If you want to help us promote the Veg Fest, you can add a web banner to your blog or website. We have several banners available.
On a totally unrelated note, we’re looking for volunteer sign language interpreters at the festival. We’d like to make the event as accessible as possible. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact us at volunteer@tcvegfest.com.
Finally, our Kickstarter project still needs your support. Please consider backing it at whatever level you can afford.
We’re excited to announce seven new exhibitors. These are:
We’ll have more new exhibitor announcements in the coming weeks. Stay alert! We could announce a new exhibitor at any time, and you need to be prepared to react at a moment’s notice!
We’ve created a Kickstarter project for the festival. We’re asking for people like you (yes, you, reading this on your iPad/phone/computer/through the chip in your brain) to help make the festival a success.
As you might have seen, we recently reduced exhibitor rates so we could attract more exhibitors, which makes for a much better event. But the money still has to come from somewhere. We’re hoping to raise $1,500 by June 15, so please give generously.
Also, watch the video we created. It’s short and we think it’s pretty funny.
Is everyone getting excited for the inaugural Twin Cities Veg Fest? I know I am! As we continue to inch closer to the big day we will keep bringing you interviews with volunteers and sponsors so you can get an inside look at all of the preparation going into the fest.
Today’s interview is with volunteer EG Nelson – enjoy!
What is your role on the Veg Fest team?
Photo copyright © Emma Freeman Photography 2011
I started helping with looking for sponsors, exhibitors, vendors and raffle donors. I have also helped get media sponsors/earned media (CityPages & Veg News). I’ll also be baking a bunch of cupcakes for the kids area through my quasi-legitimate vegan bakery, Hay Gurl Hay Café (facebook.com/haygurlhaycafe).
CAA: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Baking, biking, workouts, queer performances, reading, and playing outside.
CAA: How did you get involved in planning the Veg Fest?
I was just so awesome from the Their Lives, Our Voices conference that CAA asked me to help out. I didn’t have a job then so I was able to be waaaay more useful than I am now though!
CAA: What have you enjoyed the most so far?
It’s exciting to get new people to sign up and support the event.
CAA: What are you most looking forward to at the Veg Fest?
Lots and lots of free samples!
CAA: Who/what species is you favorite animal?
My cat Stan is the best animal ever, hands down!
Thanks EG for taking the time to give us some insight into the event! Look for more interviews each week with the people closest to the event and don’t forget to mark your calendars for July 14th!
Hi everyone! I’m back with another Veg Fest volunteer interview in anticipation of our inaugural Twin Cities Veg Fest happening on July 14th at Coffman Memorial Union on the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus.
This time I sat down with Brita Bengston, an exhuberant Veg Fest volunteer to get her insights into what working on Veg Fest has been like as well as to get to know her a little better.
CAA: What is your role on the Veg Fest team?
Brita: I am the Advertising and Media Coordinator.
CAA: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Brita: I bike a lot when it’s warm, going to movies and concerts in the park, and NE Arts District events in my neighborhood such as Art-A-Whirl. I also enjoy a wide variety of music, day trips to State Parks with friends and family, cheesy movies, sci-fi conventions and playing Rock Band.
CAA: How did you get involved in planning the Veg Fest?
Brita: After being a (mostly vegan) vegetarian for well over two decades, last year I started to feel that I still wasn’t doing enough for the animals. I had been aware of CAA for quite some time, and so I inquired about volunteer opportunities. I was really impressed with their mission and core values, and the way they go about approaching the delicate issue of factory farming. I was honored to be asked to help plan the first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest.
CAA: What have you enjoyed the most so far?
Brita: Attending CAA events such as the Thanksgiving Potluck, The Chili Cook Off, the Spring Potluck, the Banquet and various dine-outs, meeting so many inspiring people and enjoying great food.
CAA: What are you most looking forward to at the Veg Fest?
Brita: I imagine it as being just like any CAA event mentioned above but with thousands more! Spread the word.
CAA: Who/what species is your favorite animal?
Brita: I like goats. But my cats Dusty and Chibi-san would be more resentful than usual if I didn’t give them a shout out.
Thanks, Brita, for talking with CAA and for all of the work you are doing to help make the first Twin Cities Veg Fest a success. We’ll be back soon with another interview, but until then, feel free to visit our Sponsors or Volunteers page to find out how you can get involved!
