Knoxville Hosts Its First Vegan Festival

Knoxville, TN’s first all-vegan festival will take place on Saturday at the Knoxville Expo Center. The event is organized by animal-rights organization Knoxville Farmed Animal Save—part of The Save Movement Worldwide Network—and sponsored by local businesses Three Rivers Market and Born This Way Body Arts. The festival will feature vegan food, cosmetics, and a variety of speakers, including television personality Allyson Spellman, Leslie Rudloff (legal director of plant-based medical group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine), and musician Grey—the rapper behind a viral vegan Thanksgiving rap video. According to local media outlet The Daily Times, Knoxville has experienced a growth in vegan businesses in recent years, including the opening of two all-vegan restaurants: Sanctuary Vegan Café and Cook To Be Well. Last month, Oklahoma City held its first vegan festival which attracted 4,000 visitors.