Down to Earth to Be Lead Sponsor
Down to Earth will be the lead sponsor of Hawaii’s 2nd VegFest Oahu, which will be held at the Frank Fasi Civic Grounds near Honolulu Hale Saturday, September 2nd from 12:00-5:30 pm. VegFest Oahu is a free community event that celebrates plant-based, sustainable living.
The event brings together almost 50 booths offering education, food, and entertainment, and was attended by 4000 people last year including Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Activities include: plant-based cooking demos by expert chefs, speakers on health and environmental topics, a unique collection of food entrepreneurs selling island-made vegan products and dishes hand-crafted to appeal to the local palate, movement classes, lots of free food sampling, interactive exhibits with healthy games, and continuous live music.
“In Hawaii where so many residents suffer from diet-related illnesses, VegFest Oahu provides a valuable service by calling attention to how people can attain better health through eating a plant-based diet,” said Mark Fergusson, CEO of Down to Earth Organic & Natural. “A plant based diet is truly environmentally friendly and reduces global warming,” he explains.
“For these reasons, Down to Earth is proud to be the lead sponsor of VegFest Oahu 2017. We will provide strong promotional support to help ensure its success, as well as actively participate in the event by having a booth selling delicious vegan food from our renowned deli, and present a cooking demo and health talk.”
Festival Highlights
Headlining Speakers
Keegan Kuhn, award-winning co-director of the documentary films Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret and What the Health, presenting “The Diet Conspiracy: Burying Science for Profit”. And Leilani Munter, a vegan who Discovery’s Planet Green named the #1 eco-athlete in the world, and Sports Illustrated named one of the top ten female race car drivers in the world.
Other Speakers
Dr. Irminne Van Dyken, a vegan surgeon from Queens Medical Center, presenting “10 Ways You Can Avoid My Scalpel” and Carmela Wolf, M.S.O.M., L.A.C., Wellness Manager at Down to Earth Organic and Natural, presenting “Eating the Rainbow: How to Use Whole Foods to Optimize Your Health.”
Expert Chef Demos
Edgar Edge, Food Service Director of Down to Earth Organic & Natural, demonstrating BBQ Pulled Jackfruit and Butternut Slaw; Chef Mama T. Gonsalves, Executive Chef, Umeke Market, demonstrating Beluga Lentils over Seasoned Quinoa, and Kimberly Oshita, Registered Dietician at Kaiser Permanente, demonstrating Three Bean Salad.
Food Booths
Down to Earth Organic & Natural, Peace Cafe, Umeke Market, Juicy Brew, Ke Nui Kitchen, India Cafe, Il Gelato, Sky Kombucha, ‘UluMana, Counter Culture, Rice Factory, Baker Dudes, Lani Sweets&Treats, and more. On-site dining highlights: Jackfruit Carnitos Tacos, Falafel Bar with International Flavors, Spicy Veggie Sushi Burrito, Tempeh Katsu, Mock “Chicken” Caesar Salad, Mushroom Tikka Masala, Pa’i’ai, Luau Stew, Nachos with Cashew Queso and much more.
Musicians
Mike Love: Conscious Roots Reggae and one of reggae music’s rising stars. Paul Izak: Folk, Blues, Rock, Reggae. Jamarek: World, African, Latin, Dance. Quadrophonix: World, Indian.
“VegFest Oahu serves as an important hub for the rise of the plant-based movement in Hawaii and is designed to be a bridge builder that reaches out to everyone on a journey towards improving their health and the planet,” says VegFest Oahu Producer, Joy Waters, also founder of Positive Media Hawaii.
“We offer inspiration and practical tools that make it easier to follow a plant-based diet, and we are building a supportive and engaged local community. Attending VegFest Oahu can create new attitudes and be someone-you-love’s tipping point towards adopting healthier habits,” she adds.
Additional local sponsors include the Blue Zones Project by Healthways brought to Hawaii by HMSA; Kaiser Permanente “thrive”; Sustain Hawaii, ’Ekahi Ornish Reversal Program; Vegetarian Society of Hawaii; Natural Awakenings Magazine and The Naughty Vegan Studio.
About VegFest Oahu
VegFest Oahu launched in 2016 as a grassroots effort organized by an all-volunteer team and sponsored by a coalition of organizations that support a healthier Hawaii. The festival is a fun-filled opportunity for the public to experience the many benefits of choosing plant-based foods to increase and maintain good health, contribute to a solution for climate change and encourage compassion for animal welfare.
VegFest Oahu strives to showcase green, sustainable living and minimize waste by: requiring vendors to refrain from using single-use plastic packaging, requiring food vendors to use 100% compostable containers for on-site dining, avoiding all sales of water in plastic bottles and instead offering a free filtered water station. Read more about these initiatives on the VegFest Blog.