DC VegFest Goodies

Before I moved here I had been checking DC for things to do, looking to see if there was going to be any conferences or anything I could attend. I saw an add for DC VegFest 2014 and the date was perfect! I would make it in time to attend. My first – not a conference, but an event nonetheless. I was super excited and started following the event on FB. Here is my recap of the DC VegFest 2014.

The one thing I knew for sure was that if I went to this event, and I didn’t really know anything about it prior to going, then I wanted a swag bag! It sounds a little selfish, but really. The reason people go to events, conferences, Fests, is to get a bag full of goodies! Especially me. I want freebies! The FB page said there were 1000 bags to be given out starting at opening time at 11am. Well not knowing how many people also wanted free bags I got to the event at 10 am – which meant I had to leave my apartment at 9am to get there at that time. So it better have been good for all that trouble of getting there – and it was pretty good, but not as great as I had hoped. I did get a big container of Vegg, but the rest were just a few small trial size types of things. They were all good but not much going on. But I am glad I got there when I did cause there were a ton of people who wanted that bag also – and it was hot outside! At 10am it was already 80, which just moving from San Antonio it sounds tame weather-wise, but standing in a line that was not moving, it was dang hot. And I got a sunburn. Sheesh!

Me as Best DC Cook!

However, they had some awesome speakers and booths. It was really cool to see the name brands that I love and enjoy eating have booths with new products and shared them with everyone. The first booth I hit was So Delicious and they had the Coccocino coffee drinks and were giving out tasting samples; and they were giving out single-serving chocolate coconut milks, and if you tweeted that you were there and visiting the booth then you got a free almond milk – whoop, whoop. You know I tweeted! I also loved the Tofurky booth – they had all their sausage’s cooked for tasting. Oh man, I love when I can try a product that I would be to nervous to try because I don’t know about the flavors. Well I now know I love the spinach pesto sausage and the chicken apple sausage. Me – weird flavors that I actually loved … now if they were only sold in my area! Also, they had the best coupons being given out! Whole coupon booklets that don’t expire until December 2015. Yay! The other two worth noting that I loved was the Nasoya and they had the baked tofu, which I hadn’t tried yet either, and they made like this tuna salad-tasting thing that I wished they were selling cause it was awesome, and I wish I had gotten the recipe! The other booth that was awesome was the Way Better Snacks booth and they were giving samples of like six different types of chips, and if you named your fave you got a free bag. And let me say that even though I don’t buy chips, in the name of freebies – I ate those chips and got the freebie bag! My fave? The new Sriracha Tortilla Chips – oh, wow. I could have eaten the big bag it was so good!

Bryant Terry

Robin Quivers

As for the speakers, I was awed in that I have never seen a famous person in person. Robin Quivers from the Howard Stern show was there and talked about her health challenges and how she used food (a vegetarian lifestyle) to help her recover from everything she had gone through. They also had Bryant Terry, the cookbook author who just wrote the Afro-Vegan. He was a very engaging speaker and even did a cooking segment and signed cookbooks. Very cool. And the last one who spoke and did a cooking demo was October Runner’s World cover

Micah Risk

girl Micah Risk and Lighter co-founder Alexis Fox. Talk about being blown away by someone – I got a picture with Micah and not only was she absolutely gorgeous in person, but super nice – I was just going to get a pic of the magazine, but she offered to get a in the pic with me! Man, talk about intimidating and feeling like I had a lot to live up to standing next to her!

All in all this was an awesome first Fest I could have gone to, and am so glad I went. I didn’t meet anyone or have much interaction personally with anyone but it was still fun to get out and go to an event that people who have the same beliefs I have were. And it was awesome to get freebies and listen to cool and inspiring people.