SUSTAINABLE SPOTLIGHT
VegFest 2024: A Successful Saturday in the City
by Rosa Colucci
August 12, 2024
Picture-perfect skies and seasonal temperatures brought large crowds to North Side’s Allegheny Commons for VegFest.
The summer festival featured more than 170 vendors and was filled with music, food, crafts, clothing, and several nonprofit groups brought together to celebrate animal advocacy, sustainable living, and a vegan lifestyle. VegFest has quickly become one of Pittsburgh’s most popular festivals since it was created in 2015 by Justice for Animals Pittsburgh founders Leila and Natalie.
The family-friendly event had something for everyone including live music by Anne Eliza, Josh Verbanets, and the students from School of Rock, who also manned a booth to talk about their musical journey.
Of course, the festival was packed with vegan food offerings from Aladdin’s Eatery (a festival sponsor), Orange Avocado Juicery, and Oliver’s Donuts. Other vendors were selling vegan meat products including Self-Reliant Seitan, who took pre-orders. Several food vendors were crossing items off of their menus as they sold out — a testament to the festival’s success.
Clothing vendors featured clever merch that that looked great and raised awareness of the vegan lifestyle. At The Herbivore Next Door, owners JK and Heather Dahman’s collection of message shirts included, “Herbivore” with an elephant silhouetted against a a colorful graphic-set against a rainbow of color, designed by Heather. Other items included bucket hats, stickers, drinkware, and totes.
“This is one of the largest and well-run VegFests we have been to, ” JK said. “We have done several of them in other cities.”
Animal advocacy took on a new light with great signage from Lancaster Farm Sanctuary about farming practices in animal agriculture to the Homeless Cat Management Team who handles TNR for feral cats and Wildlife in Need PA.
Local food trucks were on the Commons and the courtyard of Allegheny Center Alliance Church, including Pitaland, Ratatouille, and Bruster’s Ice Cream, who delivered a menu of all oat milk-based products for sale.
There were many wonderful cruelty-free beauty products to be had, including beautiful soaps from Sleepy Hollow Handmade.
The church opened their new Community Center for visitors. The welcoming space included access to the children’s playroom, sitting areas, and other facilities. Their in-house coffee shop, The Well, was open for business.
Sponsors included Green Mountain Energy, East End Food Coop, Natalie Gentile, MD, “I Made It! Market”, Computer House Call, Renewal by Anderson, and Moe’s Southwest Grill. They are all worthy of this mention for supporting innovation and green living.
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