Louisville VegFest

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Louisville VegFest As of 2025, Bluegrass VegFest is now the LOUISVILLE VEGFEST, hosted by VegKentucky, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Save the date!!

Louisville VegFest—Kentucky’s premier celebration of all things vegan—returns Saturday, September 12th 2026 from 12–6 PM at the Mellwood Art Center. 🌱 Hosted by , a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Saturday, September 6th, 2025 at the Mellwood Art Center! Thousands of festival-goers—vegans and the veg-curious alike—will get to try out an array of 100% plant-based food plus local craft b**r and cocktails, inspiring speakers, cooking demos, a large indoor marketplace featuring cruelty-free products, non-profit exhibitors, educational exhibits, stuff for kids, and more. Admission is free!


***Sign up for updates at www.vegkentucky.org***

IT’S VEGFEST DAY!!! 🎉🌱 Join us TODAY at Mellwood Art Center! SWIPE for everything you need to plan your day, including F...
09/12/2026

IT’S VEGFEST DAY!!! 🎉🌱 Join us TODAY at Mellwood Art Center!

SWIPE for everything you need to plan your day, including FAQs, schedules, speakers, vendors, & more!

Here are a few things to know before you head our way:

🌱 FREE ADMISSION! Louisville VegFest is free and open to everyone. Whether you’re vegan, veg-curious, or just coming for some incredible food and a fun day, you’re welcome here!

🚗 PARK FOR FREE in the large Mellwood Art Center parking lot directly across Mellwood Avenue from the venue.

🍔 Come hungry! We have an incredible lineup of vegan restaurants, food trucks, bakeries & food vendors joining us from Louisville and beyond.

🛍️ Explore all the vendors with food, shopping, wellness, nonprofits, local businesses, and more, with a huge indoor marketplace!

🎤 FREE TALKS ALL AFTERNOON in the Pigment Gallery, starting at 12:15 PM. Check the slides for today’s complete speaker schedule!

🎶 LIVE MUSIC OUTSIDE ALL DAY! The Sound Garden kicks off during VIP Hour and keeps going throughout the festival with DJs, live music, a guided meditation, and an end-of-day Garden Dance Party.

🎪 Turners Circus performs from 1 to 3pm! Catch their outdoor performance while you’re exploring the festival.

🎨 Bring the kids! Our Kid Zone is set up with coloring and games, plus Chickadee Artistree will also be there offering face painting - grown-ups are absolutely encouraged to get in on the fun too! 😍

📍 Mellwood Art Center
1860 Mellwood Ave, Louisville
✨ VIP Early Entry: 11am
🌱 General Admission: 12–6pm
🎟️ FREE ADMISSION + FREE PARKING

We cannot wait to finally welcome you through those doors. Come hungry, bring your friends and family, and spend your Saturday with us!

🌱🎉💚

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: SRI MANTRA 🌱We’re so grateful to welcome Sri Mantra Restaurant back as a Louisville VegFest sponsor! ...
09/11/2026

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: SRI MANTRA 🌱

We’re so grateful to welcome Sri Mantra Restaurant back as a Louisville VegFest sponsor! 💚

Located inside Logan Street Market, Sri Mantra is a family-owned, 100% vegan Sri Lankan restaurant serving vibrant, plant-powered food inspired by the flavors and traditions of their family and culture.

And you’re definitely going to want to come hungry tomorrow! 😋 At VegFest, Sri Mantra will be serving:

🌯 Their NEW Kottu Wrap
🌯 The classic Sri Mantra CrunchWrap
🍛 A variety of Sri Lankan rice & curries

The family is also behind C E Y O L A N K A F A M I L Y , offering authentic Sri Lankan spices and teas, along with beautiful hand-sewn apparel made by their family in Sri Lanka. Their work brings together food, culture, family, and community in such a special way, and we’re proud to have them as part of VegFest again this year. 💛

And there’s even more Sri Mantra at VegFest this year! Co-owner Marilyn Almonte will also be joining our speaker lineup for:

🎤 What It’s Really Like to Run a Vegan Restaurant
⏰ 3:15 PM
📍 Pigment Gallery
🎟️ FREE to attend!

Be sure to stop by Sri Mantra tomorrow, try some incredible Sri Lankan food, check out CeyoLanka Family, and then catch Marilyn’s talk for a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and rewards of running a vegan restaurant.

