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Announcing Veg Week 2012!
Mark your Calendars for Veg Week 2012! Our ninth annual Veg Week pulls together a host of fun and educational events to encourage people to move towards a plant-based diet.
Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) started our celebration of all things veg back in 2004. Over the course of one week we celebrate vegetarian diets, educate the public about compassionate food choices, and inspire respect for farm animals. Events include a feed-in and film screening, a dine-out, a cooking class, and more. Check out our calendar below for a full list of events and times.
Pledge to be Veg!
Participate in Veg Week by taking our Pledge to be Veg and choosing to eat vegetarian for the week! Already a vegetarian? We are encouraging vegetarians to try eating vegan.
Don't worry, we make it easy! When you Pledge, you receive a Pledge Card that gives discounts at local veg-friendly restaurants and businesses. We also help by sending email updates with recipes and nutrition advice and providing a supportive community of animal lovers who will be attending our events during the first week of October!
Encourage your friends to take the pledge too!
Calendar of Events
See the events below, and click on each link for more details!
- Tuesday, September 11th, 10 am to 2 pm: Vegan Food Showcase, West Bank bridgehead, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- Saturday, September 29th, 7 to 10 pm: Veg Week Kick-off Concert with Roe Family Singers and Sleepyhead in The Whole in Coffman Memorial Union, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- Monday, October 1st, 6 pm to 10 pm: Spaghetti Feed-In and Vegucated movie showing in the Mississippi Room in Coffman Memorial Union, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- Tuesday, October 2nd, 10 am to 2 pm: Bake Sale, in the basement of Coffman Memorial Union, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- Tuesday, October 2nd, time TBA: Shop with a Vegan at the Seward Co-op
- Wednesday, October 3rd, time TBA: Cooking Class, location TBA
- Thursday, October 4th, 7 pm to 10 pm: Dine-Out at Krungthep Thai
- Friday, October 5th, 8 pm – 11 pm: Vegan After Dark at Moto-I
- Sunday, October 7th, 1 pm to 3 pm: Chicken Sanctuary Tour at a local sanctuary
Check back at our website at www.VegWeek.org for details and updates. We hope to see you there!
Plant-Based Nutrition Resource
Nutritionfacts.org scours the world of nutrition research to give you information that is easy to understand.
The brainchild of vegan physician Michael Greger, M.D., NutritionFacts.org is the first non-commercial, science-based website to provide free daily updates on the latest in nutrition research via short, easy to understand video segments. It has hundreds of videos on more than a thousand topics, and Dr. Greger uploads a new video every day.
Dr. Greger has spoken for Compassionate Action for Animals before, and we know him to be a knowledgeable source about nutrition.
You can also follow NutritionFacts.org on Facebook or Twitter.
Support the Veg Fest
Our first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest, held on July 14, was a tremendous success! Please support the future of this festival.
Thanks to the hard work of the exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, the committee, we made the first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest a huge success! Can you make a contribution so we can plan an even better festival next year?
With your support, we can:
- Host the Veg Fest again in 2013!
- Advertise the festival more widely to get more folks who are not aware of the cruelties of modern animal agriculture.
- Add more programming, perhaps including music or exploding tofu.
- Get more food samples and more food vendors!
Please make a generous donation of $50, $25, or $10 to support the Twin Cities Veg Fest!
Belief on the Right Side of History
Matt Ball of Vegan Outreach shares his story on how he became an animal advocate.
Wondering about his commitment to justice in his youth, Matt says:
…if all these millions could fully believe things that, today, are so obviously absurd and repulsive, well, how could I assume everything I currently believed was absolutely right? If so many would willingly support gruesome atrocities, how can I possibly think everything today is morally pure? Even if I'm not chaining up a slave, or leading my fellow citizens to the gas chambers, isn't it possible – even probable – that I am at least tacitly supporting another horror – one that future generations will also look upon with bewilderment?
Later in the essay, he reflects:
We each have to ask the question: what kind of person are we? Will we accept what our society dictates today, or will we write our own story? Will we rationalize the status quo or thoughtfully make our own decisions? Will we oppose cruelty or support slaughter?
Twin Cities Veg Fest 2012 Report
With our first-ever Twin Cities Veg Fest, we wanted to share with people where their food comes from, how to be a healthy vegetarian or vegan, and why being compassionate benefits everyone. We’re happy to report that it was an overwhelming success!
Note: If you attended Twin Cities Veg Fest, we want to hear your feedback! Please take a moment to complete our online survey.
About 1200 people attended Twin Cities Veg Fest throughout the day. Before the doors opened, there was lots of energy in the air as a huge line formed. The first two hundred guests were rewarded with treats from Alternative Baking Company, Bumblebar, and Mary’s Gone Crackers. In all, 1000 people got a swag bag filled with veg-friendly information and coupons.
