Enthusiastic VegFest volunteers, from left, Shannon Allen, Brenda Vantyghem and Elizabeth Davaze, tested out the #greybrucevegfest Instagram photo frame at the Plex in Port Elgin July 13.

Hub Staff

Saturday, July 13 marked the inaugural Grey Bruce VegFest in Port Elgin. Over 850 visitors and 40 VegFest vendors packed the Plex for the momentous occasion.

Mary Jean Belrose got things rolling at 10 a.m. sharp as she pounded her drum and attracted vendors, visitors, volunteers and more to her drumming circle.

As seats filled up, more chairs were brought in to accommodate the growing number, the resounding rhythm strengthening with each new participant, echoeing the overall message of VegFest, as Belrose explained, working together we are much more powerful.

The event hosted a series of guest speakers who covered a wide array of topics, all of which supported ethical and healthy lifestyle choices, the power of plants and leaving animals off your plate.

Food vendors were plenty and offered vegan food and drinks with many underestimating attendance and running out of menu items just three hours into an eight hour event. In addition to Saugeen Shores' own Rabbit Dash, Pea Pod and Highview Food and Drink, vendors came from across the region and included Owen Sound's The Bleeding Carrot and Sprout, Meaford's Graze Cafe, Hanover's Bear and Finch Compassion Cafe and Walkerton's Fork'n Good Food.

A troop of volunteers clad in green VegFest t-shirts were on location all day directing vendors, assisting guests and ensuring everything went off without a hitch.

Walkerton chef, caterer and cooking class instructor Alison Rowe of Alimentary, demonstrated her culinary skills to eager VegFest guests. Rowe prepared an Asian asparagus salad, new potatoes with mint pesto and an avocado strawberry salsa. Rowe has 20 years of cooking class experience but in the last three years has shifted her focus to vegan foods, aiming to help others transition to plant-based eating.

Other speakers covered topics such as growing cannabis, ethical travel, the evolution of food and essential oils. And of course world renowned vegan and animal rights activist James Aspey closed the show.

Aspey said veganism and animal rights activism is the fastest growing social justice movement of our time and prior to a question and answer period with audience members, as is often customary, Aspey ended his talk in Port Elgin with a reiteration of what he said on his appearance on Australia's morning television talk show Sunrise that ended his year-long vow of silence in January 2015, the original of which has been viewed 6.9 million times.

"The reason I took the vow of silence was to raise awareness for the voiceless victims of this planet, the animals. We all say we love animals and we're against animal cruelty yet we pay people to mutilate and torture and slaughter them. Not for any necessity, not because we need to for our health but because we like the way they taste.

"So I went voiceless because they're voiceless I thought. But then I realized they're not actually voiceless. They cry in pain and they scream in terror and when they do that they're telling us that they're suffering. The problem is we're not listening because they're covered in feathers or scales or wings or fur so we don't take their suffering seriously.

"I also did this to raise awareness for the way I've been living my life. I'm vegan which means I don't consume any animals products. I don't support any animal exploitation. I wanted to show people through my journey how easy that is, how healthy that is, how delicious the food is and that if you agree unnecessary cruelty is wrong, it's the right way for you to live too."

James Aspey spoke passionately about his journey to veganism and animal rights activism to an engaged and responsive audience. Not only did he urge non-vegans to consider veganism but he also encouraged those who were already vegan to become more active and speak out on behalf of the animals. 

Chef, caterer and cooking instructor Alison Rowe tossed together some delectable dishes before a crowd of attendees at the Grey Bruce VegFest July 13.

The rhythm of beating drums drew a crowd at the first ever Grey Bruce VegFest in Port Elgin July 13. The drumming circle was lead by Mary Jean Belrose (in white) who runs a summer drumming circle at the Port Elgin Beach on Monday nights.

Kate Burridge-MacDonald with parents Jason MacDonald and Tabitha Burridge, brightened the landscape at Grey Bruce VegFest in Port Elgin providing guests with an opportunity to pot their own flowers in an ice cream cone cup to take home to their garden.

Doris Kun, VegFest organizer and sponsor, took a moment to thank all the vendors and volunteers who helped make the event a success.

For the last one and a half years, Susan Gentilcore has dedicated her time and energy to preserving the health of our planet through innovative, reusable products aimed to replace single use disposable items.

Vanessa Purc, founder of Holland Centre's The Healthy Pantry, brought a fresh batch of her plant based, mouth-watering treats along with Bethany, her official taste tester.

Kayla Pyette and Laura Steele baked up a tempting spread of vegan treats at the first ever Grey Bruce VegFest. These partners own and operate The Baked Vegan out of Port Elgin.

Mel Trembley (left) and Jay Trembley of Hanover's Babes Boocha made a splash at VegFest with Mel’s locally brewed Komboocha.

Up and coming entrepreneur Steph Leblanc displayed items from her Owen Sound home based business. Steph’s Originals focuses on custom designed apparel, while also dabbling in up-cycled products.

Janelle Smart, founder of Sprout, filled her table with wholesome goodies available from her vegan cafe in Owen Sound.

Barb Walton and Steve Balla travelled from north of Colpoy’s Bay to share their eco-friendly products from Tranquil Solutions Canada. Walton and Balla offered a colourful array of beeswax food wraps, meditation benches and other items to help displace disposables.

A total of 40 vendors populated the first ever Grey Bruce VegFest on Saturday, July 13 in Port Elgin. Vendors offered a mix of vegan prepared food and drinks as well as personal care products, clothing and reusables to nourish guests, animals and the environment.

Grey Bruce VegFest closed with notable vegan and animal rights activist, all the way from Sydney, Australia, James Aspey.