Vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and carnivores alike are invited to the third annual Veg-Out Wilmington at Riverfront Park on Nov. 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Veg-Out Wilmington is a vegan and vegetarian festival that promotes healthier eating and living choices for a greener planet. Event highlights include free yoga classes, guest speakers and various vendors. 

Veg-Out was founded three years ago by James and Andrella Christopher. The husband and wife duo also own Cool Wilmington, an event management and production company that’s had roots in Wilmington for more than 17 years. The idea behind Veg-Out Wilmington started when Andrella noticed a gap in food, mental health and wellness opportunities in the area. 

“She didn’t see anything here in Wilmington that was local-centric as far as highlighting all of the wonderful food opportunities, exercise opportunities, fitness and mental wellness opportunities that Wilmington had to offer,” Christopher said. “So she actually had the gem of the idea, and between us, we just kinda grew it into the festival that it is today.” 

The festival will offer a variety of food vendors for the public to try, including Airlie Grove Juicery, Carrot Dogs, The Green House, Saucy Company and various others. A variety of local health and wellness companies are also scheduled to attend, including Grey Matter Massage, Melony Connor Arts, Molly Mac handcrafted jewelry and Queen Esther Teas. 

“We have a lot going on this year,” James says. “We have a group of wonderful vendors that do everything from eco-friendly packaging to plant-based food to climate action.”

In addition to various vendors, guest speakers and free yoga sessions will be available throughout the day. New this year are children's yoga sessions, which are available to the festival's youngest attendees. 

“We have new children's yoga sessions planned, and that’s done by Hummingbirds Yoga,” James says. “All of these events are free, there’s no charge. There will be yoga mats but we encourage everybody to bring their own yoga mat if they can and join in on the fun.”

Guest speakers will include Stefanie Brown, who will demonstrate how to plant a small container garden; Stephanie Hein, who will expand on three herbs to build more resilience in today's world; and Lucas McLawhorn, who will demonstrate how to make a pomegranate and bulgar salad. A full list of events and guest speakers is available online. 

The event is open to everyone, even those who aren't vegans or vegetarians, James said.

“VegOut is about being inclusive and inviting everybody down and having somebody try some vegetarian food that has never had it before,” he said. “It's about taking everybody down to the park and seeing what's available here in Wilmington locally that people can enjoy and take advantage of year-round.” 

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