Inside the exhibitor hall, guests had tons of tasty vegan food to sample; including Field Roast Frankfurters, Upton’s Naturals‘ sandwiches and wraps, Vegan Pockets‘ various products, Tofurky chorizo, and Primal Strips vegan jerky. Those with a sweet tooth found samples of
Thanks For Making The Veg Fest A Success
The first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest could only happen with the generous help of volunteers, exhibitors, and speakers!
We held our first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest on Saturday, July 14. It was a smashing success!
Thanks to the exhibitors for providing great vegan food and resources:
- A Frame Forward Photography
- Action for Animals
- Alternative Baking Company
- AM950
- Asasa Yaa
- Bee-Free Honee
- Bitter Roots
- Boneshaker Books
- Bumble Bar
- Captured by Brooke Photography
- Dandies Vegan Marshmallows
- Clean Water Action
- Compassion Over Killing
- Compassionate Action for Animals
- Conference Connections Bookstore
- Earthsave Twin Cities
- Ecology Democracy Network
- Equal Exchange
- Ethique Nouveau
- Field Roast
- Happy Animals
- The Hub Bike Co-op
- Introspective Comics
- Kojic Art
- Koru Street
- Mary's Gone Crackers
- Mercy for Animals
- Minnesota Voters for Animal Protection
- Mississippi Market
- Move2Veg
- Peace Coffee
- Peanut Butter & Co.
- Planted for Life
- Primal Strips
- Pure Market Express
- Roosterhouse Ideas
- Seward Cafe
- Seward Co-op
- Sierra Club
- Turtle Island Foods
- Upton's Naturals
- Vegan Honeymoons
- Vegan Pockets
- Vegan Sailing
- Vegetarian Resource Group
Thanks to the 50 volunteers that helped out on the day of, put up posters, stuffed bags, and told their friends about the festival!
We couldn't have done it without the generous support of our sponsors.
Thanks to Lisa Mabley, Heidi Prenevost, and Nicole Riner for designing our print and online materials.
Finally, thanks to the committee who planned this event:
- Brita Bengtson – Advertising Guru
- Amber Buening – Whip Cracker (Volunteers)
- Jeff Johnson – The Rain Maker (Sponsorship)
- Shannon Kimball – Exhibitor Logistician
- Unny Nambudiripad – CAA Executive Director
- EG Nelson – Jill of All Trades
- David Rolsky – Extreme Delegator (Committee Chair)
- Suzy Sorensen – Raffle Wrangler and Speaker to Speakers
- Pat Tullo – Legal Eagle and Speaker to Speakers
Photo by A Frame Forward
Thanks to our Twin Cities Veg Fest Sponsors
We'd like to thank our Twin Cities Veg Fest sponsors once again for their support of the festival. This event wouldn't have been possible without their generous support.
Official Media Sponsor
City Pages is the largest, most-read weekly in the Twin Cities. It is available free to readers in over 1,700 locations throughout the metro area. 80,000 copies of the paper are distributed in stores, office buildings, clubs, restaurants, outdoor boxes, campuses and other high traffic locations.
Gold Sponsor
VegFund
VegFund empowers vegan activists worldwide by funding outreach activities that inspire people to choose and maintain a vegan lifestyle. Since its inception in 2009, VegFund has supported more than 1,700 vegan outreach projects. Filling a much-needed niche in the vegan movement, VegFund embraces new ideas and continues to evolve in an effort to support effective outreach. Please be sure to visit www.vegfund.org to learn more about how you can get involved.
Silver Sponsors
AM950
AM950 is a locally-owned radio station airing progressive talk including national talkers Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz and Thom Hartmann. Local programming includes The Morning Grind with Matt McNeil; the Nancy Nelson Show and the Jack Rice Show. Weekend programming includes Food Freedom Radio; Wake Up Call; Make a Difference; Reflections of New Minnesotans and the Twin Cities Real Estate Show.
Compassion Over Killing
Working to end animal abuse since 1995, Compassion Over Killing (COK) exposes cruelty to animals in agriculture and promotes vegetarian eating as a way to build a kinder world for us all.
A Frame Forward Photography
Jackson Tyler Eddy, owner of A Frame Forward Photography is a Photographic Artist based here in the Twin Cities. Jackson is the highest rated "green" photographer in Minnesota, creating and delivering ultra-premium, eco-friendly, pieces of art. Jackson and A Frame Forward specialize in Wedding & Lifestyle Portrait work, and love to travel. Jackson blends fine art & photojournalism, with a little bit of fun. Like a hand-picked organic apple, his images are crisp, clean, and fresh. Jackson gravitates towards bold colors, unique style, creativity, and offers a fresh perspective. On a personal level, Jackson is also a long time vegetarian and is honored to be a part of the first annual TC Veg Fest.
