Veganism has skyrocketed in recent years, with more people than ever before choosing to enjoy a diet free of animal products.

After the success of the first ever Stroud Vegan Fair earlier this year, the event is back for the summer. Celebrating the best vegan products and brands in Gloucestershire, the countdown is well and truly on for the next showcase of vegan food, and event organiser Daisy Botha is anticipating a busy day. “It was great to see so much support for the event in January, it’s exciting to look ahead to the next event on 22nd July,” said Daisy.

“Visitors can expect to come along and learn about veganism, browse local vegan products and try the delicious food on offer. There will be over 70 stalls showcasing a range of food to try on the day and packaged goods to take away, as well as a range of clothing and accessories, health and beauty products, crafts and lifestyle brands and charity stalls. There will also be talks and demonstrations throughout the day, free street entertainment, an outdoor vegan bar and seating area and a number of Stroud businesses opening up and “going vegan” for the day,” she added.

The inaugural Stroud Vegan Fair took place in January this year, its success inspired Daisy to organise the summer fair, which takes place at the Subscription Rooms in the town centre. Daisy continued: “The two main things that have inspired me to start Stroud Vegan Fair are my passion for events and environmental issues. Vegan fairs are a brilliant way to spread the benefits of veganism in an engaging and empowering way as well as being a fun, exciting day out. The events allow me to bring together the rapidly growing vegan interest with local vegan businesses, ideas and people. Supporting local business is also something really important to me so it’s a bonus that this event will showcase and champion so many businesses from the Stroud area.

“Pretty much all our traders are either from the Gloucestershire area or our neighbouring counties. Talks and demos is a first for this event. At the event in January people gave the feedback that they wanted to learn more about veganism, so we’ve curated a programme that will run throughout the day to educate those who are interested. There will be a mixture of talks and demos touching on a number of things including holistically-positive plant-based diets, the benefits of hemp, how to make faux-meat and how Veganism could be the first step towards world peace!

“We also encourage non-vegans to come along and learn about veganism, browse vegan products and try the delicious food on offer. Our events also have a laid back, family-friendly feel about them so families are more than welcome to bring their little ones along.”