An all-day psychedelic music event is set to hit Southsea, Portsmouth, in aid of a local food bank. All of the food served at the “cosmic all-day celebration” will be vegan.
Named “Interstellar Food Drive,” the one-day festival will feature a vegan barbecue for music lovers who come to see local bands such as Melt Dunes, Skinny Milk, Pregoblin, Sad Palace, Number 9, Mystic Peach, and Black Helium. An art exhibition and psychedelic projections will also feature at the event, organized by local musical collectives Crocodile Nightmares and Velvet Candy, along with the record label Strong Island Recordings.
Serving exclusively plant-based food at the event is important, maintains Crocodile Nightmares co-founders, Chris Williamson and Alex Brown. “It’s the right thing to do,” Williamson told LIVEKINDLY. “I want to promote veganism. By having the vegan barbecue there, hopefully, it’ll put the idea [of veganism] into people’s heads.” He added, “If you’re [going to] cater for people, you should always cater sustainably.”
The pair has noticed a change in their local area recently, with more and more restaurants and cafes serving vegan options. For example, in July, a vegan pop-up shack set up on Southsea beach, serving plant-based ice creams, sandwiches, and more to holidaymakers and locals alike. “There’s definitely been a change in Southsea,” said Williamson. “In January, there were maybe 10 restaurants that introduced a whole new vegan menu for Veganuary, it was meant to be just for January, but they’ve still got them now.”
For those still peckish after the barbecue, Brown advises guests to go out and sample some of the other vegan eats available in the area too. “Why stop with the vegan barbecue? When you’ve had enough of the bands, and maybe fancy something else to eat, there’s plenty of vegan options in the local area,” he said.
The event also aims to raise awareness of people and families living in poverty. The organizers encourage people to come together to help solve the problem at a “local, grassroots level.”
The Interstellar Food Drive will take place at the Dockyard Club on Onslow Road on August 11, tickets are available here.
