Huge Crowds at Worcester VegFest 2013

The 4th annual Worcester VegFest did not disappoint. The crowd, which has grown steadily larger each year, was massive, as expected, filling the Worcester Airport terminal with wall-to-wall attendees.

The range of vendors and exhibitors was also impressive—from numerous animal rights organizations, vegan bakers and food purveyors, cruelty-free jewelry, makeup, and fashion, organic produce, book sellers, animal sanctuaries, and too many more to mention.

Throngs of attendees at the 2013 Worcester VegFest, which took place at the Worcester Airport. 

Early on, especially, the crowds were thick. Diversity was impressive—people of different colors and ages, including lots of parents pushing small children in strollers.

More and more and more people!

The amount of free food samples was better than ever. And the upstairs hall was packed, as people sat on the floor and even stood to listen to presenters like Paul Shapiro of the Humane Society of the U.S., who gave a rousing talk about victories against cruelty in factory farming and the encouraging rise of vegan and vegetarian diets.

Was it overwhelming at time to try to navigate such large crowds? Sure. But what a great problem to have. Clearly, the people of central Massachusetts are hungry to learn about and practice a meat-free lifestyle, and on Sunday, April 14, they were able to do just that.

Brittany Davis and Pete Degraaf wait as Tiffany Cheng, who runs a catering business, Duck Yao, fills a plate for them at Worcester VegFest on Sunday.  (Photo courtesy of the Telegram & Gazette.)

Worcester VegFest 2013 Announces New Location

After searching for a new location to handle the ever-increasing number of attendees (not a bad problem to have), Worcester VegFest has announced the location for this year's festival.

It is [drum roll please] . . . the Worcester Regional Airport!

VegFest is a 100% free festival that celebrates vegetarianism—an animal-friendly, environmentally sustainable, and healthy lifestyle. The event features socially responsible businesses, inspiring speakers, performers, and free samples of vegan food and products.

If the first three years were any indication, the 2013 incarnation of VegFest should be amazing. The inaugural VegFest took place at Worcester State with 2,000 attendees. By 2011, the placed was packed with 3,000 attendees. Last year, VegFest moved to Worcester Technical High School, where upwards of 5,000 people came to sample vegan foods, visit 100 exhibitors, and get up close and personal with nationally recognized speakers such as Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of the China Study and subject of the influential documentary Forks Over Knives, and Kathy Freston, author of the bestselling book Veganist.

While this year's speakers have not yet been announced, you can be sure that the line-up will include some of the most sought-after, influential, and respected names in the plant-based and animal-rights communities.

To learn more about this year's VegFest and how to get involved as a volunteer, sponsor, or exhibitor, visit their website at worcestervegfest.com.

Welcome to MassVegan!

Our goal is to provide a single site for all things vegan in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Whether you're new to the state and want to learn about vegan happenings in your area, or whether you're a Mass native who's ready to venture outside your own neck of the woods for new vegan activities, this website is designed to help you find what you're looking for.

The site can only improve with your input. So if you know of something we've missed—a passionate animal-rights organization, say, or a lifesaving animal sanctuary, or a Massachusetts-based website or blog that focuses on vegan-related products, services, or issues—let us know! There's a handy contact form at the bottom of each page, so it's easy to reach us.

While people adopt a plant-based diet for many different reasons, it's good to remember that our food choices are literally a matter of life-and-death. And, no, I'm not talking about blocked arteries. It's the animals who pay—with their miserable lives and cruel deaths—for the milk, meat, and eggs that are consumed regularly and in enormous quantities. Wherever you are on your journey to veganism (and except for the fortunate few who were born vegan, it's been a journey for all of us), connecting with others who are on the same path can help. MassVegan hopes make that journey a little easier.

Go vegan!