The Whangarei Vegans are still buzzing over the success of their first ever Vegan Expo right here in Whangarei. Seven team members and seven months is what it took to bring this event to fruition. Right from the beginning we were blown away by the support from sponsors, presenters, performers, stallholders & volunteers who put their hand up to be part of this amazing day.  Thank you to everyone who helped make this event one to remember.

Working behind the scenes, team members had been crazy busy attending to all the last minute details as the day approached quickly. Once the day finally arrived & all the anticipation dropped away, there were moments where team members were brought to tears of joy.  We were just so amazed by the numbers that came through the door & also the vibe that was created by all the different features of the show. We did it! We created exactly what we wanted it to be. It was magical seeing so many happy faces sitting, eating, socialising, listening, questioning & learning.  The thirst & hunger was not only for vegan food & drinks but also for knowledge.  It was great to see so many people attending the workshops & talks.

Mint Floral arrive with the beautiful table flowers they sponsored for this event.

Jaz from Mint Floral created a visual symphony of flowers to brighten up the cafe tables and wore a head crown for the day because that’s what you do when you’re a talented florist.

Philippa and the Tart Bakery team are all geared up for hungry customers.

These two smiley members of the all vegan Tart Bakery team gave us a glimpse of the treats they had in store for us.

Whangarei Mayor, Sheryl Mai, cuts the spinach stalk and declares the Vegan Expo open.

Chloe, one of our talented & dedicated volunteers, is ready to greet the public as they enter the venue.

A queue starts to form well before the official opening time.

As well as being one of our sponsors, New World ran a very popular and geneorous stall. They worked hard to keep up with the constant flow of people wanting to sample the delicious food they had on offer.

The face painting table was a popular place for the little ones to engage in the spirit of the day.

The Gaya Tree is a multi-talented group who gave us a feast for our eyes, ears & tastebuds. They served us up beautiful vegan nourishment then captivated us from the stage with their conscious world music vibes.

The ‘Ask a Vegan’ table was a popular place for the curious to get their questions answered.

The children’s art competition was a great way to celebrate animals in their natural environment.

Our St John’s lady was happy to smile for the camera in front of some animal art and two of the life sized posters that were kindly lent to us by the Levin library.

Alice from Angel Food shares her passion for vegan cheese and cheese sauces with an event attendee.

John from The Kai Box was a keen supporter of our Vegan Expo from the ‘get-go’. He was quick to jump on board as a sponsor and stallholder. John and his team courier Vegan Food Boxes to your door with the recipes and all the ingredients to make delicious and nutritious meals at home.

Nectar Cafe sure know how to make delicious vegan chocolate cake and raw slices.

The Gaya Tree were the icing on the cake. They took our expo to a whole other level with their smooth and upbeat grooves.

Vegans, vegetarians, non-vegans and the vegan curious were all inter-mingling on the day.

Wise Boys Burgers were a hit with the crowds.

There’s plenty to be happy about when you’re surrounded by good people, good food & good vibes.

Natasha ran a popular workshop titled, ‘Ideas for a healthy lunch when your school kid needs to munch’.

Aaron Brunet, Masterchef winner 2013, attracted a large crowd to his cooking demo.

Dusan Dudas spoke about Vegan Body Building.

The organising committee and helpers hand over one of the raffle prizes to the lucky winner at the end of the day.