Lancasters first VegFest will celebrate a lifestyle that eliminates the eating of animal products, and it will feature only vegan food.

But the free event, set for Saturday, June 3, in Musser Park, isnt only for vegans, VegFest organizer Courtney Kokus says.

I think this event is pretty much just like any other community event, says Kokus, a freelance marketing professional. Musser Park is beautiful, and theres going to be amazing food from great local vendors.

VegFest is something that is nationwide, Kokus explains. A lot of cities, including Philadelphia, Bethlehem and Washington, D.C., have held vegan festivals.

The name VegFest is an independent name that anyone can use, Kokus says. Its a community within itself. There are both indoor and outdoor festivals and expos all over the country that use the name.

I have attended quite a few VegFests, from California to Pennsylvania, Kokus, a California native, says, and I always thought that Lancaster would be a really great place to hold one. The community here is so receptive to these kind of events.

Until she started promoting the event, Kokus says, I did not realize how many vegans and vegetarians were in Lancaster. Its amazing.

Kokus has been planning VegFest for a few years. But taking care of a new baby and an older child came first. This year, she realized the time was right. I just decided to go for it, she says, and gathered some vegan volunteers from around the region.

Her mission is to provide a fun day for everyone attending, she says, while providing information about the benefits of a plant-based diet both for peoples health and for animals welfare.

In addition to vendors serving vegan food, Kokus says, VegFest will feature speakers, along with businesses and nonprofit groups promoting their vegan-friendly products and services.

Well have bands and fun activities for the kids, says Kokus, who has been a vegan for about eight years. Were looking for a face painter, and there will be a (childrens) craft station hosted by Art Matters Studio in Lancaster.

Courtney Kokus is organizing Lancaster's first VegFest vegan festival to be held at Musser Park.

Vegan food will be in the spotlight, of course. Kokus has assembled about 10 food vendors from Lancaster County and other areas of eastern Pennsylvania.

Hilary Mace, chef-owner of Lancaster catering company The Scarlet Runner, says her company will serve at least a couple of different dishes at the festival.

Were doing a vegan burger we have been working on, Mace says. Were going to be doing a veggie taco, she adds. Itll probably be a tofu scramble with black beans, smoked corn and salsa verde.

Im not sure what other surprises Ill throw in there. Obviously, everything is vegan, and a lot of it will be gluten free, as well.

Mace says she will also be serving drinks and vegan snacks, including corn cakes with avocado salsa.

Srirupa Dasgupta, a partner in Upohar Ethnic Cuisines of Lancaster, says her company will bring its food truck to VegFest and serve three vegan hot ensemble meals international dishes served over rice or couscous.

She says Iraqi sanbusa baked turnovers filled with lightly spiced mixed vegetables will also be served, along with chai with soy milk.

COB Vegan Baked Foods, based in York County, will supply a variety of vegan cupcakes, doughnuts, cookies, tarts, brownies, cereal bars, lemon bars, whoopie pies and granola.

Delinda Jensen, who co-owns the Wilkes-Barre-based Mother Nature food truck with her son, Kyle, says they will sell a variety of foods at VegFest.

We do a flash-fried garlic chutney chickpeas as a snack, Jensen says. And we will be selling chickpea hoagies with curry sauce, topped with raisins, toasted coconut and peanuts.

The Jensens will also serve a vegan pulled-pork-style panini, made from seitan (wheat gluten), with coleslaw, and a barbecue chicken vegan-patty sandwich.

Also, well be serving a spinach wrap, Jensen says. It will have vegan cream cheese, vegan salami, hummus, red onions, peppers and other veggies, topped with a chutney sauce.

Other vendors include ZWild Vegans, a bakery based in York; the local Urban Olive food truck; and The Sacred Kitchen, an Indian food vendor from Maryland.

A farmers market area at VegFest will feature food from regional businesses such as Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative.

The first Lancaster VegFest will be held June 3 in Musser Park.

Animal welfare organizations such as the Humane Society, Woodstock Sanctuary, and Animal Advocates of Central Pennsylvania will be represented, as will wellness organizations and businesses that specialize in vegan clothing, solar products and more.

There will also be speakers and live music throughout the day, Kokus says.

At noon, a vegan athlete and recipe developer who writes the Knead to Cook blog under the name Robin Runner, will talk about her favorite vegan food substitutes.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware-based chef and health coach Gretchen Hanson will do a cooking demonstration and talk about how to maintain a plant-based diet.

Finally, at 3 p.m., vegan activist and artist Ryan Phillips, of Williamsburg, Virginia, will appear with his adopted minipigs, Pumpkin and Charlotte. Phillips will talk about life with the pigs and compassion for animals.

On the music stage, Caroline Rose will perform at noon; Kozma at 1 p.m., The Mellowells at 2 p.m. and Sleepy Limbs at 3 p.m.

The Lancaster event, Kokus says, falls under an umbrella organization she calls Central Pennsylvania VegFest.

Initially, I was thinking we were going to do this (festival) in other cities, Kokus says.

She intends for the VegFest in Lancaster to be an annual event.

But, eventually, were going to do one in York and one in Harrisburg, she says. A lot of the volunteers are from York and Harrisburg, so I figured we might as well combine forces and expand the event.

One of my goals after this, Kokus adds, is to help local restaurants form more and better vegan options, and help them market that. Its to help local vegans just have more options.

She says Lancaster could become the next vegan hub, like Philly. We have such great local chefs here.

Kokus reminds those considering coming to VegFest that they dont have to be vegans to enjoy themselves.

Id say to have an open mind and come check it out and have some fun, Kokus says. You might learn a few things about the vegan lifestyle if youre interested in that. But (besides) the vegan message that we have, its going to be a really fun event for our community.

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Lancaster VegFest brings vegan food, music, speakers, kids' activities to Musser Park June 3 - LancasterOnline