First VegFest Oahu Coming September 24th

VegFest Oahu: Celebrate, Learn, Taste.

Celebrate. Learn. Taste.

Oahu’s first-ever VegFest will be held at Honolulu Hale, on the corner of King and Punchbowl Streets, Saturday, September 24, 2016 from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm.  

VegFest Oahu 2016 will be a free family-friendly event celebrating plant-based, sustainable living. People will be able to taste delicious vegan food from local restaurants. Hear inspiring speakers about health and environmental topics. Engage in the Learning Kitchen with plant-based cooking demos by local chefs. Enjoy conscious music and entertainment on the main stage. And shop for green and veg-friendly products at the event’s Wellness Market.

VegFest Oahu’s mission is to educate Hawaii’s community about the many benefits of choosing plant-based foods and lifestyle to improve health, contribute to solutions for climate change and encourage compassion for animal welfare.

“Vegfests have been happening all over the world for years and now the time is right to bring it to Hawaii,” says Joy Waters, VegFest Oahu Festival Producer. “We will offer tools and inspiration that help make it easier to move towards a vegan diet.  And, through this event, we want to help build an engaged community that supports plant-based living as a part of our local culture.”

Local favorites in Hawaii often means fast food plate lunch or spam musubi which, Joy says, contributes to growing rates of diabetes, obesity and diet-related health issues. “Since Hawaii’s island state is vulnerable to climate change, one of the goals of VegFest Oahu will be to increase awareness of the link between diet and climate change. Raising animals for food damages the environment more than just about anything else we do. When people eat less meat they reduce their environmental footprint and improve their health as well,” she said.

Michael Wall, VegFest Oahu’s Festival Director, explains two important goals of the event: “We want to show how a vegetarian diet is nutritious, yummy, and easy to achieve. This festival is a way to meet caring folks who are passionate about making a better world—and get to know them in a casual, friendly environment on the beautiful grassy lawn of the Hale under the abundant shade trees.  There will be plenty of free parking, too!"

VegFest Oahu is an opportunity for the community to help create an exciting event that showcases the values of vegetarian living. The next VegFest Oahu Public Planning Meeting will focus on developing engaging activities that can take place at the festival. Current ideas include: vegan athlete exhibition, a collaborative community mural, a Veggie Parade, street theatre, activist stand-up comedy, exhibits on sustainability issues, and activities for keiki. Click below to get your invite to the planning meeting!

VegFest Oahu is the first event that brings together Oahu’s major participants in the vegan, vegetarian, health, sustainability and animal rights movements to celebrate, collaborate and learn from each other.  It is the result of a ground-swell of support from community volunteers, including local entrepreneurs, business owners, and advocates in the environmental and plant based movement. Current sponsors include:

VegFest Sponsors: Sustain Hawaii, Down to Earth, Blue Zones Project, Hawaii Wellness Directory, Ekahi Ornish Reversal Program, Pono Home, Positive Media Hawaii, and VegFund