10:30 am
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Vegan Marketplace Opens (Commons)
Vegan food, merchants, and information. Open until 4:00pm.
Family Activities Open (Room 114)
Games, crafts, and more! Open until 4:00pm.
11:00 am
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A Plant-Based Diet is Crucial to the Future of All Life on Our Planet
Presenter: H.S. Udaykumar, PhD
​Mainstage Presentation (Room 118)
H.S. Udaykumar's talk will connect the dots between climate, energy, food and planetary survival.
12:00 pm
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Presenter: Carolyn Howe
​Cooking Demo (Room 300)
Join home chef Carolyn Howe for a demonstration of some of her favorite easy vegan meals! Try tasty food samples and receive her recipes ​to try at home.
12:00 pm
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Storytime!
Family Activity (Room 114)
Families are invited to listen to short vegan stories for children
12:15 pm
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But Where Do You Get Your Protein?
Presenter: Beth Pelton
​Breakout Session (Room 112)
As you transition to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle, are friends and family worried about you getting enough protein? This session will dispel myths and misinformation about protein in a vegan lifestyle and protein in diets that include animal products. You will leave the session with evidence-based knowledge and practical tips to have quality protein in your whole-food, plant-based way of life. Say goodbye to protein anxiety!
1:00 pm
More Than MEATS the Eye
Presenter: Jenny Brown
​Mainstage Presentation (Room 118)
Jenny's talk will highlight the harsh realities of our food production system, the morality and sustainability of eating animals, and how our use and commodification of animals is arguably one of ​the world’s most urgent social justice issues.
2:00 pm
Vegan Dips from Scratch!
Presenters: Nikki & Jeff Grim
​Cooking Demo (Room 300)
This demonstration will cover creating vegan dips from scratch.
We will be using whole foods, fresh flavors, and herbs - combined with a variety of color magic to balance a perfect dip arrangement.
Let’s make delicious edible art together! Samples and recipes included.
2:00 pm
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Plant Milk Tasting, 2:00 - 3:30pm
Sponsored by New Pioneer Co-op
​Family Activity (Room 114)
Sample many different kinds of plant-based milks and find your new favorite! Available until supplies run out. All of these milks can be purchased at New Pioneer Co-op in Iowa City, Coralville, and Cedar Rapids, or your local grocery store.
2:15 pm
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Effective Animal Activism in Iowa
Presenter: Joy Wilde
​Breakout Session (Room 112)
Get inspired to fight for animal liberation in Iowa! Joy will spotlight some of the current activism opportunities in our state, as well as share ways we can all use our talents to change the world for other animals. Tips for effective outreach methods will also be discussed.
3:00 pm
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It Is Time
Presenter: Sharon Collins, MD
​Mainstage Presentation (Room 118)
Dr. Collins believes that if we want to promote health and reverse disease, we must make evidenced-based nutritional decisions. She challenges patients to live more purposefully disciplined lives in order to avoid the pitfalls that occur when living without restraint and without intention. She believes it is time to recognize that optimal health is paramount, prevention is KEY, we cannot wait to experience symptoms to determine if we have disease, vitamins and packaged food are not always recognized by our bodies as helpful, and that we need to reclaim ground to improve our health.
Thank you to our Presenting Sponsors!
VegFest of Eastern Iowa is an event by the Vegan Community of Eastern Iowa, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
