Featuring exhibitors and food vendors, the 11th annual Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival was held Saturday in Lee Park. Hundreds of vegetarians, vegans and others came to learn about a lifestyle free of animal products, pet a potbellied pig, meet the life-size jalapeño Happy Hal? and enjoy free Whole Foods Market samples.
Several attendees, including Charlottesville resident Steve Rosen, said they visit the festival annually.
"I come every year," Rosen said, noting that this year's attendance "is pretty normal ... though the first one was teeny."
Rosen, a vegetarian, said he makes a point to attend the festival for several reasons.
"We always come to get some free materials and learn something," he said, while also enjoying some of the food.
Natalie Estrellita, another attendee, said the festival was going "swimmingly."
He came with vegetarian friends and said while he is not currently a practicing vegetarian, the festival was making him think about it.
"Why aren't I vegetarian?" he asked. "I think cows are nice."
Pigs are friends, not food
One of the founders of the Virginia Alliance for Potbellied Pigs, Lorelei Pulliam, said there is a correlation between vegetarians and people looking out for animals.
"This is my credo: 'I celebrate a lifestyle not lived at the expense of others,'" she said.
Pulliam and the alliance co-founder operate two sanctuaries in Afton and Scottsville.
"We rescue pigs, educate people and help abused pigs find homes," she said, noting that the alliance also allows children to play with the pigs at the refuges.
"We're a voice for compassion, teaching the sanctity of all life," she said.
The alliance has participated in the festival for the past three years and always tries to bring along a pig to greet attendees. This year's potbellied visitor was named Holly.
"I like to give people a chance to experience a pig as a representative of the food animals in this country to see how beautiful they are and worthy of respect and life," Pulliam said.
Other animal refuges also participated in the festival, including United Poultry Concerns, Dachshund Rescue of North America and Farm Sanctuary.
Another participant, In Defense of Animals, combined animal rights with eating choices. IDA representative Annie Judah said her group is one of the largest animal rights groups in the country.
"We cover every animal abuse issue," she said.
At the festival, Judah provided diet information, answered common questions, distributed a variety of literature and sold shirts. Flyers included a pamphlet explaining how becoming vegan has benefits for health, the environment and of course, the animals themselves.
"We think this is a great place for outreach," Judah said. "There are a lot of vegetarians here and we're working on helping people transition to a [completely] cruelty-free life" by switching to veganism.
Creped out
Jenny Walters, another festival attendee, said she wished there had been a greater emphasis on food.
"There are long lines for all the food," she said. "I wish there was more free food."
Those food vendors that were present at the festival were in high demand.
Amanda McRaven, a worker at The Flat takeaway creperie booth, said she had many customers visit her booth.
"We've been slammed," she said.
The crepe booth offered several different vegan and vegetarian options from fruit to tofu fillings for egg-free crepes.
McRaven said this was the first year the business attended the festival.
"We came to make people aware of our vegan options," she said. "People don't realize we have egg-free crepes."
Walters noted that as a vegetarian the highlights of the festival were these vegetarian and vegan food offerings.
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