Thank you, Sri Mantra + CeyoLanka Family, for supporting Louisville VegFest and for everything you bring to Louisville’s vegan community! 🌱💚

TOMORROW, September 12
Mellwood Art Center
Louisville VegFest • 12–6 PM
VIP Early Entry • 11 AM
FREE General Admission
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LOUISVILLE VEGFEST SPEAKER SCHEDULE! 🎤🌱We have an incredible lineup of speakers joining us TOMORROW at Louisville VegFes...
09/11/2026

LOUISVILLE VEGFEST SPEAKER SCHEDULE! 🎤🌱

We have an incredible lineup of speakers joining us TOMORROW at Louisville VegFest, with conversations covering everything from compassion and masculinity to vegan travel, plant-based nutrition, restaurant ownership, and vegan cake!

All talks are FREE to attend and will take place in the Pigment Gallery at Mellwood Art Center, directly across from the main vendor hall.

Which talk are you most excited for?

Here’s your schedule!

🐘 12:15 PM - Dominick Thompson
Beyond the Walls: Masculinity, Compassion, and Becoming Human

We’re thrilled to welcome Dom back after being a VegFest favorite last year! An Ironman triathlete, social entrepreneur, author, and animal rights activist, Dom has inspired hundreds of thousands through his story and his work.

✈️ 1:15 PM - Kim Giovacco
Creating Community through Vegan Travel

The founder of Veg Jaunts & Journeys shares how vegan travel can connect us with incredible food, local businesses, animal sanctuaries, new places, and each other.

🌱 2:15 PM - Reya Andrews
The Plant-Based Nutrition Prescription

Licensed nutritionist and EKU Assistant Professor Reya Andrews explores the science behind food as medicine and how plant-based nutrition can play a role in preventing, managing, and even reversing chronic disease.

🍽️ 3:15 PM - Marilyn Almonte
What It’s Really Like to Run a Vegan Restaurant

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the realities, challenges, and rewards of running a vegan food business from a longtime plant-powered restaurant owner.

🎂 4:15 PM - Lakisha Morris
Peace, Love & Cake
✨ Vegan Cake Decorating Demo + Sampling

Award-winning cake artist and Pink Batter Cake Studio founder Lakisha Morris closes out our speaker lineup with a live vegan cake decorating demonstration, and yes, there will be cake samples! 😋

📍 Mellwood Art Center
📅 TOMORROW, Saturday, September 12
🌱 General Admission: 12–6 PM
✨ VIP Early Entry: 11 AM
🎟️ FREE General Admission

There is SO much happening at VegFest this year, but make sure you save some time between eating, shopping, and exploring to head over to the Pigment Gallery and hear from this amazing group of guests! 💚

Good food. Good music. Good energy. All day long. 💚🎶🌱This year, we’re taking the music outside with the Louisville VegFe...
09/10/2026

Good food. Good music. Good energy. All day long. 💚🎶🌱

This year, we’re taking the music outside with the Louisville VegFest Sound Garden, and we’re incredibly grateful to CPHR DVN for curating an entire day of music, movement, connection, and good vibes for us! 🎧🌿

We have an amazing lineup featuring Retsu502, DJ Giftz, CPHR DVN, and the lovely Sultra, who will kick off our general admission hour with a guided meditation at noon. 🧘🏽‍♀️✨

Feel free to bring a yoga mat, find a spot outside, and start your VegFest afternoon with a moment to slow down, reset, and connect before jumping into everything the festival has to offer.

Then stick around because the music keeps going all afternoon, wrapping up with a Garden Dance Party at 5 PM! 💃🏽🌱

🎶 SOUND GARDEN SCHEDULE

11 AM • VIP DJ Session with CPHR DVN
12 PM • Guided Meditation with Sultra
1 PM • Retsu502
2 PM • DJ Giftz
3 PM • CPHR DVN
4 PM • Retsu502
5 PM • Garden Dance Party with CPHR DVN

📍 Outside at Mellwood Art Center
THIS SATURDAY, September 12
🌱 Louisville VegFest
FREE • 12–6 PM
✨ VIP Early Entry • 11 AM

A huge thank you to CPHR DVN for creating the soundtrack for VegFest this year. We can’t wait to see this space come alive! 🌿🎶💚

Come hungry, bring a yoga mat, stay for the music, and maybe end the day dancing with us. 🌱💃🏽
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WELCOME BACK, DOMINICK THOMPSON! 📢🌱🐘We’re incredibly grateful to welcome Dominick Thompson back to Louisville VegFest! A...
09/10/2026

WELCOME BACK, DOMINICK THOMPSON! 📢🌱🐘

We’re incredibly grateful to welcome Dominick Thompson back to Louisville VegFest! After joining us last year and quickly becoming a VegFest fan favorite, we couldn’t be happier to have him return to the stage this Saturday. 💚

