Last year I went to my first food festival, and a vegan one at that. Vegandale is a vegan food and drink festival that occurs every year in Chicago, Miami, Toronto, New York and Houston. Vegandale New York is held at Randall’s Island Park, which is situated between Manhattan, The Bronx, and Queens. Vegandale is the ultimate vegan food festival for vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, meat-eaters, and everything in between. At this festival you can find a wide range of vegan food, drinks, goods and services all in one location. Vendors from all over the U.S. and Canada come here to share their delicious food with the residents of New York.

Not only do you get to enjoy amazing cuisines, but you also get to watch and listen to a live DJ and MC as they host games and giveaways throughout the day. Last year I got to witness a vegan hot dog eating contest for the first time.

I was a bit unprepared for the food festival. Once I got inside I was shocked to see how many vendors were actually there. It was a bit overwhelming trying to navigate through the crowd and decide what to try. I stopped at the first stall that caught my eye, and it was Your Pastry Pal. Your Pastry Pal is a bakery that specializes in vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free treats.

Next, I checked out another bakery called Bunny Treats which is owned by a black woman!

Shortly after, I spotted byCHLOE; it was comforting to see a familiar name. I ordered a large chocolate chip cookie which was tasty, as per usual.

UBE Kitchen was the star of the day for me. From the presentation to the taste, I’ve never had anything like it before. UBE Kitchen offers vegan Filipino-inspired desserts.

Of course I had to stop by one of my favorite spots to grab vegan ice cream in New York, Van Leeuwen! If you’re lactose intolerant then you understand what a blessing it is to be able to indulge in ice cream and other desserts and not have to worry about finding the nearest bathroom shortly after.

Overall, I had a great time at Vegandale New York. This time around I’m going to check out the vendors that will be in attendance beforehand. That way I know exactly who I want to visit and where to find them. I also recommend to come as early as possible so that you can beat the crowds and long lines. You can watch a quick video about my time at Vegandale last year below. If you’re going to be at Vegandale New York this year hopefully we will run into each other, and don’t be afraid to say hi! If you won’t be able to make it, follow me on Instagram so you don't miss a thing.