Exeter leads the way as Vegans launch first nationwide festival
Exeter and East Devon will be playing a major role in a nationwide three-week Vegan Festival of Britain that begins later this month.
Restaurants, shops and cafes will be putting on special events or promotions to highlight the wide range of delicious animal-free products that are now available, from ice-cream and handmade chocolate to dairy-free pizzas and sushi. There will be a chance to attend a cookery demonstration, book for special one-off three-course meals, and sample vegan versions of everything from a good old-fashioned full English breakfast to a luxurious champagne and canape brunch; from healthy raw foods to naughty-but-nice gateaux!
Exeter will also be hosting the grand finale of the nationwide Festival, with a massive summer extravaganza at Exeter Castle on Saturday 10 June entitled Compassion @ the Castle. This summer fair will feature a daytime market with 40 stalls, talks and demonstrations, animal-free dishes from around the world, vegan cream teas in the afternoon and a barbecue in the evening with live music and a real ale bar – complete with a specially brewed Vegan Festival of Britain beer! All are welcome and entry to the event is free.
The Exeter events are part of an ambitious festival that has been coordinated by Animal Aid to mark its 40th anniversary and to celebrate the phenomenal rise in interest in plant-based foods. A 2016 Ipsos MORI survey of almost 10,000 people in the UK found that there are now more than 500,000 vegans in the UK – a rise of more than 350% in ten years.
Sidmouth-based Mark Gold – the Festival's National Project Coordinator – said: 'The fantastic Festival events organised so far cement Exeter’s reputation as one of the country’s most vegan-friendly cities. And it is particularly exciting that the city has been chosen to host the finale of the world’s biggest vegan party, with our Compassion @ the Castle summer fair on June 10. It promises to be a great day out for vegans and non-vegans alike."
