The Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) VegFest, presented by The Gentle Barn, is excited to unveil the vegan celebrity speaker lineup for Santa Clarita’s first-ever vegan festival.

The festival is set to sprout in Santa Clarita on Saturday, May 4, from noon – 9:00 p.m. in Central Park, located at 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road.

Celebrity and local guest speakers will speak every hour from 1:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m. The following vegan experts are set to speak at the inaugural SCV Veg Fest on May 4:

– SGT Vegan (@sgt_vegan): Bill Muir aka SGT Vegan served in Afghanistan as a Combat Medic. A vegan since 1992, SGT Vegan adhered to his plant-fueled diet throughout his rigorous training and deployment, despite how incredibly hard it is to eat a vegan diet in the military.

– Julie Piatt (@srimati): Julie Piatt is a best-selling vegan chef and author who has inspired countless people to embrace a plant-fueled lifestyle through her advocacy efforts, podcast, recipes and talks. Through embracing a plant-based diet complemented by a deep meditation practice, Julie healed herself of a large cyst in her neck, which doctors diagnosed as an incurable ailment.

– Setareh Khatibi (@setareh.khatibi): Setareh is a celebrity, vegan, social media influencer with 204k Instagram followers and runs her own popular English and Spanish YouTube Channel focused on healthy eating. Originally from Santa Clarita, Setareh is also known for her #PotatoDiet, as well as her appearance on reality television pageant show “Nuestra Belleza Latina” which aired on Univision.

– Ellie Laks (Founder) and Jay Weiner (Co-Founder) (@thegentlebarnla): Ellie Laks founded The Gentle Barn in 1999, which started on a half-acre property in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, CA. In 2003 Ellie and her husband Jay moved The Gentle Barn to a six-acre paradise in Santa Clarita, CA. The Gentle Barn has a second location in Nashville, Tennessee, and a third in St Louis, Missouri. Since its inception, The Gentle Barn has saved thousands of animals and been host to over 500,000 people.

– Michael McPherson (@michaelmcpherson) and Makenzie Marzluff (@makenziemarzluff): Makenzie is the founder of Delighted By Desserts and has appeared as a guest on the ABC show “Shark Tank.” All of Delighted By Desserts are crafted using pure ingredients, and are 100% vegan and gluten-free. Makenzie’s products have been featured by The New York Times, Self, The Oprah Magazine, Women’s Health, and much more. Michael is the founder of Humanity Media and runs an incredible podcast. He’s one of the most beautiful souls you’ll ever connect with and we’re so honored to have him with us. Michael & Mak will be speaking on how to run heart-centered business and live your best life!

Event festivities:
12:00 p.m: Doors Open
1:00 p.m: Food Contest Announcement!
2:30 p.m.: Acro Yoga in the park!
3:00 p.m.: Food Contest Awards Ceremony:
4:30 p.m.: Sun/Lunar Flow YOGA in the park
6:30 p.m: Pre-party (New Moon Intention-Setting into Ecstatic Dance!)

7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m: Dance party

In addition to the speaker lineup, VegFest attendees can expect a combination of over 40 participating restaurants, vendors and food trucks, including: Avocadamama, Delighted by Desserts, and Evolution Burger, as well as a variety of local craft beer and wine vendors. Don’t miss the Food Competition Awards Ceremony, as a panel of judges pick their favorite vegan dishes from participating local vendors in categories such as “Most Surprising Dish,” and “Most Savory.” General admission includes unlimited pours of beer, wine and kombucha on the festival day (alcohol served from noon to 5:00 p.m.) and a sampling of various vegan foods.

Along with delicious eats and drinks, there will also be two DJs spinning all day, a lounge and dance area, celebrity vegan speakers, yoga in the park, vegan-friendly merchandise, a children’s play area, and much more. The high-vibes festival is a holistic experience for the senses and will close out with a finale DJ dance party at the main stage, featuring spectacular lights and danceable mixes.

The festival is the brainchild of Jess and Nicole Guidroz, who wanted to create a high-vibe event to promote a happy healthy lifestyle and to prove how exciting flavors can be despite myths about vegan foods.

Proceeds from the one-day outdoor festival will benefit Kakao, Charity Water and local non-profit organizations Bridge to Home, and Family Promise.

For more event info, including a full schedule of events, visit www.SCVVegFest.com.

Event details:
Date: Saturday, May 4, 2019
Time: Noon to 9:00 p.m.
Place: Central Park, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita
Entrance fee: Current Pricing: $40; Day-of Admission: $45, Ages 13 through 20: $10, Children 12 and Under: Free