What's On

Thousands of vegans are expected to travel to the Central Coast in autumn and spring this year for Alive festival, a celebration of all things plant-based.

Organised by Umbala Events, which also puts on a monthly vegan market at Umina Beach, Alive Is the Central Coast’s first plant-based festival and is held on a Saturday in March and September at Kibble Park in Gosford’s CBD.

With around ten thousand people travelling from Newcastle, the Hunter, Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra and around the Coast to attend each of the 2017 events, the festival has become an important bi-annual pilgrimage for vegans and those wanting to know more about plant-based products.

With vegans avoiding animal-derived foods or animal byproducts, ice cream and cheese is usually off the menu. At Alive, pop up ice creamery Space Bars will be whipping up 100 per cent certified vegan, organic and non-GMO “ice cream” using liquid nitrogen, and Sprout and Kernel will be offering all-natural handmade cultured nut cheeses.

While Monchay Kitchen returns to Gosford to cook up more of its famed Southern Fried Faker burgers, which combine fried tofu, lettuce, facon and a soft bun to create a KFC-like concoction for vegan burger-lovers.

Alive also boasts an impressive line-up of cruelty-free beauty products, natural skin care, handmade soaps, art, homewares, ethically manufactured organic clothing and environmentally friendly products such as net bags and steel straws.

The family-friendly free event will also feature live music, speakers and presenters including Bailey 4 Animals, Sandy Bigara and Kris Goetz’s Mylk Revolution.

While Sea Shepherd, Fin Free Sydney, Where the Pigs Fly and Hart Acres Animal Sanctuary will be in attendance spreading their message of conservation.

Visit the website link for more information.