Texas VegFest is nearly upon us and we in the Austin veg*n community can hardly wait!
Many of us here at Red Hot Vegans are well-acquainted with the folks who are running the event, so we’ve been privileged enough to see bits and pieces of the planning process from the very beginning. It’s been a real thrill for us to see it come to fruition; through the hard work of the organizers, what was once an idea among ordinary individuals has now materialized into what may possibly be the biggest vegetarian event of the year in the state of Texas. It’s exciting and inspiring, to say the least!
It’s important to give a little bit of background to help understand exactly what this means. I’ve been lucky enough to have been associated with the Austin vegan scene for about seven years now, after attending my first potluck by Vegans Rock Austin, a social group that was then just a couple of years old and still associated with Meetup.com. Since that time, the scene here has blown up: VRA got their own site and message board, different social groups arose, multiple local-focused vegan blogs came online, the quality and quantity of dining options exploded, and the sheer size and general connectivity of our community grew exponentially. Texas VegFest is the culmination of this history: the most prominent mark yet that our community has made on the culture of this great city. So for the old-school veg scenesters like me, anticipation couldn’t be higher.
So, what does this event have in store, anyway? Their tagline says “From cupcakes to kale, there’ll be something for everyone,” and from the looks of it, that appears to be true. While a full detailed list is available at the Texas VegFest website, here are some of the highlights that many of us are particularly looking forward to:
- Three cooking demos:
- Isa Chandra Moskowitz – Southern comfort fare
- Terry Hope Romero – tamales
- Dan Marek (Health Starts Here) – health-conscious plant-based meals
- Speakers:
- Robert Cheeke, vegan bodybuilder
- Dr. Michael Greger, Humane Society of the United States
- Erica Meier, Compassion Over Killing
- Music:
- Roxy Roca – Austin soul group
- The Noise Revival Orchestra Experience – Austin orchestral indie pop
- The Wheel Workers – Houston indie rock
- Lincoln Durham – Austin singer-songwriter
- Vendors:
- Includes twenty choices for food, from local establishments from Austin to businesses from around the country: Capital City Bakery, Food for Lovers, Sweet Ritual, Vegeria and more!
This is only a brief overview, so check out the Texas VegFest website, Twitter, or Facebook page for more info. You can also RSVP on the Facebook event page. It takes place at Fiesta Gardens, on the shores of beautiful Lady Bird Lake in East Austin, from 11am-6pm this Saturday, and don’t forget about ATX Vegan Drinks – VegFest Edition this Friday from 7-9pm at The Brixton. Hope to see you there!
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