Survey Results Show VegFest Oahu Influenced Attendees Towards Vegan Lifestyle

Want to know if VegFest Oahu 2017 made a difference on the attitudes and behaviors of the attendees? So did we!  We asked you to fill out a post-event survey and are having a dance party over the results. We are particularly proud of these stats: more than three-quarters of you (77%) said you were inspired to continue to research about vegan issues even after VegFest Oahu.  And almost 80% of you said that you would shop differently after VegFest Oahu and are more than 50% likely to purchase vegan “meats” and “cheeses” at restaurants and grocery stores.  Read on for the full results of our 2017 Survey. 

Age Range of Attendees

VegFest Oahu’s second year continued to appeal to local residents of all ages. Nearly a quarter of the responders (24%) came from the 50 to 65 age bracket.  It is evident from the pie chart of attendees below that every age group was represented at this year’s plant-based festival.

Attendees Pledge to Purchase More Vegan Alternatives after VegFest Oahu

We asked you how attending VegFest Oahu effected your buying habits.  We wanted to know if our vegan festival influenced you to make different choices when shopping or dining out. What was the chance you would now buy plant-based alternatives for “meats”, “cheeses”?  More than half of our survey respondents (53%) said they were 100% sure they would shop differently from now on (and we hope you’re still doing it!)  Almost 80% of responders said they were more than 50% likely to purchase vegan “meats” and “cheeses”.  Yippee!

“New-to-You Information” Learned While at VegFest Oahu

We wanted to know what was brand new education that you got while at VegFest Oahu so we made up a list and asked you to check all that apply.  The biggest answer (55%) said it was new to realize how many plant-based resources already exist on Oahu – all the grocery stores, social groups, lectures, cooking classes, and restaurants that we currently have on our island!  Next came the revelation that plant-based food can taste so good – 36% said this was something they realized while eating the delicious food at the festival. Almost 30% said they learned new things about how a vegan diet was good for human health.  26% said that it was new to them to learn about how the animal agriculture industry was linked to, and has an impact on, climate change.  That’s one in four respondents made this important connection for the first time at VegFest Oahu!  22% said they got new skills from the Learning Kitchen about how to cook vegan foods more easily.  21% said it was the first time they saw the conditions inside factory farms, which they likely experienced from watching the “Farm to Fridge” video showing at our House of Truth.  20% said they learned the connection between religious or spiritual teachings and a plant-based diet so our Interfaith Temple of Compassion must have had a lot of visitors.  We’re grinning and loving all the new insights that you had at VegFest Oahu!

Attendees Pledge to Eat More Vegan After Attending VegFest Oahu

We asked you what your eating habits were like before and after attending VegFest Oahu. There was a 14% increase in interest towards eating a vegetarian or vegan diet as a result of attending VegFest Oahu.

Attendees Inspired to Continue Learning About Plant-Based Living after VegFest Oahu

We could tell by the huge smiles, sold-out food booths, and group hugs that everyone had a good time at VegFest Oahu.  But we wondered if our festival really opened up issues for you that you would continue to explore after you got home.  And you assured us you did!  More than a quarter of you (26%) said “I’ve been on the internet or at the library every day looking for more information.”  Wow!  And another 52% said that you have indeed looked up things since attending VegFest Oahu.  Big high-five to you all!

Which Part of VegFest Oahu Inspired Attendees the Most

We wanted to know what it was about our VegFest Oahu festival that really inspired you. We made a list of and asked you to rank the top four things you participated in that made you to want to make changes in your life. By far, the two most popular responses were: “experiencing the large, happy veg-community” (71%) and “eating the delicious vegan food from food vendors or Free Samples Tent” (68%).  This tells us that eating good vegan food amidst positive social occasions can have a huge impact on people, so keep inviting your omnivore friends to potlucks and vegan restaurants.  The third most popular answer (39%) was “having a discussion with one of the vendors or exhibitors”, so thank you to all the booth staff that engaged with attendees.  Tied at around 30% each was the Speaker Series, the Learning Kitchen, and the Free Literature given away at the Info Booth.  The Free Literature actually had 32% folks choose that as a source of inspiration which just goes to show that paper giveaways still DO make a difference, so keep handing out those pamphlets, recipe guides, and Vegan Starter kits to your friends and family!

