In the Boston-area and looking for something fun, delicious and free to do? (Yes, I said free!) Then head on over to the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival!

You all know I’m kind of obsessed with food. That’s why I love attending and checking out new food, restaurants, and products. This tasty yet informative event features speakers, cooking demos and oodles of exhibitors with information on vegan living, animal rights and of course vegetarian and vegan food! If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, then you just have to go. But you don’t have to be vegan/vegetarian to enjoy…just come and sample some goodies!

It’s happening TODAY, Saturday, 10/29 from 11am-6pm and TOMORROW, Sunday, 10/30 from 10am-4pm at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center, 1350 Tremont St, Boston.

Speakers/cooking demos include:

• Michael Greger, MD – Nutrition
• Chef AJ – Going Unprocessed – How to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in your diet in ways that are easy, delicious and fun! and cooking demo: Life by Chocolate
• Ellen Jaffe Jones – Eat Vegan and Healthy on $4 a Day and cooking demo: Calabacitas and Guacamole Plus
• James McWilliams, PhD – Challenging the Idea of the Conscientious Carnivore
• Milton Mills, MD – Diet and Health
• Wayne Pacelle, HSUS – The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them
• Jasmin Singer & Mariann Sullivan, Our Hen House – Shifting to a Plant Based Diet: Techniques and Tips for Your Walk on the Green Side

Some of the exhibitors I’m ridiculously excited to see include:

• Animal Legal Defense Fund –California-based law organization working to enact state felony anti-cruelty statutes and civil litigation for animals.
• Boston Vegan Association – Educates & supports Boston’s vegan community.
• Boston Vegetarian Society – Working towards a more compassionate world through a vegetarian diet.
• Café Indigo – Seriously delish vegan desserts (carrot cake, chocolate cake, whoopee pies), some of the best I’ve EVER tasted!
• CEASE – Info on anti-fur campaigns & factory farming.
• Daiya – Yummy vegan cheese (cheddar, parmesan, pepperjack in grilled cheese and quesadillas) that melts, stretches & is oh so tasty.
• Earth Balance – On English muffins, in recipes…I live for their vegan butter! No joke.
• Forks Over Knives DVDs – Dying to see this documentary on how healthy vegan living combats illness.
• GREY2KUSA – Info on greyhound protection and anti-racing laws from this greyhound rescue organization. I had a rescued greyhound as a kid. Hero was the sweetest dog I’ve ever met.
• Herbivore Clothing Company – Portland, Oregon based company is amazeballs. I went to their store when I attended Vida Vegan Con. They have adorbs clothing (bought THE cutest T-shirts & teal hoodie), shoes, accessories and a phenemonal collection of vegan cookbooks. Heaven!
• Humane Society of the US – The nation’s largest animal protection organization.
• Mass Animal Rights Coalition (MARC) – Group works to end suffering for all animals.
• Mercy for Animals – One of my favorite animal rights orgs that promotes a vegan diet, works to end animal cruelty
• Our Hen House – I adore these 2 feisty, opinionated vegans, Jasmine Singer (heard her speak at Vida Vegan Con, so inspiring!) & Mariann Sullivan, and their blog. Veganism and animal rights activism with a feminist lens.
• Peace o’ Pie – Boston-based gourmet vegan pizzeria. Seriously the best vegan pizza you’ve ever had, possibly the best pizza, period.
• Sudo Shoes – Uber stylish vegan shoes, bags & belts; think of it as “the MooShoes of Boston.”
• Veggie Galaxy – Harvard Square café whips up yummy pizzas, veggie rice dishes, salads, desserts & a mean brunch on the weekends.
• VegNews Magazine – my monthly vegan tome
• Wheelers Frozen Desserts – vegan ice cream
• Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary – They rescue abused and neglected farm animals.

And there’s much, much more…this is just the tip of the iceberg! So be sure to get your ass down to the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival. It’s peer pressure…but the good kind 🙂