An Ironman triathlete, social entrepreneur, author, and animal rights activist whose story and work have inspired hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

After choosing vegetarianism while incarcerated 25 years ago, Dom went on to become a leader in the No-Meat Athlete movement and build a life centered around compassion, wellness, and advocacy. He is the creator of Eat What Elephants Eat, his wellness brand and cookbook, and the real-life inspiration behind the upcoming film Land of Wolves. 🎬🐘

This year, Dom returns to VegFest with a brand-new talk:

🎤 Beyond the Walls: Masculinity, Compassion, and Becoming Human

If you heard Dom speak last year, you already know why we wanted him back. And if you missed him, don’t make that mistake twice! His story is powerful, thought-provoking, and one we’re honored to share with the Louisville community again.

🕛 12:15pm
📍 Pigment Gallery at Mellwood Art Center
🎟️ FREE to attend

Join us THIS SATURDAY, September 12 from 12–6pm at Louisville VegFest! 🌱

Come hungry, come curious, and come hear from one of the most compelling voices in the vegan movement. 💚
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We could still use a few more amazing people to help make Louisville VegFest a true success this Saturday! We have volun...
09/09/2026

We could still use a few more amazing people to help make Louisville VegFest a true success this Saturday!

We have volunteer opportunities throughout the day, with roles including welcoming attendees, food sampling, vendor assistance, maintenance, the Kid Zone, speaker room, merchandise, and more. No previous event experience is necessary.

✨ We especially need help later in the day, after 2pm, and with festival breakdown from 5–7pm. If you’re available during those hours, we would be incredibly grateful for the extra hands!

All volunteers receive a VegFest T-shirt + free meal voucher, and volunteers working multiple shifts receive 2 meal vouchers. And of course, you’ll still have time to enjoy VegFest while you’re there! 🌱

📣 Already signed up to volunteer but haven’t heard from us? Please check your spam folder! We’ve heard from several volunteers that our emails have been sneaking in there. You should have received information from us with a link to select your specific role and shift.

You can also skip the inbox search and head straight to the link in our profile to choose your volunteer role and time slot!

Not picky about what you do? Choose “Any Position” and we’ll put you wherever we need the most help.

Louisville VegFest is a huge community event, and we truly couldn’t make it happen without our volunteers. Whether you can give us a few hours or spend a bigger part of the day with us, THANK YOU! 💚

Come be part of the team that makes VegFest happen!

Our next Louisville VegFest special guest is bringing cake! 🌱🎂 We’re so happy to welcome Lakisha Morris, award-winning c...
09/09/2026

Our next Louisville VegFest special guest is bringing cake! 🌱🎂 We’re so happy to welcome Lakisha Morris, award-winning cake artist, educator, and founder of Pink Batter Cake Studio, to Louisville VegFest for a live vegan cake decorating demonstration!

Lakisha will present:

Peace, Love & Cake 🎂

During this live demonstration, Lakisha will show us some of the creativity and technique behind cake decorating, all while sharing her belief that cake can be about so much more than dessert. It can be a way to learn something new, build confidence, express yourself, and bring people together.

And yes, there will be samples afterward! 😋🌱

Lakisha is a three-time KY State Fair ribbon winner, graduate of the SBA THRIVE Emerging Leaders program, and nominee for Today’s Woman’s Most Admired Woman in Hospitality. She’s also currently serving as the September Chef-in-Residence at the Northeast Regional Library.

Through Pink Batter Cake Studio, Lakisha creates guided, hands-on cake decorating experiences centered around creativity, joy, and connection. Her classes are designed to be welcoming and fun, whether you’re learning a new skill, celebrating with friends and family, or simply looking for a creative experience.

You’ll also be able to find Pink Batter Cake Studio at VegFest, where Lakisha will be sharing information about upcoming classes and offering a few vegan treats! 💚

Saturday, September 12
Mellwood Art Center
12–6 PM | VIP Hour 11–12
FREE General Admission

🎤 Demonstrations and speakers will take place in the Pigment Gallery.

Come learn a few cake decorating tricks, meet Lakisha, and most importantly… get a little vegan cake! 🎂
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What is it REALLY like to run a vegan restaurant? 🌱🍽️ Our next Louisville VegFest speaker is Marilyn Almonte, and she’s...
09/08/2026

What is it REALLY like to run a vegan restaurant? 🌱🍽️ Our next Louisville VegFest speaker is Marilyn Almonte, and she’s taking us behind the scenes of the vegan restaurant world!

Marilyn is a master teacher, intuitive food therapist, energy healer, and co-owner of a family-owned Sri Lankan restaurant. Her work is rooted in the belief that healthy, plant-powered food can be delicious, accessible, simple, and deeply satisfying, and that the right spices can completely transform the way we experience food.

