Sunday 28th May 2017 VFUK visited Aberdeen for regions first vegan festival, and what a day it was. The event was held within the beautiful Aberbeen Football Club and the turn out was overwhelming. To see what the attendees and the visitors had to say about this event (CLICK HERE).
After a near 5hr road trip from Newcastle upon Tyne we eventually arrived in the granite city to host our first vegan festival of 2017. After over a year of marketing, phone calls, emails, interviews and social media, event day had final came. This was Aberdeen’s first vegan festival, and although we spent over 12 months promoting this event we were unsure how it would be received, but our worries were soon dissolved as of 10:30 am when we observed a queue that stretched out of view.
These type of events are a testament to the growing vegan movement here in the UK and abroad. Although we regularly see social media groups and forum with a massive followings, until the large numbers are observed first hand it sometimes can be unbelievable that there are that many like minded people around.
The feedback from the public and stall holders has been overwhelmingly positive, most if not all stall holders sold out and some had record takings. The feedback from the public also was amazing, many took the time to talk to myself and my family about how much of a great experience they had.
I would like to thank everyone who was involved in Aberdeen Vegan Festival, including all the stall holders that have traveled considerable distances to show their amazing product, services and causes. Huge thanks to the speakers that have spent many hours practicing their presentation to share with us, many in fact also traveled huge distances to do so. I would like to thank the staff of Aberdeen FC for going above and beyond what was asked (as I don’t think they expected such a turn out). I would like to thank my family for travelling up to north east Scotland with me and helping out on the day.
Latest social media feedback
Finally I would like to thank every single person that attended this event, everyone makes the effort to attend these events do their bit to help make the veganism movement stronger. We will no doubt be returning to Aberdeen in 2018 bigger and better (if possible), meanwhile wish us luck for Newcastle upon Tyne Vegan Festival to be held on the 10th June (less than 2 weeks away).
Please if you attended this event, please leave a comment below or if you have any images or videos send them to us via social media and we will put them on the website.
In less than 24 hrs Aberdeen will be hosting its first vegan festival. Over 12 months of marketing, 1000’s of emails and phone calls, 100’s of social media posts and dozens radio and newspaper articles, we hope Aberdeen will have an amazing day. Veganism in the UK has exploded in popularity over the last 5 or so years, some would say that festivals such as this are a contributing factor to the growth.
Although many believe these festival are for vegans and vegetarians in fact a high percentage of attendee’s are neither, but just a little veg-curious. If festivals such as this can show even a small percentage of the non-vegan masses that animals products are not needed, I feel that we have done our job. This year we are proud to have Fiona Oakes a vegan world record distance runner talk at the festival, Fiona is constantly breaking all myths around the need for animal products.
Finally I would like to say these events are a joint effort by everyone, none of this comes together without stalls holders, speakers and of course the attendees. We all have a hand in this movement, every ticket or product sold and every like or share on social media is a step in the direction of making the world a more ethical and healthy place for us all.
So, I hope to see you all at Aberdeen tomorrow – come say ‘Hi’ to myself (Louise) or any of my family that’s helping out (they are the ones in the bright green T-Shirts).
Meet new friends, eat some amazing food, maybe learn something new and most of all have a fab day.