Spring VegFest is Almost Here
Presented by Feel Bar
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Sunday, June 7, 10am - 4pm, Sheds 5 & 6, Eastern Market, Detroit
Spend the day with us at VegFest and enjoy the best plant-based food Michigan has to offer, including new local vendors like Street Beet, Mutzie's Kitchen, and The Detroit Pepper Company. Plus, enjoy unique out of town offerings from Seafood Vegan, an entirely plant-based seafood vendor coming in from Texas, and Squash The Beef, a favorite from Ohio! Indulge in comfort food favorites, like coneys, soul food, shepherd's pie, nachos, tacos, cinnamon rolls, and ice cream sandwiches, or enjoy healthy açaí bowls, mushroom wraps, Ethiopian, and Indian dishes. Enjoy eco-friendly shopping, fun kids' activities, new VegMichigan merch, and visit with myriad local nonprofits. Check out our website to see the speaker lineup and vendor list to plan your day. Admission is free, and there is plenty of free parking. Don't forget to bring a water bottle and a reusable/insulated bag for any take-home purchases to reduce single-use bags and plastic waste, and thank you for supporting our sponsors below.
We are collecting gently used books/media related to plant-based eating, environmental ethics, and animal rights to give away at Spring VegFest. Donations can be dropped off right outside the door at our Farmington Hills office, 33900 W. 8 Mile Road, Suite 175, between 9am - and 6pm, Monday - Friday, until Monday, May 25. Thank you!
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Volunteer at VegFest!
Volunteer opportunities for Spring VegFest are open! Current active volunteers can sign up to volunteer by logging into Volgistics and going to June 7, 2026, on the Schedule tab. There, you can view the available opportunities and sign up for your preferred role.
This year, we are looking for several volunteers to wear fun costumes, mingle with the crowds, greet attendees, and pose for photos! Some volunteers have already signed up for this, but there are more openings available. If you are an active volunteer, sign up for the position on Volgistics. If you are not currently a volunteer and you are interested in this position, or other Spring VegFest volunteer opportunities, please email Olivia@VegMichigan.org for more information. Thanks to the many volunteers who have already signed up to help. We couldn't do this event without you!
| | | | Please support VegFest Title Sponsor, Feel Bar, a Michigan-based small business that uses high-quality, plant-based ingredients. Click on the logo to learn more. | |  | | | | In April, 22 members continued to inch us toward our goal of 400 members this year! Please help us get to the finish line by joining or renewing here. Your membership gift will now be doubled thanks to a generous $25,000 match by Ramesh and Maya Dedhia, so now is a great time to join! Your membership helps VegMichigan keep its festivals free and participate in more than 100 events around the state each year, spreading the plant-based message. Thanks for your support! | | |
Tabling at Sierra Club Crossroads Group Earth Day Festival
Saturday, May 2, 11am - 2pm
Presentation and Sampling at Detroit Public Library
Monday, May 4, 5:30pm - 7pm
Tabling at Ann Arbor Farmer's Market
Wednesday, May 6, 7am - 3pm
Bike to Wherever Day Food Sampling
Friday, May 8, 7am - 10am
Tabling at Freeman Environmental Youth Council Spring Festival
Saturday, May 9, 1pm - 3:30pm
Environmental Stewardship Webinar - Madonna University
Wednesday, May 13, 7pm - 8pm
Ann Arbor Dinner Meetup at El Harissa
Thursday, May 14, 6pm - 7:30pm
Tabling at HSHV Walk and Wag & Run
Saturday, May 16
Tabling at Washtenaw Food Hub Spring Fling
Sunday, May 17, 10am - 4pm
Ann Arbor Cooking Demo/Dinner Meetup at Detroit Street Filling Station
Monday, May 18, 6pm - 7:45pm
Ferndale Brunch Meetup at Spacecat V-Stro
Wednesday, May 20, 11am - 1pm
Oscoda Brunch Meetup at Sunrise Kava Cafe
Saturday, May 23, 10:30am - 12:30pm
| | | Save The Date for an Elevated Meetup at Echelon Kitchen | | | | Join us for an exclusive 3-course all plant-based meal at Ann Arbor's Echelon Kitchen & Bar, a 2026 James Beard Award Finalist for Best New Restaurant, on Tuesday, June 30, at 6:30pm. The event takes place on an evening when the restaurant is typically closed, so it will be open exclusively for our event. Executive Chef Joe and his team are creating a special menu just for us. The full cost per person, including gratuity, will be $65. Echelon is a high-end restaurant focused on sustainability, local, seasonal food, and reducing food waste. The evening will include a brief talk from Chef Joe about Echelon's sustainability efforts. Full menu and reservation details coming later this month. Follow us on Meetup so that you don't miss out, and learn more about Chef Joe and Echelon here. | | VegMichigan Sponsors Kids' Cooking Class in Detroit | | VegMichigan is proud to have sponsored a special New Era Detroit cooking class, in partnership with Chef Kameal of Veganly Essential, last month, geared toward kids. 35 kids attended and learned how to make BBQ mushroom vegan quesadillas and fruit kebabs with vegan whipped cream. Check out the video here, and plan to attend Chef Kameal's cooking demo at VegFest at 12:30pm. She will demonstrate how to use lion's mane mushrooms as a steak alternative. View the VegFest schedule here. | | Enter This Month's Raffle | | |
Congratulations to the winners of last month's raffle. The answer was: Celebrate the Earth. Lori B. won a gift card to Brooklyn Street Local, Kelli M. won a gift card to Little Kim, and Jodie L. won a box of NOW almonds.
For this month's raffle, you'll have a chance to win one of the following prizes:
$25 E-Gift Card to Ale Mary's (Royal Oak)
$25 E-Gift Card to Milk & Froth (Ann Arbor or Detroit)
Box of NOW Foods Roasted & Salted Almonds (100 individual packs in a box!)
| | To enter the raffle, solve the word scramble below and submit your answer using this form. As a reminder, you must be a current VegMichigan member to win. Good luck! | | Detroit Street Filling Station Mini Cooking Demo | | |
This month, on Monday, May 18, from 6pm to 7:30pm, we are hosting an exciting event at Detroit Street Filling Station in Ann Arbor. The team at Detroit Street Filling Station will provide a mini cooking demo of their pad thai, and Phillis, the owner, will give a short talk about the restaurant's history and philosophy. The cooking demo and talk are free. Everyone is invited to stay after and dine with us, though attendees are responsible for purchasing their own meals. Space for this popular event is extremely limited, so RSVP here to save your spot. Please RSVP only if you are definitely attending and update your reservation if your schedule changes.
| | If you are over 18 and identify as a vegan or as plant-based, please take part in the “Huge Vegan Survey," a global study about what makes people become and stay vegan or plant-based, and please share it widely. Learn more and take the survey here. | | Plant-Based News Headlines | | | | |
