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 The 2012 IVU Congress/Vegfest will be in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California, USA:
- to be hosted in SF by the SF Vegetarian Society at the County Fair Building in the Golden Gate Park. SFVS have been holding a locally-based World Veg Festival at this time for many years with several thousand visitors each year.
- and in LA by Vegsource at the Healthy Lifestyle Expo in the Warner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills. This great event has also been running most years for many years and received high acclaim from hundreds who keep going back.
It will be possible to go to either or both parts of this amazing event - further details will be added here as they become available, below is a rough idea of the plans so far - all subject to change at this stage:
All food in all locations will be completely vegan as always.
There will be opportunities for setting up stalls/booths in SF but not in LA (contact SFVS direct via sfvs.org).
Friday October 5 - arrivals at various hotels/hostels in San Francisco, opening meal and celebrations, at the world famous Millennium Restaurant in the city.
Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 - the VegFest in Golden Gate Park (link to wikipedia), the SFVS annual event but with more international speakers. Details will be at www.sfvs.org/wvd as they become available. Attendance last year was estimated at 6,500 - you'll have plenty of company!
Lots of videos from the 2011 SFVS event: www.youtube.com/..../sfvs+wvf2011
Monday 8 - San Francisco tours and a rooftop farewell gathering at the VegNews office.
SAN FRANCISCO REGISTRATION (via Green Earth Travel) - this is for the four days Fri 5 to Mon 8 (full details of 4 day package - PDF for printing) - it does NOT include travel or accommodation.
Green Earth Travel are offering a package to include the Kensington Park Hotel on Union Square @ US$189 per night. You can reserve that thru the above form and then pay on arrival.
HappyCow.net is also compiling a San Francisco Guide - including cheaper hotels/hostels (more on there coming soon - see also SF on hotels.com)
- or if you want a really cheap/basic hostel see Hostels.com/SanFrancisco
- so you can make your own arrangements and just pay for the events separately as you wish
- the SFVS event in the park has lots of vendors for vegan food. Entrance at 9th Avenue at Lincoln Way, next to the Arboretum.
$10 at Gate; Free for Children under 12, Students with ID, & Seniors over 65
 Right: an aerial view of the Golden Gate Park - pacific ocean on the right.
The exact address for the IVU Congress in San Francisco:
San Francisco County Fair Building 1199 9th Ave, San Francisco, California (415) 831-5500 · parks.sfgov.org
The facility is inside the Golden Gate Park and right beside the Botanical Garden. The IVU facility has its own gate and entrance. See link below for map, transportation and directions:
www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/visiting/page2.html
Tuesday 9 - Friday 12 - there should be optional tours available - Yosemite National Park or a coastal tour are possible (also via Green Earth Travel, more info coming soon) - or just do your own thing for a few days and we'll see you in LA..
LOS ANGELES
If you're not on one of the tours then between:
Tues 9- Fri 12 - take the short flight, about 1 hour, down to Los Angeles in time for the evening reception and opening of the Healthy Lifestyle Expo on Friday 12.
- Southwest Airlines - www.southwest.com - Oakland to Burbank, flights every hour, currently showing $89 one way - you will have to book this yourself. Woodland Hills is 13 miles (21km) west of Burbank, a shuttle bus could be possible if enough are going at the same time.
- if you're going to both events, most airlines will let you fly into SFO and home from LAX at no extra cost.
- if you're not going to SF first, just make your own way to the Warner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills (photo right).
- Friday evening reception buffet at the hotel is included in the Expo price.
Saturday 13 - Sunday 14 - Vegsource Healthy Lifestyle Expo in the Warner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills, lots of great speakers - booking is now open - details at www.healthylifestyleexpo.com
- speakers so far include: John McDougall, MD; Caldwell Esselstyn, MD; Michael Klaper, MD; Jeff Novick, MS, RD; John Robbins; GMO Expert Jeffrey Smith; Heng Sure, PhD; Joel Fuhrman, MD (via video link); Cooking demos; Rest of program to be added soon.
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Breakfast available in the hotel, in a choice of locations, chargeable to your room.
- lunch and dinner vegan buffets will be priced separately, pay as you eat or chargeable to your room.
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or there are great vegan eateries nearby for all meals if you prefer to go out.
- rooms are priced $109 (plus tax) per room per night, it should possible to have extra beds if you have more people share with with...
Monday 15 - a day of international lectures, talks workshops etc
Tuesday 16 - optional extra day for local tours etc.
Wednesday 17 - depart - or more possible post-congress tours further afield...
Cost estimate for the Los Angeles sessions (dinner Friday 12 thru breakfast Weds 17): includes 5 nights in a shared room, all food, all lectures/tours etc. - approx. US$1,000 per person.
Disclaimer: this is just a very rough estimate for advance planning. Individual costs could vary considerably depending on individual arrangements. This doe NOT include any travel costs.
- find cheaper hotels in the Woodland Hills area (expedia.com)
- veg restaurants & health food stores in Woodland Hills (HappyCow.com)
Excerpts from the 2011 VegSource Healthy Lifestyle Expo:
The Green Lifestyle Film Festival, based in LA will be in SF for the weekend.
- and Green Earth Travel based in DC will be assisting with the arrangements.
List your intention to join us on the IVU Facebook event page
Meanwhile,
subscribe
to IVU Online News - this is a monthly e-mail newsletter and
it will always have news of IVU Congresses along with other items of
world veg news.
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