Empanadas are just some of the offerings available at the upcoming Asbury Park Vegan Food Festival.
If you like vegan pizza and empanadas and a variety of other plant-based foods you might want to visit the Asbury Park Vegan Food Festival May 18 and 19.
The festival is returning for the third year and is expected to bring upwards of 150 vendors and 8,000 to 10,000 hungry guests from across the region.
“Everyone loves Asbury Park,” says festival co-founder Kendra Arnold. “There’s so much to do, so much to see, and it’s relaxing at the same time. There’s just something about it that’s unique to Asbury Park. I don’t want to be super corny, but it’s like it’s part of people’s hearts. It’s really an amazing city to bring people to.”
Now in its third year, the festival has nearly doubled in size since its 2022 debut. This year, the event will encompass both Bradley Park at Fifth and Ocean Avenues and Atlantic Square Park, located to the west across Kingsley Street.
“We’ve only had the Asbury Park Vegan Food Festival in Bradley Park twice so far, and both times, even with not the best weather, it’s grown exponentially,” says event co-founder Marissa Sweeney. “We did it in 2022 and then 2023 was significantly bigger with both vendors and attendees, and we just realized that if we want to continue to allow this to grow at the pace that it’s just organically growing, we would need the extra space.”
Food offerings will include vegan pizza, empanadas, desserts, sandwiches and plenty more from established favorites and new vendors alike, as well as wares such as clothing, books and skincare products.
Attendees will also be able to learn about and support non-profit and advocacy organizations, partake in a full outdoor bar and enjoy live music throughout both days, with Grateful Dead tribute act Cosmic Jerry Band performing on Saturday, Cheezy and The Crackers and the Ocean Avenue Stompers playing on Sunday and DJ Candace V keeping the beats going all weekend long.
The festivities will also continue well into the evening on both Saturday and Sunday, with afterparties at the Wonder Bar. Asbury Park Vegan Food Festival attendees will have the chance to purchase discounted tickets to power trio Satsang’s 8 p.m. Saturday performance, and Nashville’s Jive Talk will play 6 p.m. Sunday.
“Sometimes vegans get this reputation of being a little snooty and high and mighty, and that’s not what this festival is about at all. Nobody’s asking you if you’re vegan when you walk in,” says Sweeney. “The line that we use all the time, and it’s probably become the tagline of our company at this point, is All vegans, vegetarians, veg-curious and folks of all kinds are welcome. It’s meant to be just an all-welcoming, fun day.”
Presented by The New Jersey VegFest, the 2024 Asbury Park Vegan Food Festival will be held 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 at Bradley Park and Atlantic Square Park, Fifth Avenue, Asbury Park. Tickets, $20 per day or $30 for a two-day pass, and more information are available via https://njvegfest.com.
