2023 Vegan SoulFest: A Story of Perseverance

Now, I know what you are thinking “Crystal, this is a rather dramatic title for something that is a fun event to attend”, and you are right; it probably is. However, after this particular weekend, I think that this title perfectly captures every single aspect of my latest travel experience to Baltimore for Vegan SoulFest. I don’t think I could call this blog post anything else and if I did, it wouldn’t do the event justice. So, this is a story all about how this weekend got flipped, turned upside down and I would like to take a minute just sitting right here and tell how Vegan SoulFest was a story of celebration, determination, and perseverance.

For folks who do not know, Vegan SoulFest is a two-day food and music festival hosted in Baltimore. To quote their website, the organizers of this event aim to “provide a high-energy experience to people around the world, establish a diverse community that promotes a healthier and sustainable lifestyle, and provide individuals with a platform to showcase their talents.” They also want to create a platform for multicultural professionals who are typically overlooked and inadequately represented and support them. This event supported the pillars of my business and personal rationale. It’s everything that I am about. So, of course, I bought tickets for myself, my daughter, and my friend Kate so that I could share this incredible experience with them. We were so excited and, little did we know, that this enthusiasm would be the key to this weekend. 

When Kate has a very stressful and challenging day and someone asks her how her day was, she will always take a deep breath and say “It was a day.” Let me tell you, the day before Vegan SoulFest was a day. Well, it was actually a week that felt like a really long day. On August 15th, while I was working at my commercial kitchen, I severely injured my right hand. Later that evening, my brother-in-law, who has a rare hereditary disease called CADASIL, had a stroke for the first time in five years since both being in my care and adopting a vegan diet. This was heartbreaking to say the least. 

That Friday, I had a doctor’s appointment that morning and was told that there was more to my hand injury than I originally thought. My injury was exasperated by carpal tunnel syndrome. This would also mean that I would have to wear a wristguard on my right hand and that I could have to undergo surgery. Since I work with my hands to create and prepare food, this was difficult for me to hear. I began to think of what this could mean for my business, which was already facing challenges (it’s not easy being a business owner and doing everything yourself, y’all. That's another blog post for another day.). I also had to figure out the next steps in providing care for my brother-in-law and what that would look like. 

I was processing all of these events and the emotions associated with them as my daughter, Idaysa, drove us down to Baltimore. Of course, on a major highway on the way down every light on the dashboard lit up and the car slowly began to roll to a stop despite pressing down on the gas. Thankfully, and safely, we were able to temporarily fix the problem and carry on. Meanwhile, Kate’s train into Baltimore was delayed by nearly four hours, did not get into Baltimore until 1:30 in the morning, and did not arrive at our shared hotel room until 2:00 a.m. Yeah, it was really a day. 

After sleeping off the challenges from the day before in our beautiful, eco-conscious hotel and taking a resetting morning walk, we made our way to the first day of the festival. Then, a few miles from the festival, the same car troubles resurfaced twice. We were too exhausted to complain about all of these unexpected events and just shared a sigh about them. We focused on how excited we all were about going to Vegan SoulFest. We were absolutely determined and nothing was going to stop us. Kate said that this was a story of perseverance. Little did she know how right she was about that. 

This two-day festival featured approximately 40 different food and beverage vendors, a wellness village filled with other vendors and community resources, and a stage featuring live entertainment. Before discussing the festival further, I would like to emphasize how inspiring it was for me personally. I saw so many beautiful women of color being celebrated and different types of beauty being represented from afros to locs from thicc to thin. I felt a genuine sense of community from every individual I met from attendee to vendor. Our community has been through so many trials and tribulations and we all have still persevered as a people to be there at this festival to hold and support one another. This sense of representation and belonging is something that I will never forget and something that I seek to bring to every event I attend. It also reinforced how important creating food with love is and how I love what I do. I’m so blessed. 

There were so many great food vendors that we encountered that day. Here are a few vendors and their food items that we wanted to highlight: 

• Royal’s Rock N Recipes’ Strawberry and Lemon Cake
• Who can resist a decadent dessert that is reminiscent of a fancy Twinkie and tastes of summer at an affordable price?! We sure couldn’t. They offer so many gluten-free options and are highly accommodating of allergens. All of their products featured on Saturday were egg-free, peanut-free, tree-nut-free, and chocolate-free! Not to mention Royal and her team were so genuine and just as sweet as their desserts. 
• For a bonus, go check out their Instagram and watch their reel about the festival. It also includes a video testimonial from Kate! 

• Cured Leaves Tea Co.’s Green Peach Ginger Tea
• This tea was so refreshing iced and we loved that it had a low caffeine content. The sweet peach notes complimented the slight spice of the ginger. We also wanted to make an honorable mention of their White Passion Hibiscus Tea, which was the perfect balance of sweet and earthy. If you love tea, we highly recommend ordering from them online. 

