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The Vegetarian Food Fair Manual Project Hosted by Follow these links to learn more about VUNA and IVU:
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Vegetarian Food Fair Manual Draft Part I Section 1: Determining the features of a food fair Once your organization decides to hold a vegetarian food fair, you should begin planning by determining the kind of event you want to hold. The central considerations are the following: Location A vegetarian food fair can be held indoors or outdoors, and there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Outdoors, the enjoyment of attendees is affected by the weather, be it precipitation or temperature. The event itself may also be affected, so you will need a convenient rain site if you decide to hold your event outside. Furthermore, your organization's displays as well as the displays of vendors, booths, or demonstrations will need to be securely anchored in case of wind and protected from rain if the event is rain or shine. Holding the fair indoors virtually frees you from weather concerns (barring bad weather that would prevent people from attending the event), but attendance may be limited by the size of the building and the availability of parking or other access at the event. Access to indoor facilities may also require the payment of fees, whereas parks and other public areas are often available for free if you give advance notice. An indoor venue may provide ready access to electricity, water, and restrooms, which may not be as convenient in some outdoor locations (but which you may need to provide for an event that focuses on food [see Part II]). An outdoor event may more readily attract the attention of passers-by and may draw curious people who just happen to see the banners or an assembly of people. In many cases, the location of the event may be dictated by the purpose and activities of the fair. TOP Time of year A vegetarian food fair can be held during any season of the year, but spring, summer, and fall offer the best opportunities for a good turnout. Spring is often a good choice because the event could coincide with the Great American Meatout (first day of spring) or Earth Day (April 20). Summer is a good choice as well because of warm weather and because many fruits and vegetables are in season. People often have more free time during the summer, too, because of the long days. Autumn often offers the best weather, and the focus on the harvest also creates a nice context for festivals that focus on food. Your event could also take place in conjunction with World Vegetarian Day (October 1). TOP Length Vegetarian food fairs can be held for any amount of time ranging from an afternoon to a weekend to a three-day or a week-long event. When determining the length of time and day(s) of the week you hold your food fair, bear in mind the following: Availability of volunteers and other resources A fair held on a weekday or that extends beyond the weekend may create conflicts with the work schedules of many willing volunteers. Similarly, your organization may have limited resources (including brochures, handouts, merchandise, and money), which restrict the length of the event. Conflicts with community or religious observances Although holidays usually guarantee days off for volunteers and attendees, they may be less-than-ideal times to hold a food fair given the frequency of community events that may be held on those days. You want your event to be one of only several events to ensure media coverage and full participation by the community. Religious observances should also factor into determining how long your fair lasts. Members of certain religions may not attend a fair that is held on a religious holiday or even a holy day of the week. In communities where a large percentage of interested attendees may follow religious rules, you should be sure the fair either does not conflict with these days or lasts a day or two afterward. Even if a large percentage of the community does not participate in religious observances, you might want to avoid conflict in the spirit of respect and inclusion. Availability of vendors In small communities, vendors who become involved as sellers at a food fair may be able to spare staff for an afternoon, day-long, or weekend event but will need to limit their participation if the fair lasts too long. Similarly, they may have a limited amount of merchandise to sell or may be limited by suppliers in other ways that would affect how long they can participate. If you choose to have vendors and plan to hand out information or make merchandise of your own available, you will want a wide variety of materials that can meet the demands of attendees. Better to have a shorter event that lives up to its billing than to have a longer event in which there is a steady decline in vendors and information available for interested individuals. TOP Purpose Vegetarian food fairs do have a built-in focus: the event is a celebration of the vegetarian lifestyle, and the focus is on vegetarian food. For some fairs, education about vegetarianism through food sampling, cooking demonstrations, nutrition booths and lectures, and vegetarian literature may be the purpose of the event. For other events, however, education about farm animal welfare, animal rights, environment, or human health through food-related activities may be the focus. The purpose of your event will shape the kind of fair you ultimately want to hold and the kinds of activities you want to include in the event. For example, if the purpose is to educate about vegetarian cooking, then building the event around a well-known chef or cookbook author might be a good way to begin organizing. If the purpose is to educate attendees about factory farming or becoming a vegetarian for ethical reasons, an inspirational animal rights speaker may be a good place to start. If the purpose is to raise money for your organization, then the organization's mission and campaigns should take center stage (see Section 14). A food fair can also have a general purpose and include elements of many different