Vegan Fest Horsham: Organiser thrilled after nearly 2,000 attend town’s first plant-based fair

Helen Crabb was left overwhelmed with the response to Vegan Fest Horsham which took place at the Drill Hall on Saturday (February 23). She said: “The whole day was simply amazing, better than I could ever have dreamt of - I’m absolutely thrilled that so many people supported it. It was heaving for much of the day. “Although it was hard to determine exactly how many attended throughout the day, we estimate that we had not far off 2,000 visitors. “Obviously as it was Horsham’s first event, we had no idea what the footfall would be. “Indications on Facebook suggested that there would be a good turnout but as there were no advance ticket sales, numbers were impossible to determine. The weather was very much in our favour too! “It’s definitely put Horsham on the vegan map and I am very encouraged to see that there is so much growing interest in veganism.” | SEE MORE: See what was on offer at Vegan Fest Horsham in pictures | The fair was held to celebrate all things vegan - a lifetyle choice which avoids consuming or using any products made from animals including meat, milk, eggs, dairy, honey, leather and wool. There were a variety of stalls boasting chocolates, beer, beauty products, cakes, books, household items, general advice on a vegan lifestyle and a number of caterers offering a wide range of hot and cold foods. A series of free talks focusing on vegan or animal related topics were also held, including by actor and Born Free Foundation ambassador Dan Richardson. Helen added: “The day ran very smoothly and all the feedback we have received has been extremely positive - everyone really enjoyed it, both the stall holders and visitors and there was a great atmosphere. “The talks were all very well attended, too, particularly Dan Richardson’s presentation, where people crammed in to the room to listen to his passionate experiences with the Born Free Foundation. He was really inspirational. “Everyone commented on how helpful and friendly everyone was and this was completely down to the fantastic team of volunteer friends and family that I had on the day, who were always there to help and resolve any issues. “The only downside to the day was that most of the food stalls ran out of food during the afternoon - they had been absolutely rushed off their feet and just hadn’t anticipated the demand! “It was always my intention that the fair should be inclusive of vegans and non-vegans and, although lots of vegans attended, I think there were also plenty at the fair who were just interested in a vegan lifestyle and wanted to find more, which is great. “Hopefully the fair demonstrated that you don’t need meat or dairy to have fantastic and great tasting food - there are so many alternatives on offer these days. “Will there be another Vegan Fest Horsham? At the moment, I am just looking forward to getting my life back for a bit - but never say never ...” The day raised funds for both the Born Free Foundation and Animals Asia. For more information about the event, visit Vegan Fest Horsham’s Facebook page or email veganfesthorsham@gmail.com Learn how to grow sweet peas as gardening event comes to Kinder Living Home Show in Horsham Age UK Horsham District’s Lavinia House gets makeover thanks to Saxon Weald