• The Jamaican Pattie Shop: Ackee Seaweed Pattie, Vegan Chick’n Alfredo Pattie, and the Callaloo & Pumpkin Pattie 
• Jamaican Patties are difficult to make in a non-vegan way let alone in a vegan way. So when you find vegan, well-made, authentic, tasty patties, they are worth celebrating from the rooftops. The crust had integrity and was still flaky. The fillings that we mentioned above all tasted rich, warm, and comforting. Their patties were the perfect, filling snack. 
• I must confess; I am a bit of a food snob, folks. These patties opened my mind to different flavor profiles. I could eat anything off their menu and be perfectly satisfied. They also ship their patties, so there’s no excuse to try them! 

• Sunny’s Vegan Kitchen: Oyster Mushroom Fried Chick’n, Yams, and Mac & Cheeze 
• Chef Sunshine is called Chef Sunshine for a reason - her food shines bright! The fried chick’n was very crispy and well battered (we loved a good crunch factor when it comes to fried chick’n) and the seasoning was on point. Their Mac and Cheeze was good, but what blew us away was the yams. That took me immediately to the feelings associated with a family dinner. From texture to the seasoning, these yams danced across our tastebuds. 

• Maati Made It: Deluxe Platter (BBQ Chick’n Strips, Buffalo Jackfruit with Vegan Ranch, and Mac & Cheeze) and Philly Mac & Cheeze Sliders
• Who would think to put Mac & Cheeze on a vegan Philly Cheezesteak slider? This plant-based business out of Brooklyn, New York, that’s who! I have to praise the creativity of Maati for this dish because it’s something that I wish I had thought of. The Mac and Cheeze was very creamy, the quality of the vegan steak was excellent, and the buns maintained their integrity during the entire time I ate them. It was a well-balanced, new take on a classic. 
• Kate had the Deluxe Platter, which she said was worth the money and had generous portions. She said that the BBQ flavor on the Chick’n Strips was sweet but with the right amount of vinegar in the sauce. Kate mentioned how hard jackfruit can be to work with because of its naturally sweet taste, but how this maintained some of the sweetness but balanced perfectly with the buffalo sauce. She really enjoyed the Mac & Cheeze as well.
• I also wanted to highlight the composure and professionalism of Maati and her staff. This line was really long and very busy, and her staff still maintained excellent service with a smile. 

• Cotton Creations: Ribz, Honey Pecan Cornbread, and Side of Beans
• If Tabitha Brown endorses your business, you know you’re doing something right. I have never seen Honey Pecan Cornbread before and now I don’t know if I can see it any other way. It was not overpoweringly sweet and the combination of textures provided a unique perspective on a side dish that can often be overlooked. It reminded me of growing up in Oklahoma where you can get pecans growing off the trees. Pecans are my favorite nut, so I wouldn’t mind there being more pecans in there, but I will not complain. Getting to experience cornbread in that way expanded my pallet and my creativity. That’s what good food is all about. 
• The Ribz had a great sauce to “meat” ratio in every bite. The texture of this was so close to actual meat that it made me question whether or not it was meat. It seemed like there was a vital wheat gluten component, which is extremely difficult to work with. They killed it…in a vegan way, of course. 
• Now don’t think I slept on those beans! The flavor of these beans was the perfect side dish to connect the savory element of the ribz and the sweetness of the cornbread. Never underestimate the importance of the connections between food and people. 

• Tokio Sushi: Vegan Volcano Roll and the Vegan Dragon Roll
• Now, even before I was vegan, I never did sushi. So, I pushed myself to try this. This sushi was excellent. The sauces were on point. The combination of flavors were complimentary of each other but also pushed my flavor profile out of the box. The Vegan Volcano Roll had zucchini and asparagus in it, which is non-traditional in sushi; but it completely works! The texture was so pleasing and refreshing on a hot day in Baltimore. Each of the sushi dishes were completely unique tasting from each other, which is difficult to do even for non-vegan sushi. Their food was so colorful and every dish was beautifully presented. Don’t forget you eat with your eyes first! This was a welcomed volcano of flavor across my tastebuds. 

• Ox’s Way: “Fabcake” (“Crab” cake) and Portobello Mac & Cheeze  
• It was so great to see Ox at this event. It’s great to see him at any event, really. We are both vendors at Vegan in NJ Monthly Market in New Jersey (which you should definitely come to and follow them and us on Instagram to see when we will be venturing next!) and I have had his food before. It was wonderful to see a familiar face and have a familiar taste from home. His food is a healthy take on comfort classics. The (rightfully) award-winning “fabcake” is a take on a crab cake made of heart of palm and artichoke that perfectly mimics the texture of a seafood crab cake. This heavy food item was lifted by the seasoning making it almost light. 
• The Portobello Mac and Cheeze had a great earthy, clean taste with the portobello mushrooms. The mushrooms were tender and flavorful, while the texture of the pasta provided great support to both the mushrooms and cheeze sauce. If you are on a clean eating journey and want something more comforting, we highly recommend this dish. 
• While we did not try these on the day of Vegan SoulFest, we highly recommend trying his juices. We have had them at the Vegan in NJ Monthly Market and they provide a great, refreshing taste to his food, while also being good for you! 