aspects of vegetarianism. You can combine booths, varied displays, and vendors to create a fair that addresses many interests. Or you can plan a very specific fair that gives thorough attention to one aspect of vegetarianism. A quick survey of the many food fairs that are already taking place in the United States and Canada reveals that there is no prescription for a successful food fair. But having a purpose in mind will assist you in determining the activities for the fair and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed by the sheer variety of activities that can be part of a vegetarian food fair. A food fair can also have a general purpose and include elements of many different aspects of vegetarianism. Booths and varied displays and vendors can be combined to create a fair that addresses many interests. Or, a very specific fair can be planned that gives thorough attention to one aspect. A quick survey of the many food fairs that are already taking place in the United States and Canada reveals that there is no prescription for a successful food fair. But having a purpose in mind will assist you in determining the activities for the fair and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed by the sheer variety of activities that can be part of a vegetarian food fair. Community Involvement Aside from local vendors who may be interested in selling vegetarian food or merchandise at a food fair, your community may also be home to other organizations and groups that are interested in participating in planning or organizing a vegetarian food fair. Many colleges and universities and perhaps even local high schools have clubs or organizations devoted to vegetarianism, the environment, or animal rights. Some religious organizations may also be interested because of their interest or adherence to a vegetarian lifestyle. Local hospitals or other health-related clinics or clubs may have an interest in promoting healthy living through a vegetarian diet. These groups can be valuable allies, not only contributing volunteers and perhaps location and financial resources but also sharing ideas and experience. A letter to organizations you know about or a small ad in the paper to reach those you don't may add to the level of community involvement and media coverage that your event garners. TOP Activities Preliminary thoughts about the type of fair you want to have should include consideration of the kinds of activities you will include to attract the public to your event. The range of activities that are appropriate for a food fair is limited only by imagination. Cooking demonstrations Many people mistakenly believe that a vegetarian diet requires extensive time in the kitchen; others are unsure about using many of the staples of a vegetarian diet (for example, tofu, TVP, miso, and greens). For these reasons, cooking demonstrations are a great addition or centerpiece to a vegetarian food fair. The demonstration could show attendees how to create quick vegetarian meals or how to use popular staple ingredients. The demonstrations could focus on themes, such as main courses, holiday meals, or desserts, or you could create a series of demonstrations that take place throughout the day. A local chef or cookbook author might be interested in putting together such a demonstration. The demonstrations could also feature a local restaurant or business that caters to vegetarians. You might also try to book a well-known vegetarian chef or cookbook author to attract people to your fair. You will need to plan ahead for a cooking demonstration. You may need to prepare ingredients ahead of time, especially if the site lacks access to running water. You should find out whether your site will have access to electricity and ask about other methods of cooking that may be allowed (for example, gas grill or open flame) before you make other plans for the demonstration. Speakers A well-known local or national vegetarian advocate will attract many people to a vegetarian food fair because many people will come specifically to hear the speaker or purchase his or her book. Having a speaker highlight the food fair is also a good way to kick off or complete an event, and it may provide opportunities for fundraising (see Section 28). Another option is to have a panel of speakers discussing specific issues or taking questions from the audience. Speakers usually charge a fee for speaking, and there may be other details (for example, travel and accommodations) that factor into whether you have a speaker at your food fair. A speaker will need a sound system, and you will need to organize the fair so that a crowd can gather in one place to see and hear the speaker. If an event involves vendors, exhibits, and booths that are going to continue operation during the speaker, you'll likely need a separate adjacent area for a speaker. An event with a set itinerary, or an event that is held in a large building with access to different rooms or partitioned areas, however, will not pose this problem. You want to provide the speaker with an opportunity to address a crowd of listeners, so if you plan more than one speaker, you should arrange the food fair and its schedule to highlight each speaker and try to ensure that there will be an appropriately sized audience for each. If you are uncertain whether each speaker will get a crowd of participants, organize the speakers into a panel instead, and highlight that as the center point of the fair (see Section 13). For speakers and panels, an important consideration is sound. In certain outdoor locations, cities and towns may have ordinances regulating sound systems and volume. Be sure to clear the use of a microphone or sound system and secure permits before arranging for a speaker.Videos For indoor events, a video may be an appropriate activity for a vegetarian food fair. You will need access to a screen and projector if a large group of people will attend a single showing of a video. Alternatively, several showings throughout the day may increase the number of people who see the presentation and enable you to show the video using only a television and