At VegFest, Marilyn will present:

🎤 What It’s Really Like to Run a Vegan Restaurant

Running a vegan restaurant takes a whole lot more than creating great food. Marilyn will share an honest look at the passion, creativity, challenges, and business realities that happen behind the scenes.

🌿 Developing a menu and sourcing ingredients
🌿 Managing customers, staff, and finances
🌿 Navigating an ever-changing restaurant industry
🌿 Turning a passion for vegan food into a sustainable business
🌿 The highs, lows, lessons, and rewards people don’t see from the dining room

Whether you’ve ever dreamed about opening a vegan restaurant or food business, love supporting local businesses, or are simply curious about what happens behind the scenes, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear. Join us Saturday to hear Marilyn’s story and follow Sri Mantra Restaurant and C E Y O L A N K A F A M I L Y to stay up to date on all the delicious things they’re creating.

Saturday, September 12
Mellwood Art Center
12–6 PM | VIP Hour 11–12
FREE General Admission

All talks are free to attend and take place in the Pigment Gallery, directly across from the Exhibitor Hall entrance.
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SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: JUST 🌱💚 A huge thank you to Just Egg & Just Meat for sponsoring Louisville VegFest and helping us bri...
09/08/2026

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: JUST 🌱💚 A huge thank you to Just Egg & Just Meat for sponsoring Louisville VegFest and helping us bring even more delicious plant-based food to this year’s festival!

And they’re not just supporting VegFest from afar. They’re sending products for YOU to try!

🍳 Find the VegKentucky table at VegFest to sample Just Egg and Just Chicken! We’ll be serving up samples throughout the day, so make sure you stop by and give them a try.

We love JUST’s dedication to creating delicious, satisfying foods that make it easier to choose plants and leave animals off our plates. Their mission to create healthier, more sustainable food is one we’re especially proud to support and share with the VegFest community. You probably already know Just Egg, their plant-based take on one of breakfast’s biggest staples. Now they’re bringing that same approach to Just Meat, with tender, juicy plant-based chicken that chars on the grill and sizzles in the pan.

And there’s even more to discover from JUST, including Just Mayo, Just Breakfast Burritos, and Just Protein.

🎟️ VIP ticket holders, JUST is also providing product coupons for tote bags!

We’re incredibly grateful to JUST for supporting Louisville VegFest and helping us introduce our community to more delicious plant-based options. 🌱 💚 Be sure to give Just Egg & Just Meat a follow to stay up to date on all of their amazing plant-based products, new releases, recipes, and more!

📅 Saturday, September 12
Mellwood Art Center
VIP Hour: 11 AM–12 PM | General Admission: 12–6 PM
General admission is FREE!
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THIS Saturday Louisville VegFest is back! 🌱 🎉 Join us Saturday, Sept 12th from 12–6pm at Mellwood Art Center for Kentuck...
09/07/2026

THIS Saturday Louisville VegFest is back! 🌱 🎉

Join us Saturday, Sept 12th from 12–6pm at Mellwood Art Center for Kentucky’s premier celebration of vegan food, wellness, community, and sustainable living!

And remember - everyone is welcome! Whether you’re vegan, veg-curious, or just love incredible food, local businesses, live entertainment, and a great festival, VegFest is for you.

Come spend the day with us and enjoy:

🍔 Amazing vegan food from local & regional restaurants, food trucks, bakers & more
🛍️ Shopping from dozens of unique vendors and small businesses
🎶 Live music outside all day
🎪 Performances from Turners Circus
🎤 Talks from local & regional speakers covering health & wellness, fitness, travel, vegan sweets, starting a vegan business & more
🎨 Face painting & activities in the Kids Zone
🌿 Nonprofits, community organizations, wellness resources & more!

There is SO much happening throughout the day - come hungry and plan to stay awhile!

🎟️ GENERAL ADMISSION IS FREE!

✨ Want to beat the crowds? VIP admission begins at 11am, giving you a full hour of early access before general admission, plus an exclusive Louisville VegFest tote bag packed with samples, freebies, coupons & goodies from our sponsors and vendors.

📍 Mellwood Art Center
📅 Saturday, September 12
⏰ VIP: 11 AM | General Admission: 12–6 PM

Grab your friends, bring the family, and help us spread the word. Louisville VegFest is THIS SATURDAY! 🌱💚

Learn more & grab VIP tickets at vegkentucky.org/vegfest
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Address

1860 Mellwood Ave
Louisville, KY
40206

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