On Saturday June 30th, The Incredible Veggie Show returns to the capital to offer Londoner’s a day full of advice about vegetarianism, clothing and lifestyle products, demos and talks, and free food tastings. After the success of their inaugural show last year, which saw 5,000 people attending, this years show will be held in a larger venue – the Lawrence Hall and Conference Centre, Royal Horticultural Halls. (Nearest tube: St James’s Park).
The event is organised by Europe ’s largest vegetarian campaigning group, Viva!. Their director, Juliet Gellatley explains: "There has been a massive change in public attitudes and people want to find about vegetarianism and how our diet directly affects the world around us. The Incredible Veggie Show is the perfect place to find out how you really can save the world, your health and countless animals with your knife and fork!"
The main hall will be the setting for cookery demonstrations from a number of top vegetarian cooks, including celebrity Viva! patron, Heather Mills, who will be talking about why she chose to become vegan and whipping up some easy vegan recipes. Britain’s foremost vegetarian cookery writer, Rose Elliot, will be demonstrating dairy-free, ‘meatless meat’, tofu and low calorie recipes; and Andrew Sartain will be putting together imaginative and delicious dishes using wild foods. There will also be numerous talks throughout the day, with topics including: ‘Healthy Veggie Diets for Children’, ‘Stopping Cancer Before It Starts: Diet and Cancer Prevention’ (by Dr Michael Greger), and ‘Why You Don’t Need Dairy’.
Guests can also browse the stalls and buy natural cosmetics and baby products, stock up on organic food and drink or get an Indian head-massage. Viva! Is also delighted to be auctioning – with the help of TV presenter Wendy Turner Webster – a number of signed celebrity items, all of which have been donated to help raise funds for Viva!’s campaigning work for animals. With all this and more, The Incredible Veggie Show really does offer everything you ever wanted to know about being or going veggie or vegan.
For more all-natural and eco-friendly fun, head for nearby St James’s Park – home to a beautiful lake and the Mall, the setting for ceremonial parades and events of national celebration. The lake harbours a wide range of birdlife - including ducks, gulls, swans, geese and pelicans - which nest on Duck Island . There are also lunchtime and early evening band concerts during the summer, and feeding of the pelicans every day at 3:00pm.
The park is also home to ‘ Inn the Park‘, a contemporary British restaurant and café with a stunning view of the lake. The chefs use fresh seasonal produce from small independent producers and share the philosophy that fantastic ingredients are the cornerstones of good cooking. If the Veggie Show has left you craving something meatier than tofu, then their menu is sure to satisfy you. The beef sirloin with wild mushrooms, grilled lamb cutlets with chicory, and corn-fed chicken breast with thyme gravy are all delicious.