a VCR. You can use videos at outdoor events, but the size of the audience may be limited by the lack of equipment (although it is sometimes possible to show videos on the sides of buildings if permitted) and bright daylight. Video presentations will be limited in some of the same ways speakers are limited--for example, by location and structure of the overall event. Activities for children Getting children involved at vegetarian food fairs is important. Parents who bring their children to the event may be interested in browsing booths and exhibits while leaving their children in a secure, supervised area to play games, hear stories, or watch videos. There are multitudes of children's activities that you can adapt to vegetarian themes, and there are also books and other resources available that children can take with them when they leave the fair. Contests with prizes can be fun and educational for older children. Many children also enjoy face painting or costumed entertainers (for example, vegetables and animals). The most important consideration for activities for children is safety. The area should be supervised at all times by at least two, and preferably more, volunteers. Nothing could be more disastrous than a missing or injured child. Make sure the area is secure and that all activities are age appropriate (for example, avoid choking hazards for young children). Music Music can be a focal point or a backdrop during a vegetarian food fair. Fairs and music seem to go hand in hand: the presence of singing or instrumentalists adds a festive touch to a food fair and alerts passersby that the fair is taking place. Some local bands may perform for free and many individuals or activists are anxious to spend time playing in public just for the enjoyment or experience. The flavor of your fair will determine the volume and kind of music you choose. You'll need to check on local sound ordinances and obtain any required permits before finalizing arrangements for music. Exhibits Free-standing, self-explanatory exhibits or staffed booths can provide a variety of information for fair attendees. These booths may offer free samples or free information. A variety of booths widens the appeal of the food fair, and exhibits can include local environmental or animal advocacy group exhibits and outreach, recipe sharing, cookbooks or other vegetarian-related publications, or even arts and crafts. You may want to restrict exhibits to only vegetarian topics, but you can also open it up to other kinds of presentations that may interest vegetarians (for example, presentations on gardening or herbs or an exhibit about spirituality). Once well established, a food fair may even attract national or international makers of vegetarian foods (for example, Boca Burgers or Imagine Foods). These companies may be willing to provide free samples for smaller food fairs (see Part II). You will certainly want to set up an exhibit that features your own organization, with information about meetings, plenty of handouts and literature, and a sign-up sheet for your organization's mailing list (see Sections 14 and 22). Vendors Many local co-ops, grocery and natural food stores, and restaurants will likely be interested in selling vegetarian food or providing free samples in exchange for the advertising a vegetarian food fair can provide for their business. Much like having a variety of exhibits, having a wide selection of vendors will attract people to your event. Think ahead about how you're defining your event: if the focus is on vegan food, then you'll want vendors to know ahead of time to feature these kinds of items. You should also define "vegetarian" or "vegan" clearly to ensure that only appropriate items are available at the fair. When planning for vendors, remember that you'll need to comply with the health codes of your state or province. Vendors will likely need to have clean water and a place for handwashing at their booth. You will also have to determine what is allowed at the site-for example, will vendors be allowed to use open flames? Availability of electricity might also be a concern. You'll need to book a site that provides easy access for vendor set-up and teardown, and you'll need to prepare a map and diagram in advance that explains how you wish vendors to access the site (see Section 9). Where there is food, there are also waste paper and food scraps, so you will need a plan for disposing of trash and compost matter at the food fair (see Section 16). Attendees will expect that you'll be careful about what kinds of materials are used and what happens to them after they are thrown away. TOP Fee or Free? Another key consideration for your event is whether to charge an admission fee for attendees and vendors. Many vegetarian food fairs are free to the public. A free event attracts the most people, and simply stating that the event is free seems to encourage the most participation. If you're paying a fee to use a facility or host a speaker, or when using the event as a fundraiser, a small fee for all or part of the fair may be appropriate. In other cases, you may solicit a "suggested donation," especially if the event is not necessarily a fundraiser. If vendors (and your organization) are selling food and merchandise for their own profit or to raise money for your organization, a low-fee food fair may be the best plan. If you obtain a business license for the fair, you may be able to include vendors in that license, reducing the costs to vendors and eliminating the need for them to obtain their own permit. A low-fee event may also encourage more vendors to attend as well. If the event is a fundraiser, a small vendor fee for participating may be appropriate if participants are selling for their own profit at the event. At first-time food fairs, vendors may make a donation after they see the success of the event. Once your food fair becomes a successful annual event, few vendors will probably care about a nominal fee for participating. Where possible, however, a free food fair for the public and a low participation fee for vendors is likely to attract the most participants. TOP |
