A Must-Attend Event for 25 Years

Given that the Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA) has been around since 1945, the Food Fair is a fairly recent innovation, born from the vision of a few keen members of the Board of Directors who were seeking to expand the TVA’s reach back in 1984.

“We needed to do more to reach the general public,” says Peter McQueen, a long-time volunteer with the TVA, who served as the organization’s president of the volunteer Board for seven years during the 1980s, and who still serves on the Board in a number of key roles.

“We have definitely accomplished what we set out to do,” he adds. “About half of the people who attend the Food Fair each year are NOT vegetarian. We’re reaching people who are either thinking about moving towards a plant-based diet, or who are in transition, or who are simply curious about a lifestyle they don’t know much about.

“Our outreach to non-vegetarians is, in my opinion, why the Food Fair is such an incredibly worthwhile event. We’re educating while at the same time giving people a great time in a fun and exciting environment. They get to sample and purchase delicious veggie food, buy the latest eco- and animal-friendly products, and hear groundbreaking information from international leaders in cuisine and health.”

The Food Fair, today as in the beginning, owes its existence to volunteer power. In the beginning, it was run entirely as a labour of love by an unpaid Food Fair Coordinator together with a group of dedicated volunteers.

Today, as big as the event has become, a full-time TVA staff member is responsible for putting the event together, but with such a large venue as Toronto Harbourfront, and with almost 15,000 people expected to attend, volunteers are as important as ever, and TVA volunteers respond to the call for help by the hundreds.

“The Food Fair began as the Vegetarian Information Fair, but another Board member and I decided to shift the focus to food,” Peter McQueen recalls. “We were right on the money, because in our second year our venue was packed, we drew over 500 people and lots of food was sold – we knew we had to move to a larger location because we had a hit event on our hands.

“I contacted Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre and as luck would have it, they were looking to put on a health fair – and our event fit the bill. Moreover, since Harbourfront is fully funded by the federal government, they gave us the space and charged only for technical fees.

"In our first year at Harbourfront, we attracted 3000 people, up from 500 the year before. And our attendance has grown exponentially ever since. We expanded the event to three days, and moved it from May to September, when all the students are back in town. The Food Fair keeps growing and getting more exciting, year after year.

“Based on the feedback we get, people love to attend the Food Fair and they keep coming back after their first year of attendance. Our vendors and exhibitors, not just the food sellers but also the animal rights groups, tell us that the Food Fair is very good for business.

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and I want to take this opportunity to invite everyone to experience the Toronto Vegetarian Association Food Fair. There is no admission fee, and I can guarantee that you will have fun, learn something new, and taste some of the best food in the city.”