VegFest falls short for veggie lovers

VegFest came to Portland last weekend promising many delicious free samples for the vegetarian-minded.

Going by the name of the event, one would expect lots of vegetables. VegFest vendors, however, seemed to want to one-up that: While many booths offered food samples, nearly a third of the large convention room was dedicated to the ‘restaurant’ section of the event – a whole area dedicated to full meals for sale.

Entering the restaurant section looking for a bite to eat, VegFest goers found many meat alternatives, and not many vegetables. The air was filled with the scent of what one would think is the smell of cooked meat – a smoky barbecue aroma. Though many visitors enjoyed the food offered and booths had long lines of people waiting to try their food regardless, vegetarians and vegans who came for the vegetables may have been left wanting.

In the walkways, people stopped to look at foods, causing a backup behind them. Most didn’t seem to mind the backup, as they were also entranced with the foods around them and actually were conversing with strangers about different techniques in their diets.

This convention wasn’t a social gathering as much as it was a learning event; people got to learn different ways to consume healthy and organic foods without worrying over what they were putting into their bodies provided by other people – the vendors.

While eating lunch, strangers at a table would look at other’s plates and wonder what they were consuming, and would ask where they bought it. The curiosity and honesty had a calming effect, especially since visitors had a common interest. The event was a nice place to understand why and how people choose to live their lives without meat and not have to worry about what other people think.

The VegFest had activities for kids and teenagers. It offered a “kid’s stage” for presenters, speakers and group activities. The vegetables in this area were arranged in a rainbow display. The “teens area” was virtually empty, as most teens were probably sleeping in late on a Saturday morning, however.

For adults, there was a fitness stage where presenters were able to express their passion for being a vegan or vegetarian. Wilfredo Benitez, a runner for about 10 years, spoke about how running has impacted his life, along with following a plant-based/vegan diet. While encouraging the audience to stretch and sit on the floor, he told visitors about how to live their lives in a healthy way.

True, VegFest vendors stuck to the non-meat, non-animal-bi-product theme in nearly everything. Aside from imitation meat, there was also a surplus of sweets and baked goods – also vegan and gluten free. Booths also offered a variety of cooking ingredients derived from vegetables, such as oils and soy.

But vegetarians who don’t like meat may have been frustrated a bit with the reality of the VegFest event turnout.

While the name gave the illusion of a true vegetable festival, the event seemed to be more focused around health-conscious ideals and alternative lifestyles.

Watch the Advocate’s video on VegFest here: