The Boston Vegetarian Society, or BVS, hosted its 29th annual Boston Veg Food Fest Sept. 28 and 29 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury. This two-day festival, the longest running veg fest in the country,  according to BVS’s website, featured six speakers and almost 90 different vendors, all coming together for a fun and educational weekend.

Speakers included chefs, doctors, lecturers and authors, making for a diverse day of learning. 

Sara Tercero, better known online as BetterFoodGuru, held a cooking demonstration. She made creamy roasted tomato pasta and nut-free vegan caesar dressing. Leah Garcés, CEO and president of Mercy For Animals, discussed her organization’s mission to transition farmers to plant-based agriculture.

“The variety is what I loved,” said David Havelick, chair of the organizing committee for the Boston Veg Food Fest and BVS board member. “We’re trying to bring in people with different, new messages, books that just came out, engaging speakers, especially for the cooking demos.”

In addition to diverse speakers, the Boston Veg Food Fest also featured a wide array of plant-based cuisine. 

Amanda Kiley, marketing events and catering manager for Playa Bowls in the greater Boston area, was there to showcase their gluten-free granola, agave, pitaya and açaí.

“We were here last year, and we’ve been to a bunch of other vegetarian festivals,” she said. “We have a bunch of locations in and around Boston.”

The aroma of delicious food was ever-present and transformed into a new scent at every turn. Many vendors had pre-made food, ready for people to buy and consume.

“We always try to support vegetarianism and veganism in Boston,” said Pankaj Pradhan, chef and owner of Red Lentil. “I think this is a good way of supporting local people and that’s why we’ve been here for the last 15 years. I woke [up] at 3 o’clock in the morning to get everything ready.”

It was not only food and drinks found at this vegan marketplace. The festival featured non-profit organizations, clothing, accessories and vegan personal care products, making for a total of 86 exhibitors.

“I like the variety of the people I get to meet; they’re not just all my target audience,” said Sandra Musial, founder and president of non-profit Plant Docs, an organization that educates people on the importance of food and medicine and the connection between food and health.

Ethan Aubuchon, who recently graduated from UMass Amherst, and Cameron Chin, who works at a research lab studying ecology, experienced their second year at the Boston Veg Food Fest.

“There’s a lot of cool food spots. I love to support local businesses,” Chin said. “I like the diversity of food vendors, there’s just so many of them.” 

Many say they find it difficult to find vegan and vegetarian options in Boston. The veg fest broadens the horizons and introduces businesses that otherwise may not be as readily available for attendees.

“I like getting to try food from places that aren’t in the immediate neighborhood that I live in and just from Boston itself,” said Amara Good, a childcare teacher. “I like getting to try new bakeries and new cuisines that are coming all the way to me, instead of me having to go to them.”

The BVS relies on over 100 volunteers every year to help the weekend run smoothly. These volunteers can be found doing line control, selling merchandise or standing by waste bins, highlighting the BVS’s commitment to sustainability. 

Paulomi Joshi was one of the volunteers helping attendees sort their waste into compost, recycling or garbage. Vendors were also encouraged to use compostable materials.

“I like how it evolves every year. Every year, it’s a little different,” Joshi said. “It’s great to see vendors returning and new vendors coming, the changing crowd. It’s the only veg fest that Boston really has.”  

Because the festival is free for all attendees, it often attracts many non-vegetarians.

“We want people to come in who are just curious and experimenting, just want to step in and see what’s going on, so it’s really important that we keep it free for our attendees,” Havelick said.

By offering a free, non-ticketed event, organizers allow more of the community to come together and experience and learn from the veg fest.

“It’s free and it’s in the hood. It’s right here in Roxbury and there’s so many amazing vendors. … Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or a meat-eater, there’s so many options here. You don’t even realize what you’re eating is vegan,” said Purple Reign, who was on the welcome committee and working the welcome table. “This is my Christmas. I wait all year for this. It only comes once a year, but I enjoy it and I love it.”  

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