Ryan Altman of Alternative Healing Network

As spring sunshine makes an appearance, so does the opportunity to attend more outings. There were so many veggie health and similar events the last few weeks it would be hard to attend them all, at least in San Diego.

We had a visit from the vegan comedian Leo Flowers who cracked us up at LeStat’s and will be back May 22 (details to come). The Cultivating Food Justice Conference looked captivating, with speakers including activist author Raj Patel and Barry Logan of La Milpa Organica Farm in Escondido, known for their great veggie potlucks.

There was a Vegetarian Day at the Library event with food-tasting, a vegan bake sale, and speakers including Janice Stanger, Veg-Appeal, and others. Activist Anthony Marr spoke at Evolution as part of the San Diego Vegans Meetup.

Vibrant Viva Pops

This year The Healing Arts Festival joined forces with the Roots Fest on Adams Avenue. Put on by the Alternative Healing Network, the festival included yoga, capoeira and musical performances, along with informational tables on massage, acupuncture, reiki and other non-traditional health techniques. I liked the samples of soaps and lotions from Dr. Bronner’s. A few veggie food booths served up nutritious meals — a nice change from the funnel cakes and Cajun hot links the Roots Fest offered.

On the way out I passed a wonderful demo of the soon-to-be (on Wednesdays) Adams Avenue Farmer’s Market and of course stopped at Viva Pops, rife with vegan popsicles great for hot days. I tried the Green Fix, a tasty popsicle that is a concoction of refreshingly healthful chard, kale, spinach and more.

For new veggies or long-timers, veggie health events are a perfect way to network, get inspired and have some fun! San Francisco and other famously veggie-friendly cities boast even more events than what San Diego has been offering of late so be sure to participate.