Calling All Rhody Vegans and Vegetarians: Get Your VegFest Tickets Before They Sell Out
The plant-friendly event will feature samples from local breweries and restaurants, as well as a vegan marketplace of artists, makers, food producers and more.
Courtesy of RI VegFest
No small potatoes here: The Ocean State’s only entirely vegan festival, RI Veg Fest, returns to the WaterFire Arts Center for a fourth year in a row on Saturday, February 3 and Sunday, February 4. If you’re interested in shopping vegan products, enjoying yummy foods and beverages, and learning more about the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and compassionate living from regional and national nonprofit organizations, then this is the festival for you.
This year’s lineup features more than eighty-five vegan/vegan-friendly brands from Rhode Island and ten other states, including Plant City (RI), PiANTA Vegan Restaurant (RI), JA Patty (RI), Basil & Bunny (RI), SoCo Vedge (RI), Celebrated (RI), Little Loaf Bakeshop (NY), Nourish Vegan Artisan Cheese (VT), Lion’s Den Vegetarian Restaurant (CT), Loving Hut (MA). The full lineup is available on RI VegFest’s website, with new vendors being announced weekly on their Instagram (also be sure to lookout for some fun giveaways while you’re there).
Courtesy of RI VegFest
Co-hosts Robin Dionne and BJ Mansuetti first introduced RI VegFest to the Little Rhody foodie scene in February 2020 after six years of research. The two love eating plants and believe that if given the right opportunity — like this festival — everyone else will, too.
“As a vegan of over twenty-five years, I am excited to see vegan options become more widely available in Rhode Island and around the country,” says RI VegFest’s founder, Robin Dionne. “We are looking forward to our fourth annual RI VegFest, where food lovers of all backgrounds can eat, shop, and learn from local favorites and some exciting new businesses. Rhode Island’s favorite vegan and vegan friendly businesses will be popping up for the weekend, along with tons of new vendors, and businesses from as far away as Los Angeles!”
Courtesy of RI VegFest
Best of all, the event is almost fully compostable. RI VegFest has partnered with local compost processor, Bootstrap Compost, to ensure that as much waste as possible gets diverted from the landfill and transformed into usable soil.
“Events of this size can generate a surprising amount of waste, and we’re focused on making our events as sustainable as possible,” adds Dionne. “At our previous events, Bootstrap Compost has helped us reduce our landfill waste by an incredible 95 percent. We know that this partnership will help us do the same in February.”
The two-day celebration also is sponsored by Providence Tourism Council, Topo Chico, Cedar’s Hummus, Vegan Power Co., Sam’s Soulutions, Spirit of Change Magazine and Narragansett Beer.
Note that tickets for this popular event are likely to sell out and may not be available at the door. To purchase tickets in advance and to learn more about the festival, visit rivegfest.com.
Courtesy of RI VegFest
