World Vegan Day is a global eventcelebrated annually on 1 November. Vegans celebrate the benefits ofveganism for animals, humans, and thenatural environment[1] through activities such as setting up stalls, hostingpotlucks, and planting memorial trees.
The event was established in 1994 byLouise Wallis, then Chair ofThe Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the organization[2] and the coining of the terms "vegan" and "veganism".[3] Speaking in 2011, Wallis said: "We knew the Society had been founded in November 1944 but didn’t know the exact date, so I decided to go for 1 November, partly because I liked the idea of this date coinciding withSamhain/Halloween and theDay of the Dead - traditional times for feasting and celebration, both apt and auspicious."[4]
World Vegan Day, a.k.a. International Vegan Day[citation needed], is celebrated in continuity with Vegetarian Awareness Month (all of October), which begins withWorld Vegetarian Day on October 1.[5] October also includes other commemorative dates involving reverence for life in all species,[6] faith-based vegetarianism[7][8] andanimal advocacy, and more.[9]
World Vegan Day follows Vegetarian Awareness Month (October) and initiates World Vegan Month (all of November).[10]
In 2022, the Full Irish Vegan campaign encouraged restaurants to offer plant-based options for World Vegan Day, with over 160 eateries getting involved.[13][14]
Annual Boston Vegetarian Food Festival (all weekend), freevegan food (many thousands of attenders), sponsored annually and currently by theBoston Vegetarian Society.[19][20][21]
Adelaide celebrates World Vegan Day every year on the first Sunday in November.[26] The first Vegan Festival was held on 4 November 2007. The event is possible because of many individual volunteers and members of various organizations. Kas Ward created the Vegan Festival in Adelaide and is the main event coordinator.[citation needed]
M.A.D. FREE Weekend in Adelaide celebrates World Vegan Day in November. 13–15 November 2009.[27]
Since 2003 World Vegan Day has been celebrated inMelbourne on the last Sunday of October. The event was initiated by members of the vegan social group Vegans Unite and is now organized by a committee affiliated with Vegetarian Victoria. Stalls includeLentil as Anything, Invita Living Foods, Animals Australia, Aduki Independent Press, Eco-shout Melbourne, Vegan Society of Australia,ALV, the Melbourne University Food Co-op, Lush Australia and eco store.[28]
The Invercargill Vegan Society inInvercargill,New Zealand, has celebrated World Vegan Day since 2011.[33] The world's southernmost vegan group, for World Vegan Day 2012 they gave away tofu to butchers, placed posters around their city, gave away vegan muffins in the city centre and held a group potluck dinner. World Vegan Day 2013 celebrations included visits to butchers' shops and vegan baking and soya milk giveaways in the city centre. Vegan activists were included on theCUE TV's news bulletin and gave a soft toy dog to an animal-skin-preserving factory. A potluck dinner was held at Invercargill public library as the sun set on World Vegan Day 2013.[34]
Animal advocates acknowledge vegan-friendly businesses with baking and thank-you cards
Vegan activists visit local butchers to give themtofu
Vegans giving outsoy milk alongside banana chocolate chip muffins on the street
Avegan activist gives out baking by a World Vegan Day street poster
Media related toWorld Vegan Day at Wikimedia Commons