFFA’s work since its founding: Everyone deserves good food.

Accessibility Week is part of HDFFA’s broader effort to make the High Desert Food Trail more inclusive and welcoming to people with a wide range of accessibility needs. Through support from Visit Central Oregon’s Future Fund, HDFFA has developed an Accessibility Edition of the High Desert Food Trail, along with inclusive itineraries and an accessible travel initiative designed to connect people of all abilities with Central Oregon farms, food producers and agritourism experiences.

The initiative recognizes that accessibility can mean many different things. For some visitors, it may mean a wheelchair-accessible path or restroom. For others, it may mean seating options, shorter walking distances, sensory considerations, clear information about an experience in advance, or an environment where people feel comfortable asking for accommodations.

The week is intended not only to provide accessible experiences, but also to encourage a broader conversation about accessibility throughout Central Oregon’s food and tourism sectors.

“Oftentimes, having a neurologic diagnosis can lead to isolation, frustration, and barriers to participating in everyday life. At Destination Rehab, we’re always looking for ways to increase inclusion and build community. We’re grateful to collaborate with HDFFA, an organization that recognizes the importance of connection through local farms, food, and fellowship,” said Carol-Ann Nelson, Founder and Executive Director and Physical Therapist at Destination Rehab.

“We’re especially excited to celebrate the culmination of this funding and the opportunity to make local, nutritious food more accessible to people with neurologic conditions during Accessibility Week. It’s a great example of what can happen when our community comes together to create more inclusive opportunities for everyone.”

Through funding from Visit Central Oregon’s Future Fund and USDA’s BFR grant, HDFFA was able to assess 13 additional Central Oregon businesses for accessibility. These assessments provide more detailed information about the physical and other accessibility features available at each location, helping visitors make informed decisions about the experiences that are right for them.

The effort builds on a larger statewide initiative led by Travel Oregon in partnership with Wheel the World, a global platform that provides detailed, verified accessibility information for travelers. Oregon became the first state to achieve Wheel the World’s Accessibility Verified designation, following a coordinated effort to assess tourism businesses across all seven regions of the state.

HDFFA hopes the initiative will help local businesses better understand accessibility, identify opportunities for improvement and make more information available to visitors before they arrive.

The High Desert Food Trail currently connects visitors and residents with farms, ranches, restaurants, farmers markets, food producers and other businesses throughout Central Oregon. HDFFA describes the trail as a way for people to explore the region’s agricultural roots while experiencing the people and places behind its local food system.

Accessibility Week builds on HDFFA’s larger commitment to equitable food access. The organization’s mission is to support a healthy and thriving food and farm network in Central Oregon, with a vision of a prosperous food and farm network with access for all Central Oregonians.

Accessibility Week Events

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Paint & Sip
Thursday, Oct. 1| 5:00-7:00 PM | Sisters, OR
Event Details Here

DD Ranch Pumpkin Patch
Saturday, Oct 3 | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Terrebone, OR
Mention HDFFA for discount towards a pumpkin or activity
Event Details Here

Olive Oil & Vinegar Tasting at Arome
Sunday, Oct 4 | 5:0-7:00 PM | Redmond, OR
Event Details Here

Let’s Paint Your Pet at TEAL Tea & Art Lounge
Monday, Oct 5 |6:00-8:00 PM | Bend, OR
Add promo code HDFFA at checkout for a 10% discount
Event Details Here

This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.