\u201cThe sponsorship is very significant to me personally, because Brock and VegFest really are my two homes,\u201d said Laurie Morrison, Brock\u2019s Interim Associate Librarian who co-founded the event alongside Associate Professor Keri Cronin in Brock\u2019s Visual Arts department.<\/span><\/p>\n The event has grown into a weekend-long affair with the addition of a <\/span>vegan wine tour<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>multi-course dinner<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>screening of documentary Eating You Alive<\/span><\/a> on Saturday, June 3, for which tickets must be purchased in advance.<\/span><\/p>\n VegFest then takes over Market Square in downtown St. Catharines on Sunday, June 4 with a roster of renowned speakers, gourmet food, cooking demonstrations, live music and more than 80 vegan vendors and exhibitors. There will also be a variety of children\u2019s activities and face painting for families to enjoy.<\/span><\/p>\n Niagara VegFest is expected to draw thousands of people to St. Catharines Market Square on Sunday, June 4.<\/p><\/div>\n Brock is sponsoring the Sunday vendor hall and will have volunteers on site handing out packets of wildflower seeds.<\/span><\/p>\n The festival aims to educate people about what a plant-based diet is, offer steps to reduce your environmental footprint, and to highlight the impact a vegan diet can have on your health and the wellbeing of animals.<\/span><\/p>\n Laurie Morrison, Niagara VegFest co-founder and organizer, said that as one of Canada\u2019s primary growing regions, having a festival of this nature \u201cjust made sense.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Organizers knew they had \u201chit on something people were hungry for\u201d when 1,300 curious minds showed up in the inaugural year and growth continued at each consecutive event.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSome people who come are plant-based vegans, but really, the festival is for people who are thinking about changing their diet or trying to figure out what it\u2019s all about,\u201d Morrison said.<\/span><\/p>\n For many people, it\u2019s not quite as easy as \u201cflipping a switch\u201d and undergoing a lifestyle transformation, she said, which is where the festival comes in.<\/span><\/p>\n VegFest offers helpful tips for progressing toward a vegan diet, including identifying replacement ingredients and modifying staple recipes.<\/span><\/p>\n While the event does come with a serious message about health, the welfare of animals and the environment, it looks to broach the subject in a fun way, Morrison said.<\/span><\/p>\n People often associate vegan diets with only cold salads and smoothies \u2014 a myth the festival is determined to dispel, she said.<\/span><\/p>\n VegFest offers many \u201ccomfort food\u201d options \u2014 including this year\u2019s version of a vegan Big Mac \u2014 that often catch diners by surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the \u2018aha!\u2019 moment that people often have \u2014 when they try something that\u2019s traditionally got animal products in it, like mac and cheese, but with no animal products,\u201d Morrison said, while encouraging people to treat their palates and give some festival favourites a try.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf your doctor has said you need to think about your diet and reducing your cholesterol, then this is the festival for you,\u201d she said. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll find that you can stick to plant-based options and enjoy the food that you\u2019re eating.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Admission to Niagara VegFest, which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 4, is by donation ($2 recommended).<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Niagara](\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Niagara-VegFest-crowd-300x225.jpg\")