US veg history comes alive before your very eyes!
Storytelling mixes with cartooning for a vegetarian history like no other.
What do the Graham Cracker, Ben Franklin's tofu, the author of Little Women and a fire-breathing Quaker have to do with each other? They're all part of the early history of vegetarianism in the U.S., as presented in this special talk by Vance Lehmkuhl.
We will first check in, enjoy some homemade vegan snacks and then listen to Vance Lehmkuhl. Following the talk, you will get the chance to go on a docent tour of the Veg Museum with founder, Kay Stepkin.
//ABOUT VANCE
Vance Lehmkuhl is a writer, speaker, cartoonist and musician who has been covering vegetarian and vegan topics for mainstream Philadelphia audiences for 25 years. He's contributed numerous vegan-related articles to Philadelphia City Paper, the Philadelphia Daily News and philly.com, as well as recent articles in Vegetarian Journal, Grid Magazine, and Philadelphia Magazine. From 2011 to 2017 he wrote the Daily News' vegan column "V for Veg" as well as the "V for Vegan" blog on philly.com, chronicling what all now agree was a singular upsurge in the local vegan-dining scene.
Vance has entertained audiences at Vegetarian Summerfest (now Vegan Summerfest) for the past 20 years on vegan themes as a presenter, a plenary emcee, a pianist, a songwriter, and an improv cartoonist. His song "Leftovers" with his band Green Beings has been played many times by radio's Dr. Demento on his show.
In 2005, Vance created the podcast Vegcast, now with 122 episodes at vegcast.com.
Vance organized the first vegan-branded citywide event in Philadelphia, the "Best Vegan Cheesesteak in Philly" contest, now in its fifth year.
He also launched Philly Vegan Day, celebrating the city's veg-friendly heritage, and the Philly Vegan Awards, celebrating the top local vegan businesses. He's the author of the books "V for Veg: The Best of Philly's Vegan Food Column" and "Eating Vegan in Philly," both from Sullivan Street Press, and he's the creator of a multimedia presentation, "How Philly Went Vegan," that has been performed in Philadelphia and adapted into an Old City walking tour.