SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — For the first time in nine years, Syracuse hosted a vegan festival on Oct. 19. Vegan CNY vice president Jim Thompson said the VegFest went even better than event organizers hoped.
“We were hoping, you know–fingers crossed–for 2,000 people,” Thompson said. “We were settled on like, ‘If it’s 1,500 people, we can still call it a success.’ We had 3,000 people show up.”
Vegan CNY is a non-profit organization that hosts events throughout Central New York to raise awareness about animal rights issues and veganism, Thompson said.
Members of Vegan CNY organized the 2019 Syracuse VegFest, which included vegan food vendors, panels, cooking demonstrations, and more in the Time Warner Cable Science & Industry Building at the New York State Fairgrounds.
At the festival, Danielle Broeker and Katt Dicocco from “The V Spot” podcast hosted a panel with the following vegan restaurant owners: Joel Capolongo from Strong Hearts Cafe, Sara Liu from Parlor City Vegan, Andrea Parros from The Red Fern and Joey Berben from Berben & Wolff’s.
Strong Hearts Cafe co-owner Joel Capolongo said after years of animal rights activism that led to “almost two dozen” arrests, he (and his business partner, Nick Ryan) found a better way to advocate for the animals.
“I can honestly say that running a vegan restaurant has been the most effective form of activism I’ve ever done, and I’ve done it all,” Capolongo said.
Most popular for its vegan milkshakes, Capolongo says Strong Hearts Cafe is rooted in activism. He explained the significance behind naming milkshakes after Ernie Davis, John Lennon, Rosa Parks and other social activists.
“If you go to the cafe and look at our milkshakes, they’re all named after activists–revolutionary activists who have strong hearts,” Capolongo said. “[The milkshakes are named after] people who made the world a better place. So we brought activism into the cafe, because that is what is was built on.”
For upcoming events related to veganism and animal rights activism, visit vegancny.org.
