Christmas begins here: Save the date for Manchester’s Vegan Christmas Festival

It is never too early to start talking about Christmas, especially when we are talking about food! From gingerbread men to Christmas dinner, I love festive cooking. As a vegetarian, however, I sometimes feel that I’m missing out. 

So, when I heard about Manchester’s Vegan Christmas Festival, I knew I had to check out what they had to offer. Not only does the festival offer a wide range of festive treats and talks, but the greatest attraction for me is the lineup of food vendors planning to make an appearance. 

1. Gillie Food: Serving up high-protein gourmet meals, Manchester-based Gillie Food shows how adopting a vegan diet does not mean giving up your old favourites. With vegan-style duck and BBQ meats, they ensure that swapping to a plant-based diet does not mean losing out. In fact, with the variation of cuisines available, the festival highlights how all palettes can be made vegan and not at the cost of great taste.

2. Seitan’s Kebab: I am definitely looking forward to checking out Seitan’s Kebab, a Manchester-based street food business that has turned everyone’s favourite takeaway vegan-friendly! They serve doner and shawarma mixed kebabs, as well as my personal go-to: the falafel wrap. These are all served in traditional flatbreads made at a local Lebanese bakery.

3. Gwafuvegan: There is an exciting range of West African food provided by Gwafuvegan, a local company run by chef Ngwafu.

4. Teatime Collective: Finally, to please my sweet tooth, I’ll also be paying a visit to Teatime Collective for some vegan bakes.

Manchester’s Vegan Christmas Festival, however, is not all just mince pies; they offer a range of sustainable products to cover all festive occasions. From candles to crafts, the festival will be perfect for some gift inspiration, as well as a treat for yourself. 

The festival also runs educational talks about the importance of sustainability and vegan lifestyles, which are definitely worth a visit.

Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or just looking to try some good local food, this festival is the perfect excuse to begin your Christmas festivities whilst helping to reduce environmental impact.  

Manchester’s Vegan Christmas Festival will be held at the Bowler’s Exhibition Center on Sunday 19th, from 10:30 am – 4.30 pm. Entry costs £5, which is payable at the door. Or, if you fancy going full out on the festivities, purchase a VIP ticket from Eventbrite, which includes fast-track entry and a goody bag!