Give peas a chance at Falkirk vegan fest

Love Vegan will take at Falkirk Stadium from October 7-8, welcoming over 40 food, drink and lifestyle companies who refuse to use any animal products in their wares.

Veganism, the belief that humans shouldn’t eat, wear or use anything containing animal products or tested on creatures, is booming with the Vegan Society reporting a 350 per cent rise in vegans over the last ten years.

Event organisers Kirsty and Andy Ure say the response locally has been phenomenal.

Kirsty (32) from Falkirk said: “Falkirk has a great vegan scene, the Land and Sea in Polmont runs a weekly vegan night and businesses like Coffee on Wooer and Northstar happily cater for vegans.

“When I turned vegan I got all the usual questions, where do you get protein and do you just eat salad? But in all honestly, it’s been an easy transition and you can still eat vegan versions of all the food you love.”

The festival is at Level One, Falkirk Stadium, from 10.30am to 4.30pm on both October 7 and 8.

Entry is £3 (£1) and a kids corner with bouncy castle, face painting and arts table is free.

Veganism has the stereotype of being a diet of solely least vegetables and quinoa, but the vegan junk food scene is booming with vegan versions of pulled pork pies, haggis bon bons and even fried chicken all available at the festival.

Luda runs Blitz Patisserie based in Falkirk. The company create Instagram worthy cakes using only raw, natural products and no refined sugar.

Luda said: “We are so excited that Love Vegan Festival is coming to our home town of Falkirk.

“It’s great to see veganism and an interest in ethical eating is on the rise, it is not a fashion or a fad but has become mainstream.

“Many vegan products like our own are not a substitute or a compromise but nothing less than exceptional.”