Mercy for Animals
Mercy For Animals is a national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals, and promoting compassionate food choices and policies.
Bronze Sponsors
Action for Animals
Action for Animals is an educational organization that works to promote positive change in the ways people view and treat animals. Because every animal has the right to live his or her life free from oppression and exploitation, AFA promotes a vegan diet and lifestyle – not using animals for food, clothing, entertainment, research, trade, or any other objectifying purpose – and vegan activism as the best way to take action for animals.
Equal Exchange
Equal Exchange is the 100% employee owned company that pioneered working with small farmer coffee co-ops way back in 1986. We partner with farmer co-ops as we believe that growers who own their own land and work together can gain real leverage in the marketplace and have the best chance at creating sustainable communities. We model our own business as a co-op as well. Every worker-owner has 1 vote in electing our Board, we have a 4 to 1 pay ratio and if there are profits at the end of the year, we share them equally. We started with coffee and we continue to find new powerful ways to partner with small farmers in chocolate, tea, bananas and more.
Mary's Gone Crackers
Mary's Cookies are straight from the heart of a mother to a son who could not eat gluten. All Mary's Gone Crackers products – Cookies, Pretzels and Crackers began as healthy opportunities for gluten free food to be full of nutrition and flavor. All ingredients are Organic and Mary's products have always been Vegan. Feel good serving them to your entire family, with love from Mary. Conscious Eating: Mary's Gone Crackers.
Move2Veg
Move2Veg provides nutrition counseling with a focus on plant-based eating and can help you to get started or fine tune your eating habits to optimize nutritional health!
Vegan Pockets
A new 100% Vegan Product line has been created to tantalize your taste buds. As Vegans, Vegetarians and health conscience consumers, you have a choice of four unique flavors; Back to Our Roots, Chipotle Fiesta, Orient Express and Taste of Italy. Each 100% recyclable package contains two 5-ounce pockets that are stuffed with flavorful vegetables and robust spices; providing a good source of fiber, Vitamin A, protein, iron and other key nutrients. We pre-baked and flash froze them to lock in each individual and distinctive flavor; which makes them a healthy, portable meal or snack for you and your family's busy lives.
Friends of Veg Fest
- Susan Gretz and Michael Chutich
- Pat Tullo
Twin Cities Veg Fest Is This Saturday!
Come to our first ever celebration of compassionate living.
The Twin Cities Veg Fest will include speakers, resources, a kids area, and of course, excellent vegan food! The first 200 to come to the festival will get extra goodies in their swag bags.
- When: Saturday, July 14, from 10 am to 5 pm
- Where: Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Who: Everybody is welcome
- Cost: FREE!
What will you see at the Twin Cities Veg Fest? Check out our preview to get a taste!
Please come with a friend, join the Facebook event, and Tweet about it.
When posting on Flickr or Twitter, please use the #TCVF12 tag.
For a better sense of what the Veg Fest is about, listen to radio shows featuring CAA Executive Director Unny Nambudiripad on AM950's Food Freedom Radio or on Animal Wise Radio.
Last Chance To Put Up Posters For The Veg Fest
Want an easy way to help animals, while sharing good food and reaching new audiences? Help us put up posters to get the word out about the first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest
The July 14 Twin Cities Veg Fest is rapidly approaching, and we need your help to put posters and bookmarks all around town including at restaurants and businesses. We are postering during the following dates and times:
- Saturday, July 7, from 1 pm to 5 pm at the CAA community office
- Thursday, July 12, from 5 pm to 9 pm at the CAA Campus Office
We'll be serving food at each of these events, so RSVP to [email protected] so we know how much to provide! For the Thursday session, we will eat first and then put up posters and bookmarks, for the Saturday session, we'll have a barbecue at 4 pm after putting up posters and bookmarks.
If you can't attend any of these sessions but want to put up posters on your own schedule, email [email protected] and we'll make arrangements to get you some posters!
Invite your friends to the Twin Cities Veg Fest!
We need your help to get the word out! The Veg Fest takes place on Saturday, July 14, from 10 am to 5 pm at Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
We've got food, speakers, and resources lined up for the first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest, and now we need people! That's where you come in. Please invite your friends and family:
- Join the Facebook event and invite others.
- Send an email, tweet (and follow our Twitter feed), or post on your blog.
- Call your friends and invite them.
- Tell people in person and bring them to the festival that day!
The Twin Cities Veg Fest is entirely free and is a great event to spend several hours at or just one. The event is mostly indoors and has air conditioning. This event is a great chance to get your veg-curious friends to explore a compassionate diet!