Richmond Vegetarian Festival Celebrates Its Lucky 13th Anniversary, June 20th at Bryan Park!

by Danielle Bussone

Celebrating their 13th year, Richmond Vegetarian Festival, one of the most happening vegfests in the country is less than THREE WEEKS away, June 20th, from 12-6pm. Richmond Vegetarian festival boasts thousands of visitors each year at the shaded  grounds of  Bryan Park and the numbers just keep growing. One hundred plus vendors will be nestled among trees in the dappled oasis of the park’s Azalea Gardens where great food and entertainment for the entire family can be leisurely enjoyed at this FREE event! Mike Goldberg (of WTVR-CBS6) will be the ever-popular Master of Ceremonies. Even your pets are welcome!

Pet and Kid Friendly Atmosphere!

This is your chance to sample some of the best plant-based cuisine anywhere, hailing from remote corners of the globe. Nile Cuisine will be serving up authentic Ethiopian. India K’Raja offers some of the best Indian food we’ve found anywhere, which explains why it has been voted Richmond’s best Indian restaurant time and time again. Phoenix Garden Vegetarian Restaurant offers amazing vegan Vietnamese fare. You’ll find Greek food, African-Caribbean fusion, Thai food, sushi, burgers, pizza and much more as well as delicious gelato and shaved ice. When you discover how delicious and satisfying vegetarian food can be, you may never want to eat meat again! That’s the idea anyway, to introduce newbies to the robust flavors and health-promoting vitality of plant-based cuisine.

India K’Raja

There will also be many speakers to enlighten, educate and entertain. These include vegan muscle and fitness team Derek Tresize and Marcella Torres, and vegan travel blogger Kristin Lajeunesse. Information-packed cooking demonstrations will be performed by chefs John Maxwell, Patrick Carr and cookbook author, Danielle Bussone (Yes, that would be me!).  Renowned dietician, Jane Wilson, will be available all day to answer any of your questions.

Mike Goldberg, Derek Tresize and Marcella Torres. Kristin Lajeunesse, Jane Wilson, & Danielle Bussone

Musical performances by  Yes Team, ​S​cott Varney, ​C​ha Cha’s Cadillac​ and T​homas will fill the air as you meander through all the festival has to offer.

The Kids’ Patch has crafts for children to enjoy, as well as many fun activities designed with children in mind, including a yoga demonstration by Project Yoga, an obstacle course by Veggie Warrior, and a scavenger hunt.

Without exaggeration, I can pronounce that the volunteers and organizers of the Richmond Vegetarian Festival put on one heck of a show. I don’t know how they pull it off, but the throngs that show up year after year to bask for six hours in an environment of camaraderie, well-being and careless joie de vivre clearly show they are doing something right. Mark your calendars, check out the Richmond Vegetarian Festival and see what you’ve been missing!

Rain Date is scheduled for June 28th!

Co-founder and editor of Veggin’ Out and About, Danielle writes restaurant reviews, profiles and interviews of people making a difference in the plant-based community. She author of, “Time For Change: Whole Foods For Whole Health,” released January 1, 2015.

Danielle’s region is SW Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina and anywhere she happens to stop for sustenance along the road. Contact Danielle Contact Danielle directly to share your restaurant finds, to make comments or just to say hello.