I arrived at Vegfest at 2 o’clock only to discover that there was a queue of people snaking around the F2 centre, waiting to gain entry into the festival that was already filled to capacity. The quantity of people in attendance on World Vegan Day, the 1st of November, was staggering. It was evident that most of the exhibitors had not expected such a level of interest, as they explained apologetically upon running low – or completely out of – food, with over two hours of the event remaining. Without question there is a growing vegan and vegetarian community in Ireland which seemed to converge in its near-entirety in Rialto last week. Events such as this one are indicative of the future of Ireland’s food industry: as the interest in vegetarian and vegan diets continues to increase, it is clear that the market has begun to expand and adapt.

The satisfying aroma of sizzling veggie burgers and coffee filled the air as I stepped into the building. Negotiating the buzzing crowd was something of a challenge, but once managed, the majority of the exhibitors were friendly and enthusiastic about their products. Many of their businesses had emerged because they felt their requirements were not being properly catered for, the number of people in attendance no doubt vindication for their efforts. The products on offer were familiar in appearance (cosmetics, chocolate, cakes, sausages, burgers, etc.), the one difference naturally being that they were all entirely vegan-friendly and therefore animal friendly (an issue that was emphasised by the notable presence of animal rights activists, complete with evocative posters). In addition to the many food stalls, there were also musical performances taking place throughout the day and talks from a wide range of people, such as bloggers, nutritionists and yoga experts, on everything from veganism to climate change.

For those who were unable to attend the event, despair not as you can still embark on your own veggie voyage of taste around our fair city. Raw desserts, a particularly popular and well-represented area on the day, are now easily available for Dublin-dwellers (admittedly not without a high price tag) from such places as Goodness Gracious, Roots + Sage, The Little Green Leaf and Buttercream’s Bakery. Sova Foodwill be running a vegan pop-up restaurant on Camden Place until the 20th of December. You can also catch Paula’s Nourishing Nibbles in Fusion Sundays World Culture Market, Dublin 8 (be advised to team her quinoa burger with her delicious homemade hummus or sauces as it can otherwise taste slightly dry). Despite being more homemade in appearance, I preferred both the taste and texture of the Irish-run Synergy Energy, (their Dublin locations are available on their Facebook page) to the slightly more polished looking Pulsin that I found to be somewhat lacking in flavour. Natasha’s Raw & Living Food, available in Nourish and Blazing Salads to name a few stockists, do a fine-looking Christmas cake that might carry you through the festive season, although hopefully the staff serving you are friendlier than the ones who I met on the day.

As a vegetarian, I was intrigued to discover many new products I had not been aware of. The festival not only offered the opportunity to broaden one’s palette but it was also an interesting insight into veganism and how being conscious of the food you are consuming is only one aspect of leading a cruelty-free lifestyle.