Golden Magnolia Sanctuary in Fairfield to host ‘Midwest Vegfest’

FAIRFIELD — Golden Magnolia Sanctuary in Fairfield is planning a full weekend of events for a festival it hopes will become an annual tradition.

The organization is putting together the “Midwest Vegfest” for Saturday and Sunday, May 13-14. Events will include live music, food vendors, guest speakers and more at this fully vegan festival. All proceeds from donations and the silent auction will go toward Golden Magnolia Sanctuary, a community center and vegan soup kitchen that serves three meals per week Thursday through Saturday.

The events on that Saturday will begin at 11 a.m. and run until midnight. Cheyanne Holliday, the manager of Golden Magnolia Sanctuary’s soup kitchen and one of two organizers of the Midwest Vegfest, said activities will begin in Fairfield’s Central Park with live music and vendors until 4 p.m., then move to the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center for a movie showing, with the rest of the events that evening such as speakers and an after-party occurring at Golden Magnolia Sanctuary, which is in the former Presbyterian Church in Fairfield at 200 S. Main St.

The following day, Sunday, May 14, a vegan picnic and potluck will be held at Waterworks Park. Holliday said she plans to work with Visit Fairfield Iowa to promote the event to bring people from all over the Midwest.

“We want to make this a big thing,” she said.

Holliday said Vegfest was the brainchild of her co-organizer Laura Sivels. The two decided they’d like to start a vegan festival that could become a recurring event, and announced their plans in January.

“It’s only been a month, and we’re organizing it pretty rapidly,” Holliday said.

Holliday said the soup kitchen has been going strong ever since it was launched last summer. Golden Magnolia Sanctuary serves 75-100 meals each night.

“We’ve had people from all parts of the community volunteer with us,” Holliday said. “A lot of people come in for the free food, and some pay. We have a nice steady stream of monthly donors, too. It’s shown me that when you serve your community, your community serves you.”

Holliday said the soup kitchen has been fortunate to receive donations of industrial kitchen equipment. It’s been fortunate to receive so many hours of volunteer help, and it can always use more.

“We have a form on our website, and people can sign up for whatever day they want,” Holliday said. “We’ve had at least 50-60 people who have rotated in to volunteer. It’s been wonderful.”

To volunteer or to learn more about Golden Magnolia Sanctuary, visit linktr.ee/goldenmagsanctuary.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com