Oops, I did it vegan!
On Saturday, Apopka held its second annual Vegan Food & Wine Festival to promote awareness and offer local goods for those interested in a vegan lifestyle. The free event, held at Kit Land Nelson Park, invited over 100 vegan-based vendors to share their craft, food, and clothes with the community.
The festival had something for everyone to enjoy, including face painting for kids and special goodies for dogs. With such diversity in Central Florida and the vegan community, guests could feast on international cuisines from Ethiopia, Brazil, Italy, and more. Vendors stress that these plant-based options are essential for catering to different palettes.
“Many events just have the most unhealthy food, and you have no other option,” said Shauna Jackson, owner of Do It Vegan. “Events like these show not only that there’s better choices, but you can get healthy food from all different cultures, too.”
Aside from offering food, festival organizers also enlisted the help of five guest speakers who discussed plant-based health and did cooking demonstrations of their recipes. The speaker lineup is a part of a larger effort to educate the community on vegan culture and how it can be a daunting switch for many people.
“There are so many reasons for eating this way,” said speaker Timaree Hagenburger, a dietician and cookbook author. “If you have just one reason that resonates with you, then you can become confident in your decisions, and the people around you will learn to support that.”
The festival offered Health screenings, Zumba classes, and massages in addition to the vegan crafts to promote an overall message of improved well-being. Apopka firefighter Jon Force and his team also set up their booth to give out information and socialize with residents.
“This festival really helps to boost city morale and bring our community together,” said Force. “We also get to give out hurricane preparedness flyers and let people know all the things the fire department can do for them, so it’s a good opportunity for us here.”
Julie and Jeff Spieser are some of the many couples who attended the event and noted that this venue was a great choice for them.
“Since the whole event is outside, people are more likely to feel comfortable during this time of covid,” said Jeff Spieser, who started going to vegan events after making the diet switch himself 11 years ago. “Cooking at home can be intimidating at first, so this festival allows them to come out and try new foods without that stress.”
Veganism has surged in popularity in the last decade. According to the Good Food Institute, a vegan nonprofit organization, the American plant-based product market grew by 27% in 2020 alone. As farm-to-table style supermarkets like Sprouts Farmers Market and The Fresh Market also expand throughout the country, they present customers with a whole line of food options that were once unavailable.
Portia Cannon, who came to the event to promote her business Tough Vegan, personally knows how vital self-educating on this growing trend can be.
“Veganism is spreading a lot,” said Cannon. “If you don’t want to learn about it online or at YouTube university like I did, they have options like vegan block parties, workshops, and festivals now. Don’t be afraid to step out of your box and give it a try.”
For people like Garrett Hausman, this event is precisely the “out-of-the-box” experience he was looking for. Hausman originally came to the event to support his girlfriend’s business but quickly realized he enjoyed it in a new, personal sense.
“I’m not vegan, but I’ve always been curious about a more sustainable way of making food,” said Hausman. “This event 100% improves visibility about the vegan lifestyle. Now, I’m here learning about it and so far, all of the food has been good, too.”
The Apopka vegan community hopes to continue to reach people like Hausman in fresh, exciting ways each year. Organizers plan to have the festival return in the spring of 2023.
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