Veg Week 2009

Join Compassionate Action for Animals for our sixth annual week-long celebration of all that's veg: Veg Week 2009!

Did you know that as many as thirty percent of diners of all ages "want vegetarian meals"? And that twenty percent of college students identify as vegetarian?

Join them from Tuesday, September 29th to Monday, Oct. 5th, for Veg Week - our annual celebration of all that's veg! The festivities include a presentation by Jonathan Balcombe, a cooking class, a potluck in the park, dine-outs, film showings, a tour of a Minneapolis chicken sanctuary and more!

Take the Pledge to be Veg!

Not vegetarian or vegan? Take our Pledge to be Veg and come have fun!

Have friends who aren't vegetarian or vegan? Encourage them to take the Pledge to be Veg!

Check out all the Pledge to be Veg sponsors and discounts below! Be sure to come to the September 29th, Jonathan Balcombe kick-off event for your complimentary Pledge to be Veg care pack, loaded with recipes, coupons, snacks, and other goodies.

Questions about the Pledge to be Veg or about vegetarianism in general? Send us an e-mail at info@ExploreVeg.org or give us a call at 612-626-5785.

Schedule

See Twin Cities event descriptions below or click on each event link here.

Tuesday, Sept 29th - 7:00 p.m. Talk by Jonathan Balcombe, author of Pleasurable Kingdom, in the Coffman Memorial Union Theatre - 10:00 p.m. Vegan After Dark at the WXYZ Bar
Wednesday, Sept 30th - 6:30 p.m. Film Showing of The Emotional World of Farm Animals at the Matthews Park Rec Center
Thursday, Oct. 1st - 5:30 p.m. Vegan cooking class with Michele Licata at the Powderhorn Park Rec Center
Friday, Oct. 2nd - 7:00 p.m. Dine-Out at Evergreen Restaurant - 10:00 p.m. Vegan After Dark at Jasmine 26
Saturday, Oct. 3rd - 11:00 a.m. Potluck at the Matthews Park Rec Center
Sunday, Oct. 4th - 11:00 a.m. Brunch Dine-Out at Triple Rock - 2:00 p.m. guided tour at Chicken Run Rescue chicken sanctuary - 5:00 p.m. Film showing of The Emotional World of Farm Animals at the University of MN.
Monday, Oct. 5 - 7:00 p.m. Dine-Out/Vegan After Dark at the Blue Nile!

Twin Cities Event Descriptions

Veg Week 2009 Kick-Off Event: "Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good" with Jonathan Balcombe

: Speaker for Veg Week 2009 kick-off event.

Animal pain and stress, once controversial, are now acknowledged by legislation in many countries, but there is no formal recognition of animals' ability to feel pleasure. Pleasurable Kingdom is the first book for lay-readers to present new evidence that animals — like humans — enjoy themselves. It debunks the popular perception that life for most is a continuous, grim struggle for survival and the avoidance of pain.

Instead it suggests that creatures from birds to baboons feel good thanks to play, sex, touch, food, anticipation, comfort, aesthetics, and more. Combining rigorous evidence, elegant argument and amusing anecdotes, leading animal behavior researcher Jonathan Balcombe proposes that the possibility of positive feelings in creatures other than humans has important ethical ramifications for both science and society... MORE

Jonathan Balcombe is a research scientist and author who has written many scientific papers and lay-articles on animal behavior, humane education, and animal research. A popular speaker, he has given invited presentations all over the world. He is the author of Pleasureable Kingdom and The Use of Animals in Higher Education. Dr. Balcombe is currently Senior Research Scientist with Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington D.C.

This is a free event, open to the public. It will be followed by a free, catered reception and a chance to interact one-on-one with Dr. Balcombe. All are invited to join us for this eye-opening and inspiring event.

Veg Potluck

What better way to celebrate Veg Week and try some great veg food than with a vegetarian potluck?

Join us at Matthews Park from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct 3rd!

While some food will be provided, everyone is encouraged to bring a vegetarian or vegan dish to share that serves around eight people. Also, it is encouraged, but not necessary, to bring your own plate and silverware. This is a great opportunity to sample dozens of delicious foods, meet cool people from the community, and have fun. We'll even be raffling off prizes to those who take the Pledge to be Veg!

Veg Cooking Class

Want to learn how to make delicious and simple vegan food? Come watch skilled chef, Michele Licata, demonstrate how to make mouth watering vegetarian specialties on Thursday, Oct 4th from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Powderhorn Park Rec Center. All the food will be vegan, easy to make, free, and, most importantly, absolutely delicious!

If you like food, this is an event not to be missed! Please RSVP.

