Excitement Building for Spring VegFest

Just 3 months to go! Mark your calendars and join us on Sunday, June 1, from 10am to 4pm, at Eastern Market in Detroit for VegMichigan's 24th annual VegFest! Enjoy food trucks, all your favorite plant-based vendors, eco-friendly shopping, nonprofits, free massages, cooking demos, speakers, plus fun for the kids! Bring the whole family and spend the day with us enjoying all that a plant-based lifestyle has to offer. Check our website for more event details as the event gets closer, and please support our generous sponsors, who help to keep admission to this event free. Look for features on the rest of our sponsors in the April and May newsletters!

Festival Friends Sponsors

Hodo started in 2004 with a passion for crafting delicious, plant-based foods using the best ingredients. From a single farmers' market stall to thousands of stores and restaurants nationwide, we blend tradition with innovation to create crave-worthy, protein-rich eats. This isn’t just better tofu—it’s Tofu Reimagined.

Irene's Myomassology Institute is the oldest and largest massage school in the Midwest. Founded by Irene Gauthier in 1987, this nationally accredited school continues to set the highest standards for massage education. Its graduates are prepared to begin their new careers with a multitude of skills to best help their clients.

Affectionately named after their late grandmother, Ozella Germaine. Ozella (or Zell) set the standard with preparing quality, gourmet desserts for family and friends. Zella's has continued that tradition and only produces superior products at affordable prices. Their #1 goal is to create a 100% plant-based, organic twist on traditional, sweet and savory goods that taste so Neat you won’t miss the Meat!! They use no animal products and include a variety of organic products and high-quality ingredients in all of their food items.

VegMichigan is Expanding to the Northeast

VegMichigan is expanding to a wider audience with the opening of our newest chapter in the Northeast region of the state. Our Northeast Chapter will provide programs in three new areas, thanks to our volunteer chapter leads, Lauren Vitas (Alpena), Shawna Fisher-Prystash (Oscoda), and Jess Roberts (Tawas). They are dedicated to the plant-based movement, have already met with restaurants to add plant-based menu options, and are working with a local food hub to make plant-based foods more accessible. In addition, they organize potlucks with Tawas Community Hub (held on the 3rd Sunday of every month from 5pm - 6:30pm at The Collective). We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic trio to our team. A huge thank you to Lauren, Shawna, and Jess for their dedication to this effort and for spreading awareness about the joy of plant-based living. Join our new Northeast VegMichigan Chapter for their first Meetup on Saturday, March 8, from 4:30pm-6:30pm, at Friendly Foodees in Alpena! To reach the VegMichigan Northeast Chapter directly you can contact Shawna@VegMichigan.org.

Major Investigation Just Released Exposing Dairy Cruelties

Many of our readers don't drink dairy or eat cheese because we know the cruel secrets that the dairy industry hides from the public. Please watch and share this just released undercover investigation of Fairlife and its supplying farms that exposes systemic animal abuse and corporate misconduct—all hidden behind false promises of high animal welfare standards. We are calling on Mike McCloskey to answer for the abuse carried out under his watch. The evidence is clear and it’s time for accountability. To learn more and take action, please visit Fairlifetransparency.com.

Help Oppose Extending the Coyote Hunting Season in MI

In March 2024, the Natural Resources Commission adopted an order that gave a reprieve to coyotes, approving a 3-month quiet period to coincide with the denning season. During this time, the pups are born and are the most vulnerable, but some hunting groups want to overturn this minimal standard. Please email your comments to the NRC at nrc@michigan.gov to ask them not to extend the hunting season and request a response.

Events This Month

Alpena Dinner Meetup at Friendly Foodees

Saturday, March 8, 4:30pm-6:30pm

Ann Arbor Lunch Meetup at Red Lotus

Sunday, March 9, 1pm-3pm

30-Day Plant-Based Pledge at Madonna University

Wednesday, March 12

Children's Program and Food Sampling - Romulus Public Library

Thursday, March 13, 6pm-7:30pm

Dearborn Dinner Meetup at La Pita

Wednesday, March 19, 6pm-7:30pm

Virtual Cooking Demo with Kisa The Veganizer

Thursday, March 20, 6:30pm-7:30pm

New Roots Presentation Hosted by Citizens Climate Lobby (Ann Arbor)

Thursday, March 27, 6:30pm-8:30pm

Enter This Month's Raffle

Perfect to take on a long hike, in the car, gym bag, or on your camping adventure!

Congratulations to the winners of last month's raffle! The answer was: Vegan Super Bowl Party. Danielle Bean won a gift card to Anita's Kitchen, Kat Dudzik won a gift card to Plant Based Coneys, and Ivy Krasnow won stroganoff ingredients from Nutcase Vegan. For this month's raffle, you'll have a chance to win one of the following prizes.

Nutcase Vegan Backpacker's Special

(1 Nutty Roast and Snack Sticks - 3 of each flavor: Mango Habanero, Korean BBQ, and Original)

$25 E-Gift Card to Strange Matter (Lansing)

$25 E-Gift Card to Unburger (Dearborn)

To enter the raffle, solve the word scramble below and submit your answer using this form. Winners will be announced in the April newsletter and contacted via email early next month. Good luck!

EB DKNI OT CSKHCI NAD IBNESNU

Help End Factory Farming & Support Your Local Farmers

Join Michiganders for a Just Farming System for our March 10 Zoom Call at 6pm. We will discuss two interesting topics. Erika Tebbens from Taste the Local Difference will tell us about the many farms across Michigan that offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) memberships and how you can find one near you! Secondly, steering committee member Cheryl Ruble will give a presentation about bird flu followed by a discussion and a Q&A. Register In Advance for Meeting Here.