When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 3.

Where: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, 300 W. Lakeside Ave., Cleveland.

Tickets: Free ($5 donation suggested).

Info: clevelandvegansociety.org.

This just in: We live in a divisive society.

The combative dynamic includes politics, lifestyle and even food.

For proof of the latter, just mention veganism. Reactions can include an eye roll followed by a staunch defense of eating chicken or steak.

One local group looking to create awareness about the life choice is the Cleveland Vegan Society, which presents its fifth annual free Vegfest June 3 at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.

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We wanted to create an event that would introduce people in the Northeast Ohio area to veganism and its principles environmental sustainability, justice for animals, plant-based health, social justice, food justice, Cleveland Vegan Society President Amy Wagar Cinch said.

At our event, we do touch on how animal agriculture is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases and how eating a plant-based diet is considered one of the healthiest ways to live. It can reduce chronic disease. We talk about how agricultural subsidies are influencing the way people eat, and how it disproportionately affects disenfranchised groups. Those are all important topics we address.

The all-day affair features nationally renowned speakers, cutting-edge nutrition advice, engaging food demonstrations, a food court, a cruelty-free marketplace, live music, yoga, a kids activity area and a screening room.

For the better part of the last decade, Cinch has lived a vegan lifestyle, which, she said, on a daily basis seems to be getting easier to do thanks to more restaurants listing a vegan option on menus. Also, grocery stores are stocking more items on their shelves.

Unquestionably, the lifestyle is gaining momentum and acceptance. Gone are the days where a stereotypical vegan wore a First Light T-shirt with Birkenstocks and smelled like patchouli.

Our circle is getting larger, and its really a function of how many vegan people a person knows, Cinch said. If they are new to the idea, it just seems alien to them, but I find that if people have several friends or acquaintances that are vegan, its not seen as such an extreme lifestyle anymore.

There are vegans of every walk of life, shape, size, socio-economic background. Veganism is spreading.

Thats due in part to the efforts of the Cleveland Vegas Society. The nonprofit acts as a liaison between the vegan community and restaurants and businesses. As far as VegFest is concerned, interest has grown. Just five years ago, 3,000 people showed up at Cleveland State University. This year, expectations have more than 7,000 attendees visiting the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.

Cinch said the reason behind that increase is simple.

Most people are eating vegan things even if theyre not vegan these days, Cinch said. Theres a meme going around where people are asked, Why are you vegan? The response is, Why are you not vegan?

From our perspective, there really isnt a good reason not to be vegan. From every perspective, it makes sense.

When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 3.

Where: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, 300 W. Lakeside Ave., Cleveland.

Tickets: Free ($5 donation suggested).

Info: clevelandvegansociety.org.

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Cleveland Vegan Society hosting latest Vegfest at Huntington Convention Center - News-Herald.com