The annual Aberdeen Vegan Festival is upon us once again, VFUK is Aberdeen’s premier vegan event, and Aberdeen will be our second stop of our 2018 summer UK festival tour. We will be returning to the Aberdeen Football Club (Pittodrie Stadium) for the 3rd time and 2018 is on target for record number of visitors and stalls. For pics/vids of previous visits ( Aberdeen Winter Fest – Aberdeen Vegan Festival 2017 ).
We are sure to make Aberdeen Vegan Festival 2018 an amazing, memorable and obviously a cruelty free day out for the whole family. Along with the fact that VFUK is the UK’s only family run Vegan Festival, our venue boasts free parking and the fact that you are supporting the largest growing movement in the world is reason enough to attend, but here are 5 big reasons to visit Aberdeen vegan festival this year.
1. Multi Award Winning Festival
Although Vegan Festival UK has been nominated for many awards over the years, we always got beat to the post by larger business, but last year we were asked to attend the prestigious national P.E.A Awards in London. It was huge honour to be a finalist among some of the UK’s leading sustainable companies, but hearing “The Winner Is Vegan Festival UK” was a little surreal. For more details on this amazing evening (P.E.A Awards), also this July 2nd 2018 we were chosen from a long list of festivals and events, to become the winner of Festival Of The Year 2018. That fact that we have been even nominated for these awards is fanatic, but becoming a finalist and then winning is awesome.
2. Amazing Vegan Businesses
Aberdeen will welcome a large selection of vegan business’s coming from across the UK. If you have ever been to one of our festivals before you may recognize some of our business’s, but this year we have many new companies you may have never heard of. If you are not vegan or vegetarian you will soon realise that removing animal products from our lives, is easier than you think. Come and talk to these amazing companies, maybe taste / try some of there fabulous products and support the vegan movement.
This is what stall holders had to say about our previous event.
3. Speakers & Guests
At all our festivals we have a selection of interesting talks from our speakers and guests, Aberdeen Vegan Festival 2018 talks include :-
Food Choice, Environment & Sustainability by Vegan Outreach Scotland :- Our daily food choices affect our environment and our planet’s resources. This talk looks at the relationship between a traditional western diet, climate change and global depletion. As food systems worldwide are failing, what is the state of British agriculture? Could our population’s basic food needs be met with the resources we have if we stopped farming animals? Why is there such resistance to change? Finally, we look at a model for sustainable, productive livestock-free agriculture. If we can do it in the north of Scotland we can do it anywhere! Read On
Go Vegan Scotland by Vegan Advocacy :- Carol and Michelle will talk about what veganism is, vegan advocacy, the GVS approach and why vegan advocacy is essential.
Vegan Pregnancy Teresa :- Teresa has been vegan for almost six years and she and her husband and are currently expecting their first child. At the time of the festival she will be 29+7 weeks pregnant. Teresa would like to share her experiences of her vegan pregnancy journey and how her plant-based lifestyle has benefitted. In Teresa’s talk she would like to include exercising during pregnancy and also general information about vegan nutrition and health. Teresa has been an active runner and cyclist prior to being pregnant and have been able to keep my exercises up until now. In June, at 26 weeks, She has completed the Isle of Skye Halfmarathon and still keep up between 30 and 50 Miles on her road bike every week. On the 1st of July she will be running her last competitive race, the Stonehaven Half Marathon.
Teresa would like share my vegan pregnancy journey with other vegans to encourage others about vegan pregnancy, health, nutrition and exercising and to challenge public opinion with regards to it. Commonly, friends and family, if not vegan, can be quite unsure about the idea of being vegan during pregnancy as well as questioning the idea of raising vegan children. Knowledge and a positive attitude can help to challenge these views and show everyone just how beneficial a healthy, plant-based lifestyle can be for the parents and children.
Vegetarian For Life: – If I get dementia, will they serve me meat? V for Life is pleased to have released two new film shorts. They aim to draw attention to two serious questions that concern older vegans and vegetarians. Will my lifestyle and beliefs be understood and respected in a care environment? And if I get dementia, will they serve me meat? We urge you to get informed – if you aren’t already – about these important issues. One day, there will be clear policies and regulations about how to support older vegans and vegetarians. V for Life is trying to make that day come sooner.
4. Some Free Vegan Stuff
As with our previous festivals the stall holders encourage you to try their wares, this normally comes in the form of food tasting or drinks. This year we will be handing some vegan goodies and vouchers to vegan restaurants in the area. As with most things that are free – first come first served.
5. Visit Aberdeen It’s Beautiful
Aberdeen is one of our favorite places to visit in the UK, if you have come to visit us at the festival why not stay a while longer to take in what the city has to offer. Aberdeen boasts a wide range of impressive architecture, look out for the neo-Gothic Marischal College on Union Street. Winner of Britain in Bloom 13 times, the city also offers a wealth of parks and gardens, the Victorian Union Terrace Gardens are perfectly placed for a break between shopping trips. With golden sands and stunning views, Aberdeen beach is a firm favourite with families, walkers, and windsurfers. Those with a taste for adrenaline will love the thrills and spills of Codonas Amusement Park on the Beach Esplanade, and just a few minutes’ walk away is Transition Extreme, a stylish extreme sports centre with an indoor skate park for BMXers and skateboarders, plus a challenging indoor climbing wall. Read on