This Saturday, June 21st, Vegan Action and the Grapevine Restaurant will host the 12th annual
This Saturday, June 21st, Vegan Action and the Grapevine Restaurant will host the 12th annual Richmond Vegetarian Festival. It will be held in the Azalea Gardens at Bryan Park from 12PM noon to 6:00PM and is free to attend.
The festival appeals to all Richmonders and attracts thousands of folks every year; organizers expect about 12,000-15,000 people this year. Brenda Morris, Richmond Vegetarian Festival Coordinator, explains that the festival “shows Richmond how easy it is to be a vegetarian.”
Expect almost three dozen local restaurants offering vegetarian and vegan foods with a wide variety of types of food including veggie burgers, fries, Indian, Thai, African and Mediterranean specialties.
No matter what type of vegetarian or vegan food you are craving, you will surely find it at the Richmond Vegetarian Festival; my taste buds water just thinking about it!
Several speakers including Jane Wilson of the Richmond Dietetic Association, vegan blogger Victoria Moran, and animal rescue pioneer Gene Baur hope to inform and educate attendees on vegetarianism and veganism.
Speakers will provide dietary information, how a vegetarian lifestyle contributes to the quality of life, and the recent food movement towards vegetarianism and veganism. These presentations are ideal for attendees who are thinking of going vegetarian or vegan as well as current vegetarians and vegans seeking more information about their eating habits.
There will also be an iron chef competition in the speaker’s tent.
Several nonprofit organizations and charities will be present at the festival. Safe Harbor Shelter and LAMB’s Basket Food Pantry will be at the event collecting gas cards, grocery cards and cans of veggies.
Additionally, animals presented by animal rescue organizations such as the Richmond SPCA, Ring Dog Rescue and the Richmond Animal League will be available for adoption.
Nonprofit organizations that support animal rights, human rights and the environment will also be present.
Live entertainment will contribute to the festival atmosphere of the event. Five local bands, Classical Revolutions, Fade Nasso, Can Fish Band, Hotel X and the Spirit drummers, will play throughout the day while Mike Goldberg emcees. Additionally, Jonathan Austin, Richmond juggler and magician, will be performing at the event. Feel free to bring your children to this event, as Moon Bounces, Spin Art and arts and crafts will keep them entertained. Additionally, well-behaved, leashed, vaccinated dogs are welcome at this event.
This year’s Richmond Vegetarian Festival isn’t one to be missed, so on Saturday, June 21st, be sure to head over to the Azalea Gardens at Bryan Park to experience everything the festival has to offer and celebrate vegetarianism!
And be sure to carpool and head out early in order to find good parking and see the speakers.
Fingers crossed for pleasant weather but just in case of severe weather, the Richmond Vegetarian Festival will be pushed back to July 5th, same time and place.
