Howdy Folks, I am thrilled to announce that the 1st Annual SoCal VegFest was an absolute utter SUCCESS!
From the organizers and the volunteers that put it all together, to the vendors and the location, and lest we forget the food...us vegans NEVER forget about the food! Heck we ever go to some great extents to find, eat, and share (with pictures) some great food!
From the organizers and the volunteers that put it all together, to the vendors and the location, and lest we forget the food...us vegans NEVER forget about the food! Heck we ever go to some great extents to find, eat, and share (with pictures) some great food!
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I remember the very first time that I saw a posted flyer about the SoCal VegFest and that is precisely when I checked my calendar and confirmed that since I was going to be in town that I would definitely be attending!
While I was merely hoping for a lovely small affair and hoping for the lines not to get out of control and the vendors not to run out of food. My plan was to arrive early.
I wasn't going just to check this fest out but to eat, so I wanted to secure that my first priority was met!
While I was merely hoping for a lovely small affair and hoping for the lines not to get out of control and the vendors not to run out of food. My plan was to arrive early.
I wasn't going just to check this fest out but to eat, so I wanted to secure that my first priority was met!
While I was merely hoping for a lovely small affair and hoping for the lines not to get out of control and the vendors not to run out of food. My plan was to arrive early.
I wasn't going just to check this fest out but to eat, so I wanted to secure that my first priority was met!
In a few of the recent past events (and I'm not gonna name any of them - but we know which one's I mean) the turn-out was much greater than had been expected and the organizers/vendors/volunteers were definitely not prepared for it. Meaning that the patrons who did not arrive early, but during the middle of the event were quite possibly gonna miss out on that very special treat or menu item that they've been drooling about in there dreams. I was one of those people.
And the last time that this took place I vowed not to let it happen again and to show up early!
Not that I've ever showed up late, but I have never showed up at opening...
I wasn't going just to check this fest out but to eat, so I wanted to secure that my first priority was met!
In a few of the recent past events (and I'm not gonna name any of them - but we know which one's I mean) the turn-out was much greater than had been expected and the organizers/vendors/volunteers were definitely not prepared for it. Meaning that the patrons who did not arrive early, but during the middle of the event were quite possibly gonna miss out on that very special treat or menu item that they've been drooling about in there dreams. I was one of those people.
And the last time that this took place I vowed not to let it happen again and to show up early!
Not that I've ever showed up late, but I have never showed up at opening...
So this time around my plan was to get to this event as they opened. The only thing was that when I got to thinking about the food, it sounded perfect for lunch, but not so much for "my" breakfast.
That might just be me, but it is me, and I am who I'm talking about.
So my plan wasn't sounding oh too great come Saturday night (Halloween and the night before the event), and then come Sunday morning I still figured that waiting just a wee bit longer to get there would be okay.
I hoped.
The event was scheduled from 10am-4pm at the Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA - a Great central OC location IMO.
Leading up to the event, I had been following along with each and every FaceBook and Instagram update and post, yet until once we had pulled up, parked, and arrived at the location I still had no idea how big this event was going to be - I was quite happily surprised.
Ya see, the plan was for Dave, Dominic, Cosette, Jet, Andrew, Chaplin and myself (all vegans) to attend this event. Well since I didn't want to risk arriving past noon, I didn't wait for them and we decided to meet at the location.
Our gang had opted to stroll the grounds and check out all of the menus before coming up with an eating game plan. But then we saw Shugahmama's tent and knew that we had to STOP!
That might just be me, but it is me, and I am who I'm talking about.
So my plan wasn't sounding oh too great come Saturday night (Halloween and the night before the event), and then come Sunday morning I still figured that waiting just a wee bit longer to get there would be okay.
I hoped.
The event was scheduled from 10am-4pm at the Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA - a Great central OC location IMO.
Leading up to the event, I had been following along with each and every FaceBook and Instagram update and post, yet until once we had pulled up, parked, and arrived at the location I still had no idea how big this event was going to be - I was quite happily surprised.
Ya see, the plan was for Dave, Dominic, Cosette, Jet, Andrew, Chaplin and myself (all vegans) to attend this event. Well since I didn't want to risk arriving past noon, I didn't wait for them and we decided to meet at the location.
Our gang had opted to stroll the grounds and check out all of the menus before coming up with an eating game plan. But then we saw Shugahmama's tent and knew that we had to STOP!
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We've tried her amazing Ice Cream sandwiches before and couldn't/wouldn't dream of walking by with grabbing a few...and then scarfing them up!
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Okay then - I guess that opened the gates wide open for dessert first! So therefore our next stop was Donut Friend!
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Eventually Jet, Andrew and Chaplin showed up and had met up with us and we scoured the tents and the food trucks trying new foods and eating our way through the event. It was freakin' awesome!
We walked around, hung out and enjoyed some of the entertainment...
Our favorite being RemJ, the Michael Jackson Impersonator & Tribute Artist who's embodies the essence and magic of The King Of Pop. He had really captured the audience and we were all just astounded by his talents!
We walked around, hung out and enjoyed some of the entertainment...
Our favorite being RemJ, the Michael Jackson Impersonator & Tribute Artist who's embodies the essence and magic of The King Of Pop. He had really captured the audience and we were all just astounded by his talents!
With the many vendors, exhibitions, cupcake competitions, a Happy Cow and some where around 10,000 attendees; I was sure to run into a few familiar faces, and meet a few news ones along the way!
Plus, it was really nice to finally rendezvous with some faces that I've only even known online for years!
Plus, it was really nice to finally rendezvous with some faces that I've only even known online for years!
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We tried food truck after food truck, and bite after bite. Sure there were lines (some longer than others), but most of them were tolerable, and only towards the end of the event were certain menu items sold out.
At one point during the day Cosette who had been smiling from ear to ear announced that this event was AMAZING! Which is not a compliment that she often awards.
So with that coming from her and seeing all of the happy, friendly, polite people this was definitely an event to remember.
We should all consider ourselves lucky to be in such a wonderful growing community of conscience individuals trying to make a difference in this world and to lessen our ecological footprint.
What a day and age to be a vegan - it certainly wasn't this much fun or delicious when I was a kid!
The only downside is that we have to wait another entire year before it comes around to OC again. Boo.
-T
At one point during the day Cosette who had been smiling from ear to ear announced that this event was AMAZING! Which is not a compliment that she often awards.
So with that coming from her and seeing all of the happy, friendly, polite people this was definitely an event to remember.
We should all consider ourselves lucky to be in such a wonderful growing community of conscience individuals trying to make a difference in this world and to lessen our ecological footprint.
What a day and age to be a vegan - it certainly wasn't this much fun or delicious when I was a kid!
The only downside is that we have to wait another entire year before it comes around to OC again. Boo.
-T
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