Central Florida Veg Fest 2008

[Jeremy]

It will be in Orlando at Loch Haven Park on October 25th, same place as last year. We went last year and it was great. Just about every veg*n friendly restaurant and retailer in Orlando had a booth there I think. Lots of food, etc.

Chryssie718, and I will be there. Does anyone else plan to go this year?

[sarahjayn1980]

i'd love to go. i'd need someone to drive me over there and back . . . from tampa. anyone want to save gas $$, and make a new friend?

[Fromper]

So out of curiousity, I googled for their web page (http://www.cfvegfest.org/). If I lived closer, I'd go, but I'm not sure if it's worth the three hour drive each way. If anyone else from down my way (Palm Beach County or nearby) really wants to go and carpool there, I might consider it.

--Fromper
:juggle:

[Fyvel]

I was just thinking that would be a fun, relatively short trip from Miami... until I read the date ... I'll be in Asheville, NC getting married that day!

Otherwise I could have carpooled with somebody. :(

[SkySoStarry]

Ooooh. I will think about going. It looks like about a 2.5 hour drive for me. I am coming from Lake City. If anyone would like to carpool with me (Jacksonville people, Gainesville people?) I might consider it. I would just have to see about being able to get off work.

[sb729 }i{]

I'm moving to Tampa....and am missing this event by 2 days. :( SUPER bummed.

[SuicideBlonde]

I have to work and don't drive. I miss all the fun things!

[chryssiie718]

We attended the event today and it was fun. I was bummed when it was raining early this morning but by the time we got there around 11 or so it had cleared up and was a beautiful sunny day. According to one of the announcers, the attendance this year was way up from previous years. There were lots of interesting booths with diverse items and information from organic gardening/food to yoga and meditation. There were demonstrations and educational speakers. Since we had the kids this year, we ended up following them around so they could participate in the activities for children. They had a blast being in a "play" with costumes of sea creatures teaching a lesson about pollution. There were lots of different food venders and Food Not Bombs was giving away free food. It was a good experience for the kids and we all enjoyed it. Hope some of you folks who couldn't attend get a chance to go next year. :)

[SuicideBlonde]

I wish I would have went. It sounded awesome.

[chryssiie718]

I forgot to mention the animals! There were rescue groups for several animals as well as animal activists. There were greyhounds and pugs and kitties. A group for manatees and monkeys too. And birds! It was very cool. :)

[Jeremy]

I was really surprised at all the newcomers this year. There's a lot of seemingly new restaurants. Of course, I think everyone has heard of Etho's Vegan Kitchen by now (they were serving a nice vegan meatball sub at the fest... seitan I suspect), but I was also surprised by some of the others. I don't know if they're knew or simply didn't have a presence at the festival last year. There's a fast food type Indian place called Khasiyat that was there. Looked like some good stuff, just not sure if it was vegan, deep fried no doubt. I was also surprised that there's a raw-vegan diner in town, Cafe 118 as well as a vegan hotdog stand called Sah Nevaeh (Uh... 'heaven has' backward?).

[SobeVegChick]

It's too bad I missed this, I totally would've driven up for it. Glad to hear you all had fun!:rockon:

[chryssiie718]

It's too bad I missed this, I totally would've driven up for it. Glad to hear you all had fun!:rockon:

Maybe next year!! Perhaps we could meet there. :)

[SobeVegChick]

For sure! In the meanwhile, maybe there will be some other events. I am on most of my local MeetUps. Let's keep each other posted of anything that sounds interesting. :rockon:

[ve-day]

I was there. Chilled w/ some friends, dropped by FNB table, got some Ethos, listened to some speakers, participated in an activity and got a vegan hot dog to go. The Orlando veg. community is booming, I remember just 4-5 years ago when I first went vegan and there were only a few (mostly Indian and one Chinese) places.

[Jeremy]

I was there. Chilled w/ some friends, dropped by FNB table, got some Ethos, listened to some speakers, participated in an activity and got a vegan hot dog to go. The Orlando veg. community is booming, I remember just 4-5 years ago when I first went vegan and there were only a few (mostly Indian and one Chinese) places.

Indeed, Orlando is really growing into a great city to be veg*n in, and pretty fast I must say. We were at the veg fest last year as well, and I was surprised at all the new blood there this year... There's even some raw options in Orlando now.

[WolfLover]

AWE! I didn't know about it!!!!

Any other events like this coming this time of year??

[chryssiie718]

Hi WolfLover! I belong to the Vegetarians of Central Florida Yahoo Group and they have events throughout the year. Here is the latest:

VegCF Thanksgiving Dinner

"This Thanksgiving, why not enjoy a compassionate vegetarian
Thanksgiving celebration among like-minded individuals?

Please join us at the 5th Annual Vegetarians of Central Florida
Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, November 29 at 7:00 p.m. at Ethos
Vegan Kitchen. Cost is $20 per person prepaid or $25 at the door ($10
prepaid or $15 at the door for children under 12; free for children
under 5).

You will enjoy a wide range of wonderful vegan holiday dishes, live
musical entertainment, a raffle with many great prizes, and lots of
fun!

Please pay online with Amazon Payments or mail check/money order to:
Vegetarians of Central Florida, 225 Edinburgh Drive, Winter Park, FL
32792. Pre-payment must be received by Wednesday, November 26.

Thanksgiving dinner will include...
-Tofurky with Stuffing
-Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
-Roasted Rosemary Vegetables
-Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce
-Bread
-Pumpkin Pie
-Tea and Water

Music: Sarah Purser

Please RSVP at the Vegetarians of Central Florida meetup
(www.meetup.com/VegetariansCF)."

Do you live in Orlando? We are in Deltona. :)