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Veggie Fest Fever

The journey of veggie fest throughout the years

With a huge international food court; health professionals speaking on diet, lifestyle, and environmental issues; engaging food demos by restaurant owners, chefs, and authors; an incredible children’s tent with face painting, clowns, and crafts; live music from some of Chicago’s best bands; over 100 vendor booths to explore; and free admission and free parking, Veggie Fest has become a highly anticipated summer event in the Chicagoland area. Check out these awesome highlights from the past five Veggie Fests!

Learn to Meditate Tent, Learn to be Vegetarian Tent, Veggie Kids Parade, 14-Day Vegetarian Challenge, Art of Dosa booth, Caribbean Chicken booth Friends of Veggie Fest initiative, Motown band coming into our rotation, Coupon Book

2024

45,000+

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2019

45,000+

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2017

45,000+

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2016

40,000+

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2015

35,000+

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2014

30,000+

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2013

28,000+

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Veggie Fest | 2013

  • 28,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Science of Spirituality Center, Naperville, IL
  • Debut of Health & Spirituality Symposium, with presentations on health, wellness, green living, and spirituality.

Veggie Fest | 2014

  • 30,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Science of Spirituality Meditation Center, Naperville, IL
  • Record-breaking participation in the 14-Day Vegetarian Challenge
  • 3x the amount of non-perishable food donated to the People’s Resource Center of Wheaton
  • Dr. Terry Mason, COO of Cook County Health and Hospitals System, who was also featured in the documentary Forks Over Knives, spoke on “Heart Attacks have Little to Do with the Heart.”
  • Newly crowned Miss Illinois, and long-time vegan, Marisa Buchheitsang on the main stage and held a meet-and-greet in the Children’s tent.
  • New at the International Food Court: Buddha Bowls, Raw Pesto on Zucchini Noodles, and Vegetarian Chili Dogs

Veggie Fest | 2015

  • 10th Anniversary of Veggie Fest!
  • 35,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Benedictine University, Lisle, IL
  • New book release by Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj: Building Bridges through Meditation, attended by Mayor of Lisle
  • IL Congressman and Mayor of Naperville participate in opening ceremonies
  • Consul General of Colombia attends the festival
  • $5,500 worth of food donated to People’s Resource Center of Wheaton
  • New in the International Food Court: Vegi-Meatball Parmesan Sliders, Whole Wheat Grilled Veggie Wraps, and Quesadillas

Veggie Fest | 2016

  • 40,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Science of Spirituality Center, Naperville, IL
  • Dr. Terry Mason, COO of Cook County Department of Public Health, hosted his radio show, “A Doctor in the House,” LIVE from Veggie Fest
  • Dr. Kim Allan Williams, Sr., MD, president, American College of Cardiology, chief, Division of Cardiology, Rush University Medical Center speaks on Nutrition & Heart Disease: “Taking the DIE out of Diet.”
  • Find It App, released on PlayStore and AppStore to help attendees find what they’re looking for on the Veggie Fest grounds

Veggie Fest | 2017

  • 45,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Benedictine University, Lisle, IL
  • Debut of Yoga Tent, sponsored by Yoga By Degrees and Universal Spirit Yoga
  • At least one vegan option at each food booth
  • New in the International Food Court: Jackfruit Tacos, three new varieties of pies, Sweet Lassis, and a new assortment of Indian snacks
Download Brochure

Veggie Fest | 2019

  • 50,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Danada South Park (behind Navistar, next to the Sensory Garden Playground), IL
  • Yoga Tent with Family Yoga, Gentle Flow, and Vinyasa Flow (near the Meditation Tent)
  • Vegan & Lacto-Veg Options at every food Vendor
  • New in the International Food Court: Paris Bistro from Paris, France
  • Speaker Highlights: John Salley (4-time NBA Champion & Vegan Advocate) & Dr. Neal Barnard (President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)
  • More Highlights: Elysabeth Alfano of Awesome Vegans podcast 
Download Brochure

