Vegan festival planned for Eastern Market in Detroit

Sarah Rahal
The Detroit News
Eastern Market

Detroit, it seems, is going vegan for a day.

No, not for Lent. A festival that features  no animal products, V313 on March 8, is being touted as Detroit's first  festival foray in vegan living and eating.

The event, hosted by the Michigan Green Team at Eastern Market, will include entertainers, vegan resources, cooking demonstrations, panels of experts and vegan food and treats. 

The festival is set to include veg-friendly restaurants and food trucks including Detroit Vegan Soul, the Nosh Pit Detroit, the Clean Plate, Crepe Day Twah, Shimmy Shack with live music from Rosie and the Fellas and Once United. 

More than 50 exhibitors and national speakers expected, including Milton Mills of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Black Vegans Rock and YouTube figure Mic the Vegan.

Panel discussions include “Vegans of Color” and “Plant-Powered Women." There also will be games like vegan Jeopardy and Cooking with Que. Vegan singles also can join speed dating for a charge. 

John Batdorf, event manager of MI Green Team, said Detroit has a strong vegan community. 

"Vegan is such a hot trend right now," Batdorf said. "We're excited to bring this first major vegan event to the city of Detroit, whose vegan community is among the most dynamic in the country. Restaurants are offering more vegan choices and even entire optional vegan menus, and people are interested in changing their diets for the better, whether it's for health reasons or animal compassion or just living lighter on the planet." 

Mi Green Team's website features "a growing list of resources for green living, business and community." The site follows a network of green businesses, nonprofits and local government groups

The event will be held 3-9 p.m. in Shed 5 at Eastern Market. Tickets are available online and at the door for $15. Advance tickets include a $5 concession voucher and a door-prize drawing entry. For the full program, check online

srahal@detroitnews.com