Oakland County

On a mission to make vegan mainstream, Berkeley festival grows

Published

4 months ago

August 29, 2025

MM Team

In its fifth 12 months, the Bizerkey Meals Fest was expanded from a one -day competition to per week of occasions targeted on vegan merchandise.

The competition begins Labor Day, 1 September, with a screening of the documentary “they attempt to kill us” within the Berkeley Sports activities Basement and can shut on 7 September on the station of North Berkeley Bart.

Web site: Bizerkeleyfoodfest.com
Tickets: Evenbrite

“They attempt to kill us” Documentary screening with director Dangerous Ass Vegan (aka John Lewis); Sports activities cellar Berkeley, 2727 Milvia St., Berkeley; 3 pm, September 1

Cease Gentle Celebration Social Mixer with Bay Space Pace Courting and Vegan Chula: 51 & Tel, 5018 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; 7 pm, September 3

Vartikantchat with vegetable cooks and meals makers: The Butcher’s Son Vegan Deli & Bakery; 1954 College Ave., Berkeley; 6 pm, 5 September

Pre-order & VIP Decide-Up Celebration: North Berkeley Bart Station; Sacramento Avenue in Delaware and Virginia Staten, Berkeley; 6 pm, September 6

Fifth annual BizeKeley Meals Fest: North Berkeley Bart Station; Sacramento Avenue in Delaware and Virginia Staten, Berkeley; 12-6 hours, September 7

Erika Hazel, a resident of Berkeley and vegan entrepreneur who has produced occasions, recipes and articles, and launched by Bizerkeley Vegan on social media, launched the meals competition in 2021.

“We’ve got suppliers who are available in from Miami, New Orleans, Texas and different locations, they usually actually requested to speak extra alternatives to speak with the Bay Space neighborhood,” Hazel mentioned in regards to the motivation behind increasing the occasion till a number of days this 12 months.

The primary objective of the competition is to maneuver vegan merchandise from area of interest to mainstream, and Hazel has seen lots of progress in that space within the final 5 years. In 2021, the primary competition, working in 2021, working underneath Covid Social Distancy restrictions, round 1,000 individuals. The 2024 episode welcomed 6,000 attendees, and this 12 months Hazel expects between 7,000 and 10,000 individuals.

John Lewis, a former butcher who transformed to a vegan food plan and is named Badass Vegan on social media, directed the documentary “they attempt to kill us”, who investigates the connection between meals, sickness, poverty, racism and corruption.

Different occasions in the course of the week (see the Information field for the whole schedule) embrace a social mixer and pace courting session at 51 & Tel in Temescal and a dialogue with vegetable cooks and meals firms at The Butcher’s Son in Berkeley.

The primary competition may have greater than 80 suppliers from the Bay Space, all through the nation and overseas, a pickleball match, whipped cream for youngsters, Cake-eating competitors, vogue present, line dancing, gigantic video games and bouncing homes for youngsters and adults. Faction Brewing, Tessier Vineyard and Journey Chicken Home set up the “Beer Backyard & Wine Down Lounge.” The competition additionally features a silent public sale with objects from KMJ Quilts, Millennium Restaurant, the Cashew Creamer of Mr. Dewie, Oakland Roots and different firms and organizations.

Erika Hazel, often known as the Bizerkeley Vegan, first launch the Vegan Meals Pageant in 2021. Credit score: Jeffrey Littman Images

The headliners of the meals are El Compa Vegano from Los Angeles, which can serve a vegan cooking of seafood, Voodoo Vegan from New Orleans, who serves vegan dishes from Cajun and fungi, of which Hazel mentioned: “Makes the most effective mushroom citizen I as soon as ate in my life.”

Along with the meals sellers, there may also be varied conventional, clothes and wellness firms with bins on the competition, and stay performances by Stunna Man 02, Uromasticx, Keidra, DJ Ajani, Duy Mac Tu and Ko Makou Ohana Alohaha

“All our occasions are for odd people who find themselves interested by some vegan meals and leisure,” mentioned Hazel. “We would like everybody to return out – meat eaters, vegetarians, the lactose intolerante, pescetarians, individuals with allergic reactions … There’s something for everybody, no matter what your common food plan is. The primary objective is to refute the idea that vegan meals is area of interest. It is simply good meals.”

Normal admission to the competition is free. There are additionally Categorical enter ($ 20) and VIP ($ 75) accessible that provide advantages, similar to early entry, reductions on provider merchandise and cooking demonstrations. The proceeds from the occasion will go to the Berkeley -based California Pit Bull Rescue.