Win a Weekend in CA - Get your Entry

Is $100 too much? Would you enter for $50? $25? This is an amazing fundraiser for the nonprofit so please share your hesitation.

200 tickets is all we are going to sell for this contest, that means for your $100 (donation if you don't win) you have the chance to win three prizes, the trip, $250 cash or $100 cash. Who wouldn't want to win a trip that's valued at $2,000 (just the stay at the resort piece) for $100? The cash you get will help with your travel expenses. I promise you, it's worth it.

Did you catch my live with Sid? Almost everything you want to know about the Inn is covered, plus more details on the fundraiser and how the cash prize will go up. If we sell 200 tickets by July 1, I'll increase it to $1000. You want to enter.

Thanks to our Sponsors & Vendors

We love new sponsors. LMNT has sent us hundreds of packets of their electrolyte powder to put in our VIP and Swag bags this year. It's a perfect way to sample their product while at the same time supporting the nonprofit. Each festival has VIP and Swag bag options so don't miss out.

Thinking 2025

Weather! I moved all the festivals outside because of Covid. The majority of them used to be indoors. The vendors love an indoor festival (me too), but attendees tend to prefer being outside. I get it. Do you still feel that way with how unpredictable the weather has been? It seems it's either raining, cold, or super hot. I can't complain too much because for most of my time doing this I have been blessed with amazing weather.

Yes, I'm already thinking about 2025. I'm going to do less festivals and do more closer to home. Asheville, Atlanta, Durham, and Raleigh will definitely be on my list. Today I went to the Durham Armory lottery. I secured multiple dates for 2025.

I'm bringing education back to Durham in 2025! We will be at the Durham Armory on November 1 and 2, with Saturday being dedicated to education and Sunday being the festival day. I believe I will also look into doing an event at Durham Central Park and again at Moore Square in Raleigh. It's easier to do an outdoor festival at home than on the road. I feel more prepared and my best support system is at home.

Vegan Mac & Cheese Cook Off will be on February 16 at the Armory as well.

On July 20, 2025, I'm going to do another event at the Armory. It will be different. I can't tell you exactly what it will look like, but it will bring some vegan fun to your summer and I can tell you that it will be a foodie event for sure!

Asheville 2025 dates are June 1 and October 5. Atlanta will likely be August 24 unless I can get the venue to switch us to later in the fall.

The goal for 2025 is to build up these already incredible festivals and by doing less of them, I'll have more time to do that. I'm going to do everything I can to keep from burning out to the point that I don't do this at all anymore.

Poll time!

What do you want to see at these festivals? What do you want to do? I'm all ears. I want to change things up and make these festivals about what you want and a place where the vendors can have more success. Help me help this to grow.

Asheville is Next!

Asheville SpringFest is on June 2. Here's a few reasons to join us:

*Free Face Painting

*Start the day with yoga at 11am

*Beer sale (plus some will be a fundraiser)

*Vegan Food from some of your favorites

*Vegan Desserts

*DJ spinning the tunes

*MZ Jazzy Entertaining & Hosting Fun Contests

*Shopping our Awesome Vendors

*Supporting our Presenting Sponsor - Animal Haven of Asheville

*Get your VIP/VIP PLUS/Swag Bags/Donate and more!

*We are still looking for Vendors & Volunteers

Vegan Q&A Time

In this new section, I'm open to receiving any questions you have and answering them on a weekly basis. Hit reply and start sending them, they can be food related, interpersonal, whatever. If I feel I can do it justice, I'll post it and answer it. It could be serious or it could be jovial. You'll need to scroll down each week to find out.

Why vegan?

• Why not vegan? Answering a question with a question always makes others happy. :)
• How many times have you heard someone say, "I could never be vegan?" Almost every single vegan has uttered these words as a pre-vegan. Remember those days? I know I did. I never ever thought I would be vegan. I was vegetarian for 23 years before I made the switch. I also made the decision for health, however I already understood the impact on the animals.
• I couldn't imagine ever not being vegan at this point. It was an easy decision and one I didn't make while living in NY or CA. I moved to NC and met an incredible group of people, who without pressure, showed me why vegan was the way to go.
• At this point in my journey, being vegan is about saving the planet, saving the animals, and my health. This is my why and the festivals are my activism. I don't believe in pressuring anyone. I live by example and when I am asked questions I answer with my truth and facts as to why this is the best thing you can do.

Weekly News Items

If you're a vendor and are interested in joining us at any of other events, please click here. Interested in volunteering at our events? Visit our website to choose the events you'd like to volunteer for.

We are using a new system for vendors to sign up but it's also a place where attendees can go to see our vendor maps and follow us to stay up to date on all things Vegfest Expos. Click here and please follow us (you can leave a review too). Vendors can see what festivals are open and easily apply to the festivals you wish to join. We always want you to take advantage of our early bird rates! 

We still need volunteers to assist with the festivals. We especially need help at the end of the day and this is even more so in Asheville. Have you ever thought about wanting to learn how we make all of this happen and want to travel and be a part of our vegfest team? We love our core team and if you feel like this is something you'd be interested in, hit reply and let's chat. 

Asheville SpringFest - June 2, 2024 - Asheville, NC - Open to vendors

Georgia Vegfest - August 25, 2024 - Atlanta, GA - Open to vendors

Triangle Vegfest - September 15, 2024 - Durham, NC - Open to vendors

Asheville Veganfest - October 6, 2024 - Asheville, NC - Open to vendors

Vegan Mac & Cheese Cook-Off Greenville - November 3, 2024 - Greenville, SC - open to vendors

TVF Holiday Market - December 1, 2024 - Wake Forest, NC - opening in August

Vegan Mac & Holiday Market Columbia - December 8, 2024 - Columbia, SC

Enter our social media contests this month for a chance to win one of our NINE prizes from our incredible sponsors. If you're not following at least our Vegfest Expos page on Instagram, you need to. The rest of the month, the prizes will be raffled to our VIP/VIP PLUS and to people who buy raffle tickets from our most recent festival(s).

When you win, don't forget to tag us and the company on your social! We want to see your smiling faces. 

Kathy Hester is our May Sponsor!

Don't forget to follow our social media and to purchase raffle tickets online for a chance to win awesome prize packs from Fabalish, DoJo Fresh, Vegky, Terraseed, Burny Wild's Adventure Sauce, Trupo Treats, Kathy Hester Cooking Classes, Bitchin' Sauce, and Hodo Foods. 

Let's Get Cooking with our Recipe of the Week: Steel Cut Oats

I start my day with a smoothie, but I used to start my day with steel cut oats. I love making it in my Instant Pot. You can make it on the stove as well. I love to swirl natural peanut butter, add banana, then top with maple syrup. Yes, it's delicious. How would you enjoy yours? Get the recipe here. 

Are you going to make this? Let us know what you think and tag us on your social with a picture of the finished product! #vegfestexposrecipes

Thanks to Kathy Hester for the recipe.