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Veggie Fest Chicago 2009 With the numbers of people in this country defining themselves as some kind of vegetarian, the vegetarian lifestyle has gone mainstream. The Chicago Tribune called it the “best bet for the weekend.” Healthy Dining wrote, “I can’t say enough good things about it ... If you missed it, mark your calendars for next year’s event.” Or how about: “10,000 people and it never felt crowded.” This was Veggie Fest 2008. This August, Naperville will again host Chicagoland’s fourth annual Veggie Fest Chicago 2009, on Saturday, August 8, 11 a.m.–8 p.m., and Sunday, August 9, 11 a.m.–7 p.m., on the grounds of the Science of Spirituality Meditation Center, 4S 175 Naperville-Wheaton Rd., Naperville, IL 60563. Check out cooking demos, food vendors, restaurants, and exhibitors, a food court, health talks by medical professionals, international speakers on health and nutrition, even an “Ask the doctor” booth, children programs, live music, and lots and lots of fun. All of this with no admission charge. Jonathan Kruger, VF coordinator, said, “When our local group puts this on, people come from around the world. We probably have folks from ten different countries as well as from all parts of the United States. “The food demos are fantastic—soul food, south of the border, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, and Thai, how to juice, prepare raw foods and make kid-friendly meals—are scheduled throughout the weekend in a separate area. Last year, it was standing room only. “Two of Chicago’s nationally famous vegetarian restaurants, Chicago Diner and Karyn’s Restaurant, will both be there. See why the Chicago Diner has received so many awards, including one from Vegetarian Times, and why Karyn’s Restaurant, serving both raw and cooked food, was featured on the Today Show.” Kids can have their faces painted and spend their time playing games and doing crafts in the kids’ tent. Magicians, walking bunches of grapes, and a clown will be back this year, too. Speakers, featured throughout the day, will give talks on the relationship between a plant based diet, the environment, health, and the organic food revolution. Physicians will speak about how eating a vegetarian diet can prevent coronary artery disease and diabetes. Homeopaths and chiropractors will explain alternative medicine’s perspectives on health. The Latino community will appreciate talks in Spanish, with doctors from Mexico and Colombia. The meditation tent, offering a quiet place for those who want to learn how to de-stress and reconnect spiritually, will be even bigger this year, with meditation classes given hourly. Veggie Fest Chicago 2009 is going to be one of the most exciting events of the summer. The festival always has great food and live music. Rich Dworsky, of Prairie Home Companion fame will be back, joined by other groups of musicians. Veggie Fest has it all, and it’s all free. One of the main sponsors of the event is Nature’s Path and EnviroKids. Founded by Arran Stephens, it is the largest organic cereal company in North America. LifeStream/Nature’s Path Foods is a success story of how a large company can survive in the modern world while embracing ethical, moral, and spiritual values. The Canadian Health Food Association awarded its first-ever Organics Award of Excellence to Stephens for lifetime achievement in the health food industry. Nature’s Path and EnviroKids will be at Veggiefest, introducing the public to their many new products. Being vegetarian used to be an alternative lifestyle, but that’s changed. With the numbers of people in this country defining themselves as some kind of vegetarian, the vegetarian lifestyle has gone mainstream. Go into any urban supermarket and check out the number of organic foods. According to the Vegetarian Times, two-thirds of all organic milk and cream is sold in conventional supermarkets plus half of all organic cheese and yogurt. Most restaurants now offer vegetarian dishes. Even fast food establishments serve vegetarian alternatives. Though Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian, Mid-Eastern, and Mexican restaurants have always been sources of fine vegetarian cuisine, they now offer even more variety. Finally, the Internet has made the whole world our grocery store, providing staples and specialty items, as well as countless recipes, information, and community support. It’s all happening at Veggie Fest Chicagoland 2009! If you’re curious about the vegetarian lifestyle and would like to learn more about the variety of foods that make up a plant-based diet, or if you want to make the veggie change but don’t know how to begin, come to Veggie Fest. You can also hear the latest research about the vegetarian diet and stress-related illnesses from physicians, nurses and other health care professionals, and learn how being a vegetarian can make a difference in your spiritual life. For a day of food, fun and relaxation, come to Veggie Fest and bring the family. Complete program details are available at http://veggiefestchicagoland.org, or for more information, contact 630-955-1200, 800-222-2207, or email veggiefest@sos.org.
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