2024

Veggie Fest | 2024

  • ⁠10s of 1000s+ in attendance
  • ⁠Location: Danada South Park (behind Navistar, next to the Sensory Garden Playground), IL
  • Jyothi Rao, M.D., doctor and author of Body on Fire, gave two demos on Saturday & Sunday to packed crowds
  • ⁠New in the International Food Court: Acai Heaven, Boba Blast and Mac & Philly’s Cheese Shack
  • ⁠Yoga Tent all-day long with Family Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, and Restorative Yoga
  • ⁠Speaker Highlights: Baxter Montgomery, M.D. (Board Certified Cardiologist from Texas) spoke on Heart Failure: an Integrative Solution and Julie Varughese, M.D. (Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Programs for Americares) spoke on Coping in Times of Crisis: A Global Perspective
  • More Highlights: Another year of Dr. in the House with Dr. Terry Mason broadcast from the festival grounds
  • ⁠First time at the festival Funkadesi (best International World Music of Chicago) reggae, funk, & Afro-Caribbean band

2019

Veggie Fest | 2019

  • 50,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Danada South Park (behind Navistar, next to the Sensory Garden Playground), IL
  • Yoga Tent with Family Yoga, Gentle Flow, and Vinyasa Flow (near the Meditation Tent)
  • Vegan & Lacto-Veg Options at every food Vendor
  • New in the International Food Court: Paris Bistro from Paris, France
  • Speaker Highlights: John Salley (4-time NBA Champion & Vegan Advocate) & Dr. Neal Barnard (President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)
  • More Highlights: Elysabeth Alfano of Awesome Vegans podcast 
Download Brochure

2017

Veggie Fest | 2017

  • 45,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Benedictine University, Lisle, IL
  • Debut of Yoga Tent, sponsored by Yoga By Degrees and Universal Spirit Yoga
  • At least one vegan option at each food booth
  • New in the International Food Court: Jackfruit Tacos, three new varieties of pies, Sweet Lassis, and a new assortment of Indian snacks
Download Brochure

2016

Veggie Fest | 2016

  • 40,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Science of Spirituality Center, Naperville, IL
  • Dr. Terry Mason, COO of Cook County Department of Public Health, hosted his radio show, “A Doctor in the House,” LIVE from Veggie Fest
  • Dr. Kim Allan Williams, Sr., MD, president, American College of Cardiology, chief, Division of Cardiology, Rush University Medical Center speaks on Nutrition & Heart Disease: “Taking the DIE out of Diet.”
  • Find It App, released on PlayStore and AppStore to help attendees find what they’re looking for on the Veggie Fest grounds
2015

Veggie Fest | 2015

  • 10th Anniversary of Veggie Fest!
  • 35,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Benedictine University, Lisle, IL
  • New book release by Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj: Building Bridges through Meditation, attended by Mayor of Lisle
  • IL Congressman and Mayor of Naperville participate in opening ceremonies
  • Consul General of Colombia attends the festival
  • $5,500 worth of food donated to People’s Resource Center of Wheaton
  • New in the International Food Court: Vegi-Meatball Parmesan Sliders, Whole Wheat Grilled Veggie Wraps, and Quesadillas
2014

Veggie Fest | 2014

  • 30,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Science of Spirituality Meditation Center, Naperville, IL
  • Record-breaking participation in the 14-Day Vegetarian Challenge
  • 3x the amount of non-perishable food donated to the People’s Resource Center of Wheaton
  • Dr. Terry Mason, COO of Cook County Health and Hospitals System, who was also featured in the documentary Forks Over Knives, spoke on “Heart Attacks have Little to Do with the Heart.”
  • Newly crowned Miss Illinois, and long-time vegan, Marisa Buchheitsang on the main stage and held a meet-and-greet in the Children’s tent.
  • New at the International Food Court: Buddha Bowls, Raw Pesto on Zucchini Noodles, and Vegetarian Chili Dogs
2013

Veggie Fest | 2013

  • 28,000+ in attendance
  • Location: Science of Spirituality Center, Naperville, IL
  • Debut of Health & Spirituality Symposium, with presentations on health, wellness, green living, and spirituality.

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