This past Sunday, the second annual “Worcester VegFest”
(Worcester VegFest) took place in Worcester, Massachusetts.
It is located about a half hour west of Boston. Rumor has it that it was bigger and better than last year. It was my first experience attending the event. The festival was well-organized and ran quite smoothly. The day consisted of lectures, cooking demos, display tables from various vendors and animal organizations, vegan food for sale and free samples.

Prior to entering the building, I noticed a vegan “ice cream” truck called “Like No Udder”(Like No Udder) to my right. This was same vendor that made an appearance at the yearly Boston Vegetarian Food Festival months ago. It hails from Providence, Rhode Island, so I was thrilled to see it make another Massachusetts appearance! As the words reveal on the truck’s exterior, the ice cream is derived from non-dairy ingredients. My purchase was the vanilla and chocolate twist, soft serve with a vegan caramel topping. It was superb!

When I finally entered the event arena, I was excited about the number of exhibitors and food booths represented! My first stop was at the raffle table to see the handbags, hoodies, totes, belts, and other items on display. I chose to drop my raffle ticket in the bucket for the vegan handbag. The bags were lovely and of top designer quality. I glanced at all of the vegan cookbooks for sale, on the neighboring table display.

As I made my way into the main conference room, I stopped in the lobby to take a look at the display tables there. Humane Societies and animal sanctuaries provided brochures on volunteer projects to help the animals.

Several food vendors supplied free samples. One Love Cafe(One Love Cafe) of Worcester offered free samples of their veggie patties. I truly enjoyed their deliciousness! Their restaurant serves Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine. They served up roti sandwiches for purchase. Cedar brand gave away sample gift boxes of their hummus with crackers.

Revitalize Cafe(Revitalive Cafe) displayed their kale chips for purchase.

The university venue’s cafe offered free samples of vegan chili, brown rice, and fresh, tropical fruit. Everything was quite tasty indeed!!

I stood in line to get a free sample of Coconut Bliss vegan ice cream. The chocolate hazelnut flavor was silky smooth, sweet and melted in my mouth.

A local restaurant called Belmont Vegetarian(Belmont Vegetarian) had a buffet setup where guests could purchase vegan Jamaican food such as rice, beans, and veggies.

A local food coop farm gave away fresh fruit such as oranges, apples, and bananas.

A vegan outreach group of performers called “Vegetable Circus”(Vegetable Circus) dove into song and dance, juggling, hula hoops, storytelling, acrobatics and other entertainment to encourage kids to eat healthy and vegan. Adults in the audience enjoyed the entertaining performance also.

Inside the main display room, I strolled through each aisle and viewed many vendors selling vegan food items or offering more free samples. I purchased a vegan, root beer float cupcake and a chocolate canoe cake from X’s To O’s Bakery in Albany, New York(X’s To O’s Vegan Bakery). Boy, were they amazing and delicious! They satisfied my sweet tooth!

For my lunch, I opted for the Loving Hut’s(Loving Hut) Chinese vegan eggroll, lo mein noodles with veggies, and faux “beef” on a stick. Everything tasted incredibly good.

Other display tables offered samples of vegan cheeses, veggie patties, hummus, falafel from Falafel Republic brand, nut butters, and other snacks.

I then made my way to the vegan outreach tables, row by row. More animal sanctuaries, animal rescue leagues, and other animal-friendly organizations displayed their brochures on worthwhile animal causes, volunteer opportunities, and fund raising events.

Between my times at the display tables, I decided to attend a few seminars. The first lecture was given by someone who is on the board of PETA and the Christian Vegetarian Association. He spoke of the cruelty that animals suffer whether on factory farms or so-called “free range farms”. His video of animal abuse brought me to tears. The speaker’s words were of peace and compassion for animals.

The final lecture I attended was one regarding animal activism. While I won’t get into the details, the speaker himself tried to stress the fact that those who are protecting animal rights, may not be seen in the best light. They may be considered as troublemakers and may indeed get into serious trouble. He urged vegans to take a stand for animal rights.

One of the day’s highlights for me, was attending a cooking demo by renowned vegan chef and cookbook author Terry Hope Romano. She is the author of “Veganomicon” and co-author of “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World”. Her preparation of vegan seitan tacos was easy to follow and very versatile. She kindly took the time to answer many audience questions regarding cooking and baking.

The Worcester VegFest was a wonderful and appropriate way to celebrate leading a vegan lifestyle filled with love for all creatures! I really enjoyed the lectures, the variety of animal rights groups and sanctuaries represented, and the various food vendors showcasing their products. All in all, it was a fantastic day for the body, mind, and spirit! When in Massachusetts, you will definitely want to check out the Worcester VegFest in April. Wherever you travel domestically or internationally, look for a Veggie Festival near your vicinity!