Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival features Mike Wolf

The Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., January 9 and 10, at the Scottsdale Civic Center Amphitheater, with plant-based vendors, speakers, entertainment and activities for all ages. Attendees will enjoy musical entertainment and fitness activities, including yoga classes for both kids and adults. There is a special kids area devoted to activities for children.

Undercover investigator Mike Wolf, who spent four years scrutinizing hog farm suppliers, will speak about his investigative efforts into meat, dairy and egg facilities. Ellen Jaffe Jones, an athletic coach and vegan advocate, will share insights from her cookbook Paleo Vegan: Plant-Based Primal Recipes. Other presenters include vegan Fran Costigan, weight-loss chef Jason Wyrick, emergency medicine physician Amish Shah, the Humane Society’s Josephine Morris and Registered Dietician Jill Nussinow, among others.

Co-founder Nira Paliwoda says, “When we spoke to local residents and retailers, we were taken by their desire and infectious excitement for this type of event to come to their town. But there seemed to be a disconnect, as many residents didn’t know what plant-based restaurants or retailers existed in the area. We are thrilled that the Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival is now able to rectify that particular problem by bringing together the community and the retailers for a fun and educational weekend of delicious food and activities.”

One-day general admission tickets are $20 online/$25 door; two-day VIP admission tickets are $50 online/$60 door; kids 10 and under free. Location: 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale. For a full schedule of events, ticket link and more information, visit AzVegFoodFest.com.