CREDIT: KRISTEN HOUGHTON
VegFest is London's only vegan festival happening on Nov 14. VegFest is passionate about creating a community of compassion.

London’s second annual VegFest is happening Nov. 14 at Western Fair’s Progress building from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This festival is free and a great event for vegans and the vegan-curious.

Krista Kankula, founder of the event hopes that “through attending VegFest London, attendees will be inspired to make more compassionate choices when it comes to the food and products they buy.”

The only “plant-powered party” in the Forest City VegFest is an event for anyone interested in eating more plants.

Last year, a survey discovered that nearly half of the attendees to the festival weren’t vegan, highlighting what a great opportunity

VegFest is to learn more about the community.

VegFest corresponds perfectly with World Vegan month.

With over 95 vendors, there are plenty of food samples, health and wellness vendors and animal rescue groups to connect with.

Kankula founded the festival in 2014 after attending a similar one in Toronto. With her background in event planning and her passion for veganism she decided London needed a festival of their own.

Already there was a large amount of vegan friendly vendors and organizations, which further demonstrated the necessity for this festival.

In addition to Kankula, a team of committed volunteers organizes VegFest; the list of volunteers includes one Fanshawe alumna, local musician and this years emcee Rose Cora Perry. The other volunteers are Joan Bongers, Abby Hopson, Amber Gionet and Brittany Toonen.

After a warm response for their first festival with over 3000 attendees and 45 vendors, they are prepared to grow their success by doubling their vendors and including more live cooking demos.

This year Vegfest is also ready to “turn up the beet” by offering acoustic music.

For students it can be hard to put health first when buried under a mound of assignments and extra- curricular commitments, but VegFest is committed to teaching healthy habits and how to live compassionately even on a budget.

For some, being at Fanshawe could mark the first time away from home and therefore a time of exploring and perhaps adopting new eating habits.

Kankula supports healthy eating on a budget and recommends that buying whole foods, “such as vegetables, fruit, lentils, beans and whole grains can not only help you eat healthier but can also help you stick to a budget.”

She goes on to say that VegFest is “a great opportunity to learn more, ask questions and get inspiration for vegan meals you can make at home. Attending the cooking demos will also provide inspiration and ideas for preparing vegan food at home.”

Vegfest is a great time to connect with like-minded people and learn about healthy and compassionate choices.

“Vegfest London believes in a kinder and healthier world and we know you do too. Join our plant-powered party for some genuine ‘food for thought’. We guarantee you’ll be telling your friends afterward, ‘orange’ you glad you came.”

Visit vegfestlondon.com to learn more about the festival and all the awesome vendors, which include The Boombox Bakeshop, Zen Garden, Pulp & Press Juice Co, Yoda’s Kitchen and The Root Cellar and Eat What’s Good.