By Ashavari Baral
Viva! Vegan Festival is back in the diff for the third year in a row this Saturday – the 16th of February. Viva! has been spreading the message of positive vegan activism for 25 years now- it promotes animal welfare, takes up undercover investigations and spreads the message of a healthy vegan lifestyle. For those who have ever been curious about veganism and want a broader, deeper understanding on what being a vegan is all about, this event is the place to be – says Sophie Delarny, the Festival and Events Manager of Viva!
In conversation with Sophie…
What will this years Viva! Vegan Festival include?
This year the vegan festival is back with an exciting array of stalls.  There will be informative stalls on health, living vegan, animal rights stalls to stir the activist in you as well as a wide variety of amazing vegan food, with each stall having a different delicacy or specialty. The stalls will have burgers, cakes, pizza and also vegan and cruelty free cosmetics.
What does Viva! Want to achieve by hosting this festival?
The people that come to our festivals are usually intrigued about veganism. 60% are already vegan and 40% are curious to reduce meat intake and live a healthier life. Viva! empowers people to take care of their health by showcasing the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. It is also a great opportunity for like minded vegans to share the love of vegan food and have a great time with their families and friends. Through this festival, Viva is also widening the vegan community.
Tell us something more about the festival
The festival will also host speakers and live cookery demonstrations featuring recipes from the Vegan Recipe Club. The event is £3 on the door, £2 for students or VIP ticket for £13, which includes fast-track entry and a goody bag full of products, samples and discounts. These events have helped thousands of people change to a kinder, healthier diet.
WhatÔÇÖs your favourite vegan delicacy and how long have you been a vegan for?
Made the right way, I think my favourite vegan food would be a good vegan burger.  I have been a vegan for 6 years now.
The Viva! vegan festival can be an interesting opportunity to answer those questions about veganism that always crossed your mind;it can be a way of understanding your vegan friend who substitutes chicken for tofu. It is a great way for us as students to learn more about vegan cooking and maybe switch to a healthier, more animal friendly, lifestyle (skip the McDonaldÔÇÖs guys!). But most importantly the festival can be a way of giving back to the community and making our environment more plant based. All proceeds from the festival go back to the charity to help Viva! conduct important undercover investigations, monitor the latest research on health and environmental issues, and host vegan outreach events.
So, to those of you who are eager to try out some tasty vegan food and  learn more about the vegan life, book your tickets now at http://www.viva.org.uk/cardiff-2019 . We hope to see you at City Hall this Saturday, 10:30 onwards.