Speaking of familiar faces from home, we also ran into Doris Lin from Jersey Shore Food Not Bombs! Food Not Bombs is a group of collectives from all over the world that recovers food that would become waste and shares it with people experiencing hunger in over 1,000 cities. These collectives are run by volunteers and Doris is one of the fabulous individuals who leads the collective for the Jersey Shore. Plant Based Planet has partnered with Jersey Shore Food Not Bombs to provide communities with hot, vegan meals, groceries, fresh produce, and even non-food items such as clothing (side note; we also donate 100 percent of all of our tips from website purchases to Jersey ShoreFood Not Bombs). All of the things are provided without any questions asked. If you would like to be part of our volunteering team, check out our Meetup group here. People like Doris make a difference in communities and their support allows people to persevere in difficult times of their lives. I could not think of a more perfect person to attend an event like this. (Side note: If you are interested in volunteering with them or are in need, please check out their Facebook page for more information). 

I also want to highlight the incredible Wellness Village that was at Vegan SoulFest. Idaysa, Kate, and I attended a meditation class that was offered. The instructor guided us through a specific breathing technique and hand motions to let go of stress and become grounded. After the prior 24 hours, I cannot tell you how much that was needed. Kate also had a 25-minute reiki session with singing bowls from Sominbo Wellness. She said that at a festival with a lot of noise and people, she managed to not hear any of it and felt a deeper sense of calm and quiet. The Reiki Master Practitioner was fantastic at holding space and gently guiding Kate through complex emotions and feelings that she wasn’t fully aware of. Kate said the 25 minutes flew by and that it was a great experience. We also did some browsing and shopping in the Wellness Village. There were so many great jewelry, apparel, and personal care vendors, as well as community resources, that provided the polish to each person’s story of perseverance. It reminded me that health and wellness not only means nourishing your body but your mind and soul too. 

This weekend was an enlightening experience for my daughter, Idaysa, as well. She shared with me that she felt deeply connected to our culture through the different kinds of food and through all of the different types of beauty and hairstyles that were represented. This was heartwarming for me to hear. I think that Idaysa’s perseverance is accepting and being at please with herself. In the wellness village, Idaysa purchased a beautiful deck of African Tarot Cards to help guide her on her journeys, some lavender soap to celebrate and care for her skin, and crystals to add to her collection. The crystals that she purchased were from Kathiscreations include blue calcite, snowflake obsidian, citrine, pyrite, and a clear quartz pendulum. I know that these object while she starts a new path for herself and I know that she will persevere. 

We also got some vegan fashions to model in our day-to-day life. We walked by Tough Vegan’s tent and we could not resist getting some of their incredible wears. Idaysa purchased some cute, red shorts that have “Vegan Booty” written across the back and a white t-shirt that says “Animals Are Not Ingredients”. I also decided to take a walk on the wild side and purchased a shirt that says (and I’m gonna censor this word here for the children) “Eat P**** Not Animals”. I also really wanted their fabulous hoodie that said (again censoring, for the children) “Plant-Based P**** with a confident flower in the center of a heart. I was so happy that we got to talk away with some eco-friendly clothing that physically represented such a fun weekend. 

Vegan SoulFest reminded me that inspiration can come at any time. Each vendor has an inspirational story that is unique to them, yet somehow familiar to everyone. I could see myself in every vendor there. We all faced obstacles in owning and operating our businesses, and yet, here we all are. The vendors persevered through the very long lines for food on two hot, Baltimore summer days to be successful and part of something bigger than themselves. And if they can do it, so can I, and so can you.

So, to end this already long blog post, we wanted to provide you with a summary or a TLDR list of the pros and cons of our Vegan SoulFest experience and some tips for people who would like to attend next year: 

Pros: 

• The sense of community 
• The selection and variation of food vendors 
• The Wellness Village
• The musical acts
• While I didn’t touch on the performance in this post, I know Kate checked out a list of performers and listened to their music. She particularly liked Jade Novah and her new single “Affirm Me”. Check it out by clicking the link. 
• There was no drama-conflama and foolishness in the crowd
• We all felt safe attending the event 
• Free (and enough) parking space 
• We liked the trash stations where volunteers helped you sort through what was compostable, recyclable, and what was not. We love highlighting environmental consciousness and waste reduction at all events. 

Cons: 

• We would have liked to see some water stations where people could refill their water bottles.
• There weren’t enough “cool-down” stations or shaded areas to escape the sun.
• We did not see a medical tent in case some had a health-related episode, which was odd. This is not to say that there wasn’t one there, but it wasn’t apparent to us. 

Tips for First-Timers: 

• Bring water bottles 
• Bring lawn chairs or something to sit on 
• Wear plenty of sunblock
• Bring a hat, sunglasses, or an umbrella to block the sun 
• Eat well and drink plenty of water before you go to avoid any potential health complications from being out in the sun and waiting online for food or activities. 
• Dress comfortably (and fabulously) 
• Keep an open mind and open mouth
• Be kind to all of the vendors 

We will see you next year, Vegan SoulFest!