More than 3,000 visitors are expected at Nottingham’s first Viva! vegan festival on Saturday.
The all-day event on May 6 is being held at Nottingham Conference Centre, on Burton Street, and will feature more than 150 stalls showcasing the city’s best vegan food and cruelty-free products.
The event will provide food tastings, cookery demonstrations and expert talks about veganism and advice on changing diet.
The talks will include An Insight into the amazing World of Hemp, Vegan Energy Boosters and What’s Veganism Got to do With Feminism?
The festival has been organised by vegan charity Viva!, and follows the success of 45 roadshows held by the group across the UK since October 2004 – which have been attended by more than 98,000 people.
A third of visitors were meat eaters looking for help in cutting down their meat and dairy intake, the charity says.
Award-winning vegan catering group, Veggies, who were one of the first vegan caterers in Nottingham, will be holding a stall on the day.
Veggies caterer Patrick Smith said: “Nottingham is relatively unique in pioneering the veganism movement. It already has Sneinton vegan market which takes place each month and provides an opportunity for people to find out more about veganism and for vegan companies to showcase their work.
“I am excited by the number of vegans there are in the city now. Years ago many people didn’t know anyone who was vegan and we were one of the only vegan caterers in Nottingham – now we know of over 300.
“The festival will hopefully be followed by many more vegan evens here. There is no slowing down, only moving forward with veganism in Nottingham.”
Entry on the day will cost £3, with under 16s free – and includes free entry to a vegan beer festival being held from noon until 1 am at The Peacock pub, on Mansfield Road.
