Photo Courtesy of Central Florida Veg Fest
Vegetarians rejoice! The 20th Annual Central Florida Veg Fest is taking place Saturday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Orlando Festival Park near downtown Orlando. Vegetarians of Central Florida, an organization with about 6,000 members, puts on the free, annual event, one of the biggest vegan celebrations in the U.S.
The day will feature a series of speakers, cooking demonstrations, live music and a variety of entertainment, plus meditation and yoga every half-hour.
Nearly 1.5 billion people follow a vegetarian diet, and 88 million are vegan, according to the British Council. According to some surveys, the U.S. has more than 13.4 million vegans. Women make up the bulk of vegetarians in America — 87%, according to Vegan FTA, an animal rights organization. Plant-based dishes are also popular among non-vegetarians: a survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group found that 54% of Americans order a meat-free meal when eating out.
The market for meat and dairy substitutes has surged in recent years, driven in part by growing awareness of the health benefits of plant-based foods. The World Cancer Research Fund reports that people who follow vegetarian or vegan diets are 14% less likely to develop any type of cancer compared with those who eat meat.
Visit cfvegfest.org