There's not much that could make us reconsider our love of BBQ, but Texas VegFest comes pretty close. The annual festival, organized by the Texas Veg Foundation, is now in its sixth year, and will be bringing a meatless party to Fiesta Gardens (2101 Jesse E. Segovia St) on Saturday, April 1. The day is going to be packed with demos, speakers, music and, yeah, all the eggplant, zucchini and quinoa you can get your hands on.
The festival runs from 11am to 6pm (attendance is free!), and kicks off with a lineup of speakers that includes Krishna Matta (Madras Pavilion), Sarah Petta (Doula), Jesus Mendoza Jr. (Mr. Natural’s), Lou Mustachio (The Beer Plant) and more. Musical acts will set the scene as you nosh on bites while overlooking the lake, with acts ranging from up-and-coming artists like Olivia Zane to Savannah Red Music.
But you're here for the food, and whether meat is continuously absent in your diet or you're tagging along with a vegetarian friend, there are plenty of Austin's best veggie options here to try. The Great Y'all, which calls itself 'veganese,' will be in attendance, as will Aster's Ethiopian, Bistro Vonish, Happy Vegan Baker, Sweet Ritual, Unity Vegan Kitchen and more than 30 additional vendors. You'll be paying for dishes as you go, so that you can mix and match options from different vendors. Beverages (including alcohol) are available inside, but you can also bring in two bottles of water per person.
And if you like what you taste? Consider checking out our guide to the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the city.
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