Maine Animal Coalition: Vegetarian Food Festival - MAC Hosts Fifth Annual Vegetarian Food Festival

Vegetarian Food Festival: MAC Hosts Fifth Annual Vegetarian Food Festival

Maine Animal Coalition hosted its Fifth Annual Vegetarian Food Festival on Saturday, July 18th at the East End Community Center. More than 750 people attended the festival, enjoying a 1/2 day of vegan food samples, exhibitors, workshops, cooking demos, kids activities, a raffle and more! Find additional information about the festival on our Maine Vegetarian Food Festival Facebook Page.

To view pictures from the festival, click here.

To download flyers from the festival, click here.



If you are interested in volunteering at our 2010 festival or participating as a sponsor, vendor, or exhibitor, please contact the Maine Animal Coalition at 207-773-2215 or email mac@maineanimalcoaltion.org.


Find out what you missed below:

Date: Saturday, July 18, 2009
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: East End Community School, 195 North Street, Portland, Maine

Download the festival poster as a PDF here.


SCHEDULE OF EVENTS/WORKSHOPS:
This year's festival will feature 3 vegetarian food workshops and an open poetry reading:

11:00 a.m.: Open Poetry Reading
Poet Robin Merrill will lead an open poetry reading on issues relating to animals and vegetarianism on the lawn outside the venue. Robin is a mother, teacher and freelance writer from rural Maine. Her work has appeared in hundreds of publications and has been featured on Garrison Keillor's The Writer's Almanac. Link to Robin Merrill's Website(www.robinmerrill.com.com).

The rain location for the poetry reading will be on the stage in the cafeteria. Bring your favorite poetry to share with others. Please be sure that the content is family-friendly.

12:00 p.m.: Vegan Cooking, Easier Than You Think! Prepping Your Kitchen for Delicious Vegan Meals presented by Nichole K. Tracy, RYT, a vegan for over seventeen years and the owner of Sun Salutations Yoga & Wellness Center in Buxton, Maine, Sun Salutations Yoga & Wellness Center(www.sunsalutationsyoga.com). Thinking about going vegan or trying more vegan foods? Worried that you'll have to restock your entire pantry or only shop at a health food store? Learn how to prepare your kitchen for healthy vegan eating, with little effort, and with items you can find at most grocery stores. Replace meat, eggs, milk, butter, and more with plant-based alternatives that taste just as good, and frequently better! Eating vegan makes a positive impact on your health and overall wellbeing, the planet, and of course, animals. Nichole's studio will be offering vegan and vegetarian cooking classes starting this summer, and will be featured in the August 2009 edition of Yoga Journal Magazine in an article about eco-friendly yoga studios.

1:00 p.m.: Get Your Green Smoothie On presented by Jeanette Richelson, a Certified Holistic Health Counselor and owner of Livity Health Coaching (www.livityhealthcoaching.com).

2:00 p.m.: Choose Live, Choose Living Raw Foods Demo will be presented by vegan raw and living foods chef, Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt, owner of Rite Food & Company (www.ritefoodandcompany.com). If you think carrot sticks and apple slices when you think raw foods, then you're in for a wonderful surprise! Come learn about a vast range of raw and living foods and how they can be combined to make some of the most exciting sweet and savory dishes you've ever tried! There'll be plenty of delicious samples, so come with a sense of humor, an open mind, and a hungry tummy!


EXHIBITORS:
The festival will also include exhibitors on vegetarian food and cooking, animal issues, compassionate living, vegetarian sports and nutrition, humane education, and yoga. We'll also be featuring a kids' table with fun activities and information on vegetarian nutrition for children. See list of expected exhibitors below.

13th Cookie
Ahimsa Custom Cakes, LLC
Animal Refuge League
Arbonne International
Bird Sniffers Pet Service
Farm Sanctuary
Friends of Homeless Animals
Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro
GRO Cafe
Humane Society of the United States
Institute for Humane Education
Kids' Activities Table
K's Vegan Treats
Kushi Institute
Lana Smithson Art
Livity Health Coaching
Local Sprouts Cooperative
Macrobiotic Resources
Maine Animal Coalition
Maine Farmland Trust
Maine Friends of Animals
Maine Veterinary Referral Center
Organic Farming/Vegetarianism and the Environment
Peace Action Maine
Poetry (Robin Merrill)
Rabelais Books
Rite Food & Company
Silly's Restaurant
Sun Salutations Yoga and Wellness Center
Universal Spirit
Vegan Outreach
Vegan Sports and Fitness

Thanks to the many Sponsors, Donors and Volunteers who help make this festival possible.


SPONORS:
This year sponsors for the festival include Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro, Larabar, Silly's Restaurant, The Maine Switch, Vega (Sequel Naturals), Whole Foods Market, Arbonne International, Bard Coffee, Big Sky Naturals, Bolthouse Farms, Doctor Kracker, Edward & Sons, Follow Your Heart, Institute for Humane Education, Justin's, Kiss My Face, Larabar, Living Nutz, Local Sprouts Cooperative, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Maine Veterinary Referral Center, Manitoba Harvest, One Stop Natural, Pepperclub Restaurant, Primal Spirit Foods, Rite Food & Company, Robert's American Gourmet, Sun & Earth, Sun Salutations Yoga, Turtle Mountain, 13th Cookie, Wildwood Organics, V-Dogfood.


MAJOR SPONSORS


Green Elephant Bistro (www.greenelephantmaine.com)


Larabar (www.larabar.com)


Maine Coast Sea Vegetables (www.seaveg.com)


Silly's (www.sillys.com)

Vega (http://sequelnaturals.com/vega)

Whole Foods (www.wholefoodsmarket.com)


MEDIA SPONSOR


The Maine Switch (http://themaineswitch.com)


SPONSORS





DONORS:
Ahimsa Custom Cakes
Angela Bell
Aubrey Organics
Beth Gallie
Betsy Carson
Dr. Michael Greger, M.D.
Elm Cottage Inn
Eat in the Raw
Farm Sancutary
Gardein
Humane Society of the United States
Jennifer Breyer
Katie & John Lisnik
Konscious Kitchen
Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt
Meg Wolff
Melissa Olander/Arbonne International
North Star Cafe
Planet Dog
Rite Food & Company
Robin Watts
Sarah Conroy
Spelt Right Baking
Sun Salutations Yoga & Wellness Center
The Works Bakery Cafe
Tribe Hummus
Tofurky
Universal Spirit
Vermont Soy


FESTIVAL PLANNING COMMITTEE:
Angela Bell, Event Chair
Sarah Conroy, Volunteer Chair
Chris McClay, Donation Chair
Lisa Valentine, Advertising Chair
Jennifer Breyer
Karen Coker
Kathleen Fobear
Beth Gallie
Avery Kamila
Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt
Robin Watts