Be Veggie, Euskadi's vegan festival, has moved its date forward from the usual December bridge weekend and will take place on October 31 and November 1 at Ficoba, coinciding with World Vegan Day. The event will bring together over 60 exhibiting companies, 100% plant-based gastronomic offerings, and a program of talks, showcookings, workshops, and music.
New this year are Ardor Fest – the Gipuzkoa Chili Championship – and the first Vegan Passport. The passport proposes five challenges for attendees to explore the festival actively and curiously: trying something new that's 100% plant-based, committing to a small change, learning about a sanctuary's work, listening to a talk on an unfamiliar topic, and learning something new about veganism.
The Berriketan space will host voices from nutrition, sports, philosophy, art, and communication to explore veganism from various perspectives. Meanwhile, Sukaldean will feature proposals for plant-based cooking, healthy eating, and seasonal products.
Additionally, there will be a barre class, sustainability workshops by GK Green Fashion, and the "From Soil to Plate" activity by Ekoetxea Txingudi. Aflatun Cafés will offer a talk and workshop on specialty coffee, and in the Marrazkimaton space, an illustrator will create portraits.
The festival will open its doors on Saturday, October 31, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and on Sunday, November 1, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Admission will be free, and attendees can bring their canine companions. The full program and free tickets are available at www.beveggie.eus.
Cristina Laborda, Mayor of Irun and president of Ficoba, highlighted that "Ficoba is a strategic asset for Irun" and that Be Veggie "combines leisure, education, and sustainability, bringing new consumption alternatives to citizens".
Azahara Domínguez, Deputy for Mobility, Tourism, and Territorial Planning of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, emphasized that "events like Be Veggie help us project the territory and strengthen our capacity to organize fairs and congresses, fostering tourism-related economic opportunities".
Mónica Pedreira, Director of Ecological Transition for the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, explained their goal is to "bring the circular economy into daily life" and that the fair "has consolidated itself as a benchmark for promoting more responsible lifestyle and consumption models".
