Vegfest (UK) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids VegFestUK |
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|---|---|
| Genre | veganism |
| Location(s) | United Kingdom |
| Years active | 2003–2018, 2021– |
| Founded by | Tim Barford |
VegfestUK is a super fun annual festival all about vegan food and lifestyle! It happens every year in different cities across the United Kingdom, like London, Brighton, and Bristol. It started in 2013. Imagine a huge event with hundreds of stalls where you can try delicious vegan food and learn new things. For example, the 2019 festival in London had about 370 stalls! Vegfest is one of the biggest vegan and vegetarian festivals in the world. In 2018, the London Vegfest welcomed 14,500 visitors, showing how popular it is!
Discovering VegfestUK in Bristol
VegfestUK first began in Bristol in 2003. Back then, it was called the Bristol Vegan Fayre. The main goal was to show everyone how amazing a vegan lifestyle can be. At the festival, all the food and drinks you find are suitable for vegans.
Besides a marketplace to try and buy vegan goodies, the Bristol festivals offer lots of entertainment. You can enjoy comedy shows, watch movies, and see famous chefs cook. There are also workshops where you can learn to make vegan dishes. Experts give talks about healthy eating and how to help animals. Kids also have their own fun activities during the day! In the evenings, big music acts perform. Some famous performers have included Goldie Lookin' Chain and Ms. Dynamite.
In May 2013, the Bristol show celebrated its 10th birthday! It featured awesome bands like the Happy Mondays and Peter Hook. Many important vegan guests visited, too. These included Bristol MP Kerry McCarthy and marathon runner Fiona Oakes. Even Neil Robinson, the world's first professional vegan footballer, came! A huge crowd of 20,000 people came to enjoy the food and music over three sunny days. The Bristol event took a break after 2019 but is set to return in 2021.
Exploring VegfestUK in Brighton
The Brighton Vegfest event started in 2009. Since 2010, it has taken place every March at the Hove Centre. In 2013, many people became more interested in meat-free food. This led to a record 7,200 visitors over two days at the Brighton show!
The event even got attention from big radio stations like BBC Radio 2. Famous presenters and vegan athletes visited. These included Janey Lee Grace and football player Dean Howell. Comedian Sara Pascoe also joined the fun. Later, new activities were added, like speed-dating and a bodybuilders' competition!
Experiencing VegfestUK in London
Because more and more people wanted meat-free and eco-friendly lifestyles, VegfestUK started London shows in October 2013. This indoor festival happens every year at Kensington Olympia.
The very first London show had over 180 stalls. Even Sir Paul McCartney's group, Meat Free Monday, was there! Many speakers and entertainers joined in. Comedians like Dave Spikey and Lucy Porter made people laugh. Musician Macka B performed, and ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek shared his story. Strongman Patrik Baboumian also made an appearance.
VegfestUK also hosts the annual VegfestUK awards. People vote online for their favorite vegan products, services, groups, and people. Since 2013, the award ceremony has been held at VegfestUK London.
