Abdullah Azhar and Cynthia Gigleux are the Melbourne-based couple bringing Vegan Camp Out to Glenworth Valley the weekend of November 24-26. The two were inspired after attending a similar campouts in the UK. They're friends with the original Vegan Camp Out Founder, Jordan Martin. Martin is one of several speakers attending the event and will give a talk on cancel culture on Saturday evening. This is Vegan Camp Out's inaugural event in Australia.
Azhar has been vegan for the last seven years and Gigleux for four. They do it to save the animals, for their health, for the health of the planet. For them the event is important because it gives vegans an opportunity to come together and celebrate veganism. They've seen people make lifelong friends at vegan camp outs in the past.
"Being vegan can be isolating. Most vegans get made fun of for being vegan. Vegan Camp Out is basically a mini vegan village. It's quite empowering to be surrounded by like-minded people, and a fun way for non-vegans who are interested to come and engage in the vegan community and see that it's possible and how easy it could be," Azhar says.
He stressed that the festival is not about preaching, but when you are surrounded in the environment it can be quite inspiring. Speakers at the festival include UK-based "Earthling Ed", Ed Winters, a Harvard guest lecturer, author and activist. Ed first became famous for leading street interviews with people and discussing veganism and putting them on his YouTube channel.
Another speaker is Patrick Baboumian who once held the record as Germany's strongest man. Holding world records for strength, and campaigning for PETA, Ahzar says Baboumian disproves the myth that you can't be vegan and be strong.
Also on the lineup is Perth-based activist Tash Peterson. Peterson is known for going viral and going into restaurants and covering herself with fake animal blood. She's been banned from Tiktok and Instagram, only to rejoin and go viral again. At the festival she'll be explaining why direct action is so important.
Along with speakers they'll of course have all vegan food vendors including Newcastle's own Kumache, (plant-based South American food) and several other options, from pies to cakes to souvlaki.
The camp out will have music like Katie White and The Seeding and health and wellness activities like yoga, Pilates and ecstatic dance. They'll also have an open mic stage.
This is the first time Ahzar and Gigleux have done anything like this, and they've been planning it for three years. It's taken longer than expected due to Covid. Ahzar is an electrician as his day job and Gigleux works in childcare. The two looked at over 200 different venues in Australia to eventually find the perfect place - Glenworth Valley Wilderness Adventures, often used as wedding destinations. Their goal is to make the festival as big as possible, and they are hoping for a crowd of 1500 for the first one.
"It's open to everyone really," Ahzar says. "We want non vegans to come and experience what it's like, eat vegan for the weekend, all the food is a big part. The food is just to show people you can eat vegan food, and it's delicious, and you won't die."
Pets are welcome, on leashes. And there is no BYO alcohol, but there is a vegan bar on the premises.
To learn more about the festival visit vegancampout.com.au.
