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Inside VegFest Expos: Building Health-Focused Vegan Festivals Across the Southeast

Helene has been producing vegan festivals across the southeast for years, from Georgia and Sarasota to a surprise stop in Syracuse, New York. Sean A. Russell catches up with her to talk about what is changing for 2026.

From Vegan Festival to Health and Fitness Expo

Next year, several VegFest Expos stops, including Statesville, Georgia, Durham, and Columbia, are rebranding as health and fitness expos, partnering with the Vegan Squad, John Thomas, and Bodybuilding Vegan to add classes, yoga, and exercise programming. Asheville keeps its original Vegan Fest name since it is already well established. The goal is drawing in people who might otherwise skip a straightforward vegan event.

A Sample Fest, Not a Recruitment Drive

Helene is candid that most festival attendees are not vegan going in. She describes the events as a low-pressure sample fest: come taste the food, meet the people, catch the vibe, with no pressure to walk out with a full lifestyle change. Vegans Explore has committed to supporting the festival circuit year round as it builds toward its own January 11 community launch.

• 2026 events shift toward health and fitness programming in several cities
• Helene's new venture, WhimsyWares.online, sells custom unbreakable plates made in the USA
• Helene's core message for 2026: keep shopping small and support local vendors

Whether it is farmers markets or festival vendor booths, Helene's advice stays consistent: put your money into small, local businesses first, since they are the ones that most need the support to keep their doors open.