We’ve decided to reduce our exhibitor fees in order to attract more exhibitors. If you’ve been holding back, now’s the time to register for an exhibitor space.
The new rates are:
Don’t worry, if you already paid, we will refund you the difference.
This week we interviewed Amanda Schemkes of Action for Animals, a non-profit animal advocacy organization based in Seattle, Washington. Action for Animals is sponsoring Veg Fest 2012, and we wanted to give our readers a chance to get to know a bit about the important work they do. To learn more about them, visit their website.
CAA: Why are you sponsoring the Veg Fest?
Amanda: Action for Animals is sponsoring the Veg Fest to support an event that will help to educate people about why and how to be vegan. Veg Fests are great for getting people interested in veganism, providing a sense of community, and introducing people to animal rights groups that they can get involved with. We hope that this Veg Fest will lead to people making changes in their lives to help animals.
CAA: What is your mission?
Amanda: Action for Animals’ mission is 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 veganism – not using animals for food, clothing, entertainment, research, trade, or any other objectifying purpose – and animal rights activism as the best ways to take action for animals and work for their liberation.
CAA: What are you most excited about at the Veg Fest?
Amanda: The aspect of Veg Fest that we are the most excited about is the opportunity to educate people about veganism and animal rights, to inspire people to do more to help animals, and to connect with caring individuals.
CAA: What do you see in the future for animal advocacy?
Amanda: In the future of animal advocacy, we hope to see activists and organizations take a firm stance for animal rights and veganism and to not compromise the future that animals deserve — one in which they enjoy true liberation from systems of exploitation. As animal advocates, we have a responsibility to the animals to expand the movement and to push the general public to recognize that all animals have intrinsic value and that veganism must be a foundation for our interactions with animals. Our responsibility to animals is greater than reducing their suffering; it is to work for the day when no animal’s life is defined by their value to humans.
This is the first in a series of interviews with people involved with the upcoming Twin Cities Veg Fest! We’ll be featuring interviews with volunteers, sponors, and vendors each week leading up to the exciting 1st annual TC Veg Fest this Summer.
Today’s interview is with volunteer, Amber Buening. We asked Amber a few questions to help us get to know her a little better and to find out what her role in the Veg Fest is. See her responses below:
CAA: What is your role on the Veg Fest team?
Amber: I’m the Veg Fest Volunteer Coordinator.
CAA: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Amber:I like watching movies, reading, cooking (and trying new vegan recipes), trying new restaurants (especially veg-friendly ones), biking, running, traveling, and exploring new places!
CAA: How did you get involved in planning the Veg Fest?
Amber: Since I recently moved here (Sept. 2010) and recently became vegan (Summer 2011), I wanted to be more involved with CAA in general to meet other vegans/vegetarians and make some new friends with similar ideals! I thought helping to plan such a big event would be a great way to contribute to an amazing organization and meet lots of great people!
CAA: What have you enjoyed the most so far?
Amber: When Dave buys Pizza Luce for our meetings! Haha no, I enjoy meeting new people and getting to know like-minded volunteers, so that has been the best part for me so far 🙂
CAA: What are you most looking forward to at the Veg Fest?
Amber: The Veg Fest is going to be epically awesome! I really can’t wait. I think what I’m most looking forward to is seeing all the different vendors giving free samples to tons of attendees and introducing them to vegan choices that are easy to make.
CAA: Who/what species is you favorite animal?
Amber: Pugs are my favorite companion animals, and zebras are my favorite wild animals.
Thanks Amber for talking with Compassionate Action for Animals! We’ll be back next week with another interview, but until then be sure to check out our sponsorship and volunteer pages to find out how you can help make the TC Veg Fest a success!
We’ve posted our Exhibitor Guidelines on the site. These provide details on what we expect from event exhibitors, as well as some standard clauses on indemnification and liability.
For those who are interested, the guidelines do specify that all products and food sold, sampled, or advertised at the event must be vegan.
If you have any feedback on these guidelines, please let us know.
We’ve confirmed six great speakers for Twin Cities Veg Fest 2012. We’ll have some great talks on topics including veg nutrition, animal advocacy, animals in law, animals in religion, and humane education.
All of the talks will be free and open to the public, like the whole festival. Come try some great food and stick around to learn more about animals and vegetarianism!