A popular vegan food festival returns to Louisville this weekend. Here's what to expect
The popular Bluegrass VegFest vegan food festival will return to Louisville this Saturday.
The free event, held at the Mellwood Art Center, 1860 Mellwood Ave., will feature food that is entirely plant-based and vegan, along with local craft beer and cocktails. Dozens of restaurants, food trucks and vendors will participate, including V-Grits, Molly Malone's, Half-Peach Vegan Bakery & Cafe, Juice Bar and Spinelli's Pizza, according to a news release. A full list of vendors and exhibitors can be found on the festival's website.
Activities will include cooking demos including how to create a vegan charcuterie board, an indoor marketplace featuring cruelty-free products, educational exhibits, a Kid's Zone, and more. In addition, people can enjoy presentations from a variety of speakers like Dotsie Bausch, an Olympian medalist and the founder of Switch4Good, Dr. Kim Williams, a vegan cardiologist and chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Louisville, and Soul Eubanks, an animal rights and social justice activist who founded Apex Advocacy. A full list of speakers is also available on the festival's website.
Jenny Brown, director of Bluegrass VegFest, said she and her team are excited to bring BlueGrass VegFest back after last year's festival brought in over 6,000 people.
"Bluegrass VegFest is a fun event where folks can discover how delicious vegan food can be, as well as the many benefits of choosing plant-based foods for our health, the environment, and of course, the animals," Brown said.
Described as Louisville's premier celebration of all things vegan, Brown said the festival will feature twice the number of vendors this year to combat longer lines and give attendees an abundance of options.
The festival will take place from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 15 at the Mellwood Art Center, 1860 Mellwood Ave. Parking and admission are free, though a $5 donation is suggested. More information can be found at bluegrassvegfest.com.
2023 Bluegrass VegFest Vendors
Here are some of the many food vendors who will be featured at the 2023 event. See the full list at bluegrassvegfest.com/exhibitors.
V-Grits (event sponsor)
Reach features reporter Leah Hunter via email at lhunter@gannett.com or on Twitter at @theleahhunter.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Bluegrass VegFest in Louisville features vegan food and vendors