Survey Comments About VegFest Oahu Community

Seeing the type of people that attended Vegfest Oahu inspired me to continue healthful living and eating practices.

The huge community was so happy and healthy. Such good vibes!

It really was a Love Fest! Wonderfull to connect with like minded community.

Being around people who are so inspired by veggi-ing was contagious and helped me to be a bit more conscious of my denial and flawed rationale around meat eating.

Music is epic. People are stoked. Environment is throbbing with love and life.

Love meeting like minded people. Such a happy environment!

There is a huge amount of people looking forward to make a change in our lifestyle, particularly in Hawai’i and we require government to support us.

Most important thing for me was sharing with a family member who has resisted before. I felt a part of a larger community as a result of being there. And the music outside was great!

VegFest Oahu inspires people to be humans to one another.

Such a great community gathering with good food, education, music and positivity.

Excellent food, cool community.

Being surrounded by a community of fellow vegans or veg-curious individuals is an experience unlike any other. I felt like I was getting a gigantic community hug the whole time. I also liked the music and plant based partying!

Great gathering of folks dedicated to healthy living and sharing.

Survey Comments about Commitment to Action

I was inspired to watch documentaries, share info with others, consciously read labels and do research.

I’ve been wanting to make the final leap for a while, Keegan’s talk and the free tasty samples pushed me over the edge.

I’m going to talk more about veganism with people around me. No more being worried about stepping on people’s toes. I feel encouraged and proud!

It affirmed what I need to do for myself and my health!

It inspired me to share my knowledge with other people that aren’t vegan and let them know about these important issues.

That it’s never too late to change your “bad” eating habits! More veggies & fruits for sure and no meat!

Reinforced my 3-year long (so far) commitment to plant-based lifestyle.

I decided it’s easy to not eat meat.

I’m already vegan but it made me want to become more active and vocal in the vegan community.

VegFest Oahu shows me that you can make a difference in our world.

VegFest inspired me to be more understanding towards people who aren’t vegan YET.

Funniest Survey Comments 

Vegetarians are not a bunch of granola heads.

This event has a variety of booths that are perfect for vegans, people living a plant-based lifestyle, people who are interested in this lifestyle, and even friends that are being dragged along.

General Praise for VegFest Oahu

Amazing food; its a hip event; beautiful people everywhere; refreshing.

Yummy food and lots of great information!

It is a great place to get information and to try out tasty food. Great safe place for someone that is curious, people in transition and already vegan people to hang with other like minded individuals.

Go to VegFest Oahu because you get to learn about how a plant based diet can change your life!

It is a learning opportunity and a safe and friendly space to explore another path for eating.

Fun, good vibes, lots of info, great food. Perfect experience for those who aren’t Plant Based or vegan yet and also awesome for vegans to be surrounded by so many cool people.

Yummy samples, good prices, cool cooking demos, free resources, and cool people. I made friends yay.

Great place to find out about what being a vegan or vegetarian is all about, plus you can try new foods that are meat free and yummy too!

Awesome entertainment, great lectures, friendly crowd, fantastic location, lots of parking! GREAT event!! Mahalo!

There was so much to learn, to purchase & experience .. great relaxing atmosphere! Awesome time!

VegFest has the best vibe of any festival out there. There’s delicious food, opportunities to learn, great music, movement workshops, friendly & welcoming people, and it’s all in the service of health, compassion, and the environment. And it’s free!

So much good food, community, and information! I really loved it!!

Good vibes, good food and lots to learn.

VegFest Oahu the best festival on Oahu!

Vegetarianism and veganism is a quickly growing movement. It is hard to know what steps to take to become a part of this community and do it in a balanced healthy way. VegFest Oahu provides great resources and people that can guide you through a transition or just inspire you.

Life changing.