New York Vegetarian Food Festival, May 20 and 21, 2017, Metropolitan Pavilion, NYC

By E. Joyce Glasgow, www.artsandculturescene.com

The seventh annual New York Vegetarian Food Festival will take place on May 20 and 21, 2017, at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St, New York City. Hours: 11:00 AM-6:00 PM both days.
Visit nycvegfoodfest.com for tickets and more information.

This year's festival features especially great speakers and events.

 On Saturday, Festival Keynote Speakers include, Kickboxing champion, Omowale Adewale, speaking on "An Introduction to Veganism and Agricultural Globalism".  Michele McMacken, M.D. will give a talk on "Seven Things that Happen When You Stop Eating Meat". Robyn Moore will moderate a discussion, "Vegan Parenting Panel: Raising Vegan Kids".  Maya Gottfried will talk on "Vegan Love: Dating and Partnering as a Vegan".

On Sunday Keynote Speakers include, Gene Baur, co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary and author, speaking on "Living the Farm Sanctuary Life". Victoria Moran, obesity survivor, thirty two year long Vegan and author of twelve books, will speak on "Peace, Love and Vegetables: Food Choices and the Spiritual Life". Moran is the current recipient of  PETA's "Sexiest Vegan Over Fifty" Award and hosts the Main Street Vegan radio show and podcast. Chiti Parikh, M.D. will speak on the "Gut Microbiome and Your Health". Robert Ostfeld, M.D., will talk on the "Confessions of a Reformed Cardiologist: A Plant Based Diet and Your Heart". Olympic silver medal winning cyclist, Vegan and animal advocate, Dotsie Bausch, will give a talk on "Unleashing Olympic-Level Activism".

There will be two showings, one on each day, of a short, twenty minute documentary on Veganism and the importance of farm animal sanctuaries, "Home on the Range", hosted by musician and film producer, Kneel Cohn, with live music performed by witty singer/songwriter and animal advocate, Nellie McKay. Q and A to follow the screenings.

There will be a series of vegan recipe demos both days, including on Saturday, the Veganizing of traditional Russian dishes, with chef, Elena Beresnava and a talk by Adam Sobel, founder of Cinnamon Snail, New York's well-loved organic vegan food trucks and now also a restaurant at Pennsylvania Station in the Pennsy Food Hall.  Jacques Laventure, "The Naked Chef", will do a Kale Salad preparation on Saturday and Texas BBQ Pulled Jackfruit on Sunday. West Indian chef, Taymer Mason will demo modern Caribbean cuisine. On Sunday, award-winning Vegan bloggers and cookbook authors, Michael Suchman and Ethan Ciment, will demonstrate how to Veganize iconic New York foods. Atlanta, GA based Vegan chef and lifestyle blogger, Jenne Claiborne, will prepare Vegan Peach Cobbler with Coconut Whipped Cream. Marina Benedetto, owner of Yeah Dawg!, will give a presentation on the magic and medicine of mushrooms.

There will be booths with a variety of free food samples and food and goods for sale, including tasty treats from Something Good to Eat, Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Stoner Girl Treats and Eats, Rescue Chocolate, Rockin Raw, V Spot Latin Vegan Comfort Food, Sweet Maresa's,  Sorbabes Gourmet Vegan Sorbet, Fresh and Co, Marty's V Burger, Love Beets and Yeah Dawg!

Animal and environmental advocacy organizations will be represented, including PETA, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, Mercy For Animals, Earth Day Initiative, Animals Asia Foundation, Best Friends Animal Society- New York,  Catskill Animal Sanctuary, Velvet Monkey Foundation and Tamerlaine Farm Animal Sanctuary.