When you think of the major vegan-friendly cities in the US, what comes to mind? Portland? Seattle? NYC? Austin? DC? Same here! And what else do all of these cities have in common? Their own VegFest event! Never having had the privilege of attending such an event, and being a native NE Ohioan, I was beside myself with pure, unadulterated JOY when I found out that next summer Cleveland will be hosting its first annual VegFest! To prepare for the event the Cleveland Vegan Society hosted a VegGala a few weekends ago with proceeds going toward the main event in June.
The turnout was incredible! The space couldn't adequately hold the amount of hungry attendees and eager vendors I encountered. It was truly an amazing spectacle.
But what was truly amazing was the spread! All vegan, all local, all delicious. There were sweets, savory dishes, and an impressive silent auction filled with veg-friendly products.
With how difficult it was to balance my wine, plate, purse, and camera while being shoulder-to-shoulder with hungry peers I could not adequately document all of the vendors present, but check out some highlights! For instance, raw lasagna rolls... delicious.
Butternut Squash Bisque shots!
So much to satisfy the sweet tooth...
My plate: chana masala and veggie pakora with tamarind sauce, vegan Cuban sammies, coleslaw...
My dessert plate: pumpkin cupcake, snickerdoodle gelato, a buckeye, cookie with marmalade, and the most amazing chocolate-dipped ice cream sandwich I have ever eaten. Pretty sure I made some rather inappropriate noises while enjoying this...
All in all, it was a great event and I want to thank the Cleveland Vegan Society for hosting such a friendly get-together! Looking forward to Cleveland VegFest next summer, directly following Vida Vegan Con 2013!Labels: Vegan MoFo 2012