Film Screening

As part of Veg Week, we will be showing The Emotional World of Farm Animals at Matthews Park on Wednesday, Sept 30th at 6:30 p.m. There will be another showing on Sunday, Oct 4th at 5:00 p.m. on the U of MN campus in the Carlson School of Management room 1-135. Free refreshments will be provided by CAA and there will be a guided discussion following screenings.

Tour of a Local Chicken Sanctuary

Join Veg Week participants on Sunday, Oct 4th from 2:00pm - 3:00pm for a special guided tour of Chicken Run Rescue. Chicken Run provides domestic fowl--mainly chickens--with temporary shelter and vet care, and locates and screens adopters in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. These birds are victims of neglect, abuse and abandonment, sometimes used as a source of eggs or intended for slaughter, fighting or ritual sacrifice. Chicken Run is the only urban chicken rescue of its kind! You must RSVP to attend this event! Reservations: anne4veganism@hotmail.com

Dine-Outs

Dine-outs are a great way to meet like minded people and enjoy the best local vegetarian cuisine. Join us for special Veg Week dine-outs at Evergreen Chinese Restaurant, Triple Rock and The Blue Nile!

Evergreen is among the best of the Twin Cities vegan cuisine and a great place to try if you are taking the Pledge to be Veg. They serve a variety of dishes including Cantonese, Taiwanese, and Hakka specialties. Make sure to try the mock chicken, pork, beef, and shrimp! They offer fantastic tofu and vegetable dishes as well.

Triple Rock does breakfast! Large portions at great prices! Also, special prices on their award winning Bloody Mary's (No kidding, they really did win an award for this!). Delicious and cruelty free options available. That's right, vegan pancakes, french toast, tofu scrambler, and veggie sausage are in full effect.

The Blue Nile has it all! Featuring a full bar, ample room to mingle, live music, and Ethiopian and Middle Eastern veg-friendly foods. The Blue Nile was the first Ethiopian restaurant in the Twin Cities. Today, they are the longest running African restaurant in Minnesota nd the only one to represent the Oromo people, and they have remained an independent, family-owned establishment.

Vegan After Dark

Vegan After Dark is a night time social group just for kicks. Grab yourself a drink, chat with some swell veg heads, and have a little fun. Join us during Veg Week at the WXYZ Bar and Jasmine 26.

WXYZ Bar is a trendy new addition to the growing riverfront area. Join us after the Jonathan Balcombe Kick-off event on Tuesday, Sept 29th for some post-event drinks, discussion and fun!

Jasmine 26's bar offers signature cocktails and spiked bubble teas that are exotic, vibrant and refreshing. Voted best cocktails in the Twin Cities by City Pages 2008. The restaurant ambiance is sleek, simple, and graced by a carved, wooden Buddha straight from Vietnam.

Don't miss these perfect opportunities to take a break, enjoy extremely delicious food and drinks, and hang out with other Pledgers!

Pledge to be Veg Card Participants

The Pledge to be Veg discount card will be valid starting on the first day of Veg Week, September 29th, for two weeks until October 13th, at over a dozen local restaurants and businesses.

[Note: Not to be combined with any other offers or coupons and not applicable to deliveries.]

The Himalayan (20%)
Katar River Restaurant and Bakery
Babani's (15%)
Bravo Bakery and Cafe
Common Roots Cafe (Applies to vegan and vegetarian dinner entrees.)
Delights of India
Senor Wong (Applies to vegetarian food only. Drink and dessert not included.)
Seward Cafe (Not valid Saturdays and Sundays)
Camdi (10%)
Ecopolitan Restaurant
Evergreen
French Meadow
Galactic Pizza
Hard Times Cafe (Only applies to menu items. Not baked goods or drinks.)
Jasmine 26
Tao Natural Foods
Sen Yai Sen Lek
St. Martins' Table
The Vegetarian
Triple Rock
Marla's Caribbean Cuisine (Free appetizer with the purchase of one entree!)
Fast and Furless (Buy 1 treat, get a second of equal or lesser value free!)

Find more info, reviews, and hours for each restaurant and business at VegGuide.org

Other Sponsors

The following are our generous sponsors for Veg Week raffles and the Pledge to be Veg care packs. The raffles will occur at all the Veg Week events, and the care packs may be picked up after the Jonathan Balcombe Kick-off event on Tuesday, September 29th. If you are unable to pick up your care pack at the Kick-off event, please e-mail us for other options.

Senor Wong
... and more to be announced!

State-Wide Veg Week Participants

This year CAA has expanded Veg Week beyond the Twin Cities! Visit the links below to see our State-Wide event descriptions, times and locations.

Twin Ports Veg Week Events! - Check out all of the exciting events taking place in the Duluth area!

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