Last year’s first-ever North Florida Vegfest attracted much bigger crowds than anyone expected. The event returns this coming Sunday (3/20) and organizers like Sally Sanders said they’re ready for an even larger turnout because more and more people are getting enthused about fresh fruits and vegetables.
“It started probably with a health-driven motivation as we’re aging and we realize the connection between what we eat and the number one diseases, like heart disease and cancer and diabetes, but even the younger people are jumping on board,” Sanders said. “I think they like being part of a movement to make a better world. Not just for our health, but a big piece of it is the environment.”
Although Julie Inglis, who spearheaded the first North Florida Vegfest last year, added the health benefits of eating fresh produce are undeniable.
“Plant-based diets are rich in nutrients and they’re higher in fiber. More than 75% of Americans get less than the minimal recommendations for dietary fiber,” she pointed out. “And vegans and vegetarians typically have lower rates of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and overall weigh less than the general population.”
On top of that, Sanders said there’s the trend towards more traditional ways of producing our food.
“This is a fairly recent development in the past 50 or 60 years that we have moved to this model of corporate food production and factory farming. Before that, it really was more about local food production; small farms and that’s all gone away, so I think part of this is just driven by that movement back towards more local control of what we eat.”
Combine all that and Inglis said it should have come as no surprise that last year’s inaugural Vegfest attracted so many people.
“We were expecting about 1500 people and we got over 3,000,” she recalled. “I was so overjoyed at the turnout! We had people from all different walks of life. People from the Tallahassee area, Georgia and Florida. People had traveled from all over to attend this festival.”
Like its predecessor, Sanders said the festival will be a great way to explore new flavors and learn new things.
“It’s a day to try some new foods – some new vegan foods – and we have a couple of nationally known experts on vegan ism. When they saw how many we attracted last year, we were able to get some national experts to come and share their insights about vega-nism. We also have some local experts presenting. And here’s a favorite from last year, we also have some cooking demos.”
Also, plenty of activities for the kids and some area animal rescue displays. All in all, Inglis predicted, a fun time at Tallahassee’s Cascades Park this Saturday from eleven until five.
“A lot of free food samples, you can connect with different people who have an interest in healthy living, and if you have any questions for us we’re going to have an information table. If you’re wondering about changing your diet or are interested in animal rights or going more towards a plant-based diet, don’t hesitate to ask. My name is Julia Inglis and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.”
You can also find some answers on the event web site: www.northfloridavegfest.com.
