NJveg upcoming events
Princeton Vegan Chef Challenge
September 1-30
Princeton area, NJ
NJveg and Vegan in NJ collaborated with Vegan Outreach to create the first Vegan Chef Challenge in NJ! The Vegan Chef Challenge (slide show) is a month-long event showcasing new vegan menu items created by chefs at local restaurants. 17 restaurants in Princeton and vicinity are taking part. The dining public is encouraged to vote for their favorite dishes. The majority of restaurants keep at least one popular vegan item on their regular menu after the challenge concludes. Menus are posted on the VCC webpage. Vote on your favorites!
We’ve organized meetups at each of the participating restaurants, and have a couple hikes or walks planned to accompany these – see below! For those unable to make a meetup, NJveg member Laura suggested we have a place for people to indicate “anyone want to join me at X restaurant at X time”. We now have a spreadsheet for this purpose that should be accessible to all!
Steve Fenster (NJveg) and Cherise Daly (Vegan in NJ) were interviewed by both Town Topics and Princeton Patch regarding the challenge!
(Lawrenceville Patch version)
Princeton Vegan Chef Challenge – Jules Thin Crust
Thursday September 28, 5:30pm
Princeton, NJ 08540
Dinner at Jules Thin Crust (18 Witherspoon St)! Space is limited. Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Princeton Vegan Chef Challenge – Tipple + Rose Tea Parlor
Friday September 29, 1pm
Princeton, NJ 08542
Lunch and tea at Tipple + Rose Tea Parlor (210 Nassau St)! Space is limited. Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Princeton Vegan Chef Challenge – encore dining & takeout, preceded by an optional easy hike
Saturday September 30, 12:45pm
Princeton, NJ 08540
We’ll wrap up the inaugural challenge with a last hoorah – including takeout from LiLLiPiES Bakery, lunch at Blue Bears Special Meals, and perhaps takeout from more of your favorites! Space is limited. Preceded by an optional easy hike at Institute Woods (info/maps) in Princeton, weather permitting. One of the trail highlights is a swinging bridge! We’ll meet for the hike at the parking lot for Princeton Battlefield State Park at 500 Mercer Road, Princeton 08540 at 10:45am. Note that trails may be muddy. Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred). Please let us know if you’re coming for just lunch, or will be going on the hike.
Hiking/Walking + Vegan Dining – TBD
Saturday October 7 or Sunday October 8, time TBD
Location TBD
The 68th in NJveg’s hiking/walking + vegan dining series may be at one of your favorite trails (perhaps one on our list). Let us know what you’re interested in! Inclement weather date TBD.
Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Educational Outreach – Flower Power Flea Market
Sunday October 8, 11am-5pm
15 Perrin Ave, Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
[Waitlisted] NJveg will answer questions and provide free literature on the benefits of a plant-based diet. We need volunteers for this and other outreach. Come out for an hour, or the entire event. Help spread the word that going vegan saves animals, protects the environment, and improves your health! No experience is necessary. We particularly need help setting up (at 10am) and packing up (to about 5:30pm). Please let us know what time you are available. This is an entirely vegan event!
If you’re interested in joining NJveg’s outreach team, please contact us at NJveg.org@gmail.com or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Volunteer Work Day – Freedom Farm
Friday October 13, 10am-2pm
229 Newport-Centre Grove Rd, Cedarville, NJ 08311
Join Vegan in NJ and NJveg for a volunteer work day! We’ll helping out the non-profit Freedom Farm Animal Rescue. We highly recommend bringing a water bottle, bug spray, sunblock, work gloves, work boots, and clothes that can get dirty. If you’d like to make a donation to Freedom Farm, you can do so in person or online.
Please sign up only if you are serious about attending and plan to attend for the full time. If anything comes up and you need to cancel, let us know ASAP, so that we may fill your spot. We’ve had a problem with last minute cancellations – don’t be that person! Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Volunteer Work Day – Fluffy Butt Rescue
Saturday October 14, 10am-2pm (rescheduled from 7/29)
Holland Township, NJ 08848
Join NJveg for a volunteer work day! We’ll be helping out the vegan micro-sanctuary Fluffy Butt Rescue. We highly recommend bringing a water bottle, bug spray, sunblock, work gloves, work boots, and clothes that can get dirty. A vegan lunch will be provided! If you’d like to donate to Fluffy Butt Rescue, you can do so at the sanctuary or online.
Waitlist, adults only. For this event, the number of cars is the limitation – let us know if you’re willing to give someone a ride. Please sign up only if you are serious about attending and plan to attend for the full time. If anything comes up and you need to cancel, let us know ASAP, so that we may fill your spot. We’ve had a problem with last minute cancellations – don’t be that person! Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred). The address will be provided privately to volunteers before the event.
Hiking/Walking + Vegan Dining
Sunday October 15, time TBD
Location TBD
The 69th in NJveg’s hiking/walking + vegan dining series may be at one of your favorite trails (perhaps one on our list) or restaurants. Let us know what you’re interested in! Inclement weather date TBD.
Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Catered Gourmet Vegan Dinner
Wednesday October 18, 6pm
Vaulted Cuisine, 1 High St, Mt Holly NJ 08060
It’s back! Join NJveg for a special 4-course gourmet vegan dinner, prepared by Rowan College at Burlington County Culinary Arts Center students! We had very enjoyable meals here for 10 semesters prior to the pandemic, and are resuming our tradition this semester! These dinners assure the students – future chefs – that providing vegan options is essential. A gift of a vegan cookbook is made to each student as additional encouragement! Menu TBD.
Tickets must be purchased by Friday October 6, and will NOT be sold at the door. $45 (plus booking fee), with a $5 discount for NJveg members (current on dues), or a $3 discount for Vegan in NJ Meetup members. $40 from each ticket sold will go toward scholarships, with the remainder going toward cookbooks.
Have a gently-used vegan cookbook you no longer want? NJveg will be glad to take it off your hands and gift it to one of the students at an upcoming Culinary School dinner.
Princeton Vegan Chef Challenge – Awards Ceremony
(tentative) Friday October 20, 3pm
Princeton, NJ 08542
Details coming soon!
Educational Outreach – Hopewell Harvest Fair
Saturday October 21, 10am-4pm
Hopewell, NJ 08525
(postponed from September 23) NJveg will answer questions and provide free literature on the benefits of a plant-based diet. We need volunteers for this and other outreach. Come out for an hour, or the entire event. Help spread the word that going vegan saves animals, protects the environment, and improves your health! No experience is necessary. We particularly need help setting up (at 8:45am) and packing up (to about 4:30pm). Please let us know what time you are available.
If you’re interested in joining NJveg’s outreach team, please contact us at NJveg.org@gmail.com or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Volunteer Work Day – TBD
Sunday October 22, 10am-2pm
Location TBD
Join NJveg for a volunteer work day! We’ll helping out the non-profit TBD. We highly recommend bringing a water bottle, bug spray, sunblock, work gloves, work boots, and clothes that can get dirty.
Please sign up only if you are serious about attending and plan to attend for the full time. If anything comes up and you need to cancel, let us know ASAP, so that we may fill your spot. We’ve had a problem with last minute cancellations – don’t be that person! Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Educational Outreach – Vegan in NJ Monthly Market
Sunday November 5, Noon-5pm
American Legion Post 346, 21 Gully Rd, Neptune Township NJ 07753
NJveg will answer questions and provide free literature on the benefits of a plant-based diet. We need volunteers for this and other outreach. Come out for an hour, or the entire event. Help spread the word that going vegan saves animals, protects the environment, and improves your health! No experience is necessary. We particularly need help setting up (at 11:30am) and packing up (to about 5:30pm). Please consider coming out to the market, especially if you haven’t before!
5-course FriendsGiving/ThanksLiving Gourmet Vegan Meal Catered by Lady and the Shallot
Monday November 13, 6pm
Trenton Farmers Market, 960 Spruce St, Trenton (Lawrence Township), NJ 08648
Join NJveg and Vegan in NJ for another prix fixe meal with our friends at Lady and the Shallot! LatS is a completely vegan, gluten free, and nut free restaurant located inside the Trenton Farmers Market. Our prior meals here have been amazing, among the highlights of the year, and drew raves – including from one of NJveg’s members, “The best meal I’ve ever had!”
This will be a seated, 5-course dinner. The menu by owners Francesca Avitto and Kate Wnek will be announced soon!
Tickets must be purchased by Sunday November 5, and will NOT be sold at the door. $60 (plus booking fee), with a $5 discount for NJveg members (current on dues) and Vegan in NJ Meetup members. $5 from each ticket purchased will be donated to the nonprofit vegan Ferrets and Friends Sanctuary.
Volunteer Work Day – Downward Doe Farm
TBD, Noon-4pm
Howell, NJ 07731
Join NJveg for a volunteer work day! We’ll be helping out the vegan sanctuary Downward Doe Farm. We’ve had to postpone twice because of heavy rain, but supposedly the 3rd time is the charm. We highly recommend bringing a water bottle, bug spray, sunblock, work gloves, work boots, and clothes that can get dirty. If you’d like to donate, you can contact NJveg or do so at the sanctuary.
Space is limited, adults only. Please sign up only if you are serious about attending and plan to attend for the full time. If anything comes up and you need to cancel, let us know ASAP, so that we may fill your spot. Please RSVP to NJveg.org@gmail.com, or 609-557-7077 (text preferred). The address will be provided privately to volunteers before the event.
Event Ideas Are Welcome! Additional events planned, or in the works, some post-pandemic (venue suggestions needed), including educational outreach, volunteer work days at animal rescues and sanctuaries, hike/walk + dining, and much more!
We hope to be able to have additional events, including some indoors, in the relatively near future. In the interim, please send us your suggestions for educational outreach, volunteer days, walks/hikes + dining, online activities, and anything else. Please let us know what events you are interested in. Contact us at NJveg.org@gmail.com or 609-557-7077 (text preferred).
Everyone is welcome at NJveg events: vegan, vegetarian, or veg-curious! Our events are open to the public, except when noted as members only. All NJveg events are completely vegan. Please view our event guidelines.
Please check your email on the day of the event for the possibility of cancellation. If you’re not on our mailing list, you can sign up here. We hope to see you in the near future!
View our previous events here.