It's official, Peace of Soul is joining us at Asheville Veganfest. If you were on the fence, then this might tip the scales.

Join us THIS Sunday at Pack Square Park from 12p to 5p for the voted #1 festival in WNC, multiple years in a row.

All About Asheville

This one will be quick. I'm in Asheville preparing for the festival on Sunday. It's our second festival of the year in this city. Asheville has been voted #1 festival in WNC multiple years in a row. We have over 50 vendors filling the top of Pack Square ready to feed you, educate you, and greet you.

These festivals are all about shopping small and supporting small businesses. You can find a list of vendors by going to this link.

If you're anywhere near Asheville, NC this weekend, please join us.

Fairfax Vegfest has a date. It will be 5/23/27! I'll get it opened up next week.

Have a great week and take a look below at two travel opportunities. Additional details further down in the newsletter, as well.

Unruly Travel is hosting a trip to South Africa with limited spots left and a short time frame to book.

Vegan Squad Retreats is hosting a late Janaury all vegan retreat in Florida, close to Orlando and I will be there. I'm working with Uprooted Vegan to help serve you delicious food. Everyone who uses my code will get an extra night! You can arrive on Thursday instead of Friday. Use the code VEGFEST and click here to join us.

Join the Vegan Bushman Safari Retreat in 2027 with Unruly Travel!

This trip offers a rare and unique way to go beyond traditional safari and experience the brush through the eyes of the Ju/'hoansi, Indigenous trackers of Namibia. Spend 3 days on foot on foot learning to use sight, sound, and smell alongside intuition to track and protect wildlife with of one of the oldest tracking cultures in the world. Fuel your adventures with 3 wholesome, seasonal meals a day. Unwind after a day in the wilderness at a fully vegan luxury safari lodge situated in the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa. 

Spots are limited for this experience and sign-ups close in two weeks. 7 spots left!

Important Stuff Right Here

Asheville Veganfest is this Sunday, then we head to Marietta for Georgia Vegfest on 11/7.

Vendors, get registered for the fall festivals so you don't miss out on our final two fests of the season.

You can travel to Africa with Unruly Travel next September. Learn more by clicking here. The registration closes in two weeks and there are limited spots left!

Join us at the Vegan Squad Retreat on 1/29/27-2/2/27. $500 off until Friday, 10/16. Join by clicking here and using the code VEGFEST.

I created a poll that I am asking for serious feedback. Why do you attend the festivals? What gets you out the door on the event day? What are you looking forward to the most? What is missing that would tip the scales? We especially want to hear from you if you are not vegan yet. How do we get more people in the door that are not vegan?

We are looking for Brand Ambassadors. Fill out this form and we will be in touch soon!

We created a Fourthwall shop. You can click this link to see what designs we have up. There's t-shirts, hoodies, and long sleeve shirts in many colors to choose from. If you love pickleball, I have some designs for you to sport while playing. Every purchase supports the nonprofit. Thanks for checking it out.

Spread the message of compassion with the sweetest crew in town. Featuring an adorable lineup of pig, sheep, bunny, chick, and cow pals, this soft and vibrant tee is the perfect addition to your everyday rotation.

• Available in multiple sizes and colors
• Durable, high-quality print
• Perfect for expos, meetups, and everyday errands

Every sale supports the nonprofit and there are other designs you can pick from as well.

Click this link to order yours.

Weekly News Items

If you're a vendor and are interested in joining us at any of other events, please click here. We have moved all the events to Marketspread and will be moving 2027 festivals to a new platform called, Bzar. Volunteers can fill out this form. I will send reminders. The links below will be updated as the events open. We have a vendor page on our website that has been updated as well.

Asheville Fall - Oct 25, 2026 - Asheville, NC (outdoors/open)

Georgia Vegfest - November 7, 2026 - Cobb County Civic Center - GA (indoors/open)

TVF Winter - February 28, 2027 - Durham Armory (indoors/open)

The DC Vegfest - April 3, 2027 - Nats Park - DC (opening by Oct)

Fairfax Vegfest - May 23, 2027 - Herndon, VA - NW Federal Credit Union (outdoors)

Asheville Veganfest Spring - June 6, 2027 - Pack Square Park (opens in Jan)

Triangle Vegfest - Sept 12, 2027 - Durham, NC (outdoors/open)

Bethesda Vegfest - Fall 2027 - Bethesda, MD (outdoors)

Asheville Veganfest Fall - October 24, 2027 - Pack Square Park (opens in May)

Wegmans is our October Sponsor of the Month

Do you know that Wegmans is extremely community focused? They have donated to many of our events over the years. Every time I have made a request they have come through. It's one of the best supermarkets in the area.

Have you shopped at one? They are very vegan friendly and have great prices too.

Let's Get Cooking with our Recipe of the Week: Chai Spiced Bread Pudding

This week's recipe is courtesy of VegNews and Food 52 Vegan.

Is there anything better than a good bread pudding? Warm and sticky and sweet! This recipe is healthier than a standard bread pudding and has the chai spices to add a kick to the flavor. Get the recipe here. 

Are you going to make this? Let us know what you think and tag us on your socials with a picture of the finished product! #vegfestexposrecipes