The author of the international bestseller How Not to Die will headline the Apple Symposium Stage for this year’s California Vegetarian Food Festival + Symposium on Saturday, September 21, at the Palace of Fine Arts.

Dr. Michael Greger will speak from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. and then sign copies of his book until 6:00 p.m.

Greger’s bottom line is that a plant-based diet is the key to preventing, arresting, and reversing the deadliest illnesses, from cancer to heart disease. He calls such diseases our nation’s “top killers.”

A founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Greger has traveled the world speaking on nutrition, food safety, and public health issues. He has lectured at the Conference on World Affairs, testified before Congress, and was invited as an expert witness defending Oprah Winfrey in the infamous “meat defamation” trial.

He continues to scour the scholarly literature on cutting-edge research into the role diet may play in combating disease. His videos on more than 2,000 health topics are available at NutritionFacts.org. Greger is a graduate of Cornell University and Tufts University School of Medicine.

The festival’s Apple Symposium Stage will feature a variety of other experts as well. For example, black belt champion Mirko Buchwald will moderate a panel on vegan athletes. Grammy Award-winning opera singer Lucas Meacham will discuss his plant-based lifestyle. Former Zen monk Dr. Will Tuttle will present thoughts on spirituality and social justice, from a vegan point of view.

Over on the festival’s Pear Stage for cooking demonstrations, plant-based chefs will create innovative dishes and then offer samples to the attendees. Among those appearing will be Elysabeth Alfano of Awesome Vegans, the “Nutrition Professor” Timaree Hagenburger, Amy Kunde of Veggie Geeks, Vegan Iron Chef Lisa Books-Williams, and Sacramento Kings caterer Tirzah Love.

A plethora of plant-based vendors will offer their bites and wares, including Loving Hut Vegan Cuisine, Read the Labl, Kuli Kuli, and Rescue Chocolate.

The festival will also feature a mind/body zone where attendees can engage in guided meditation, Pilates classes, foot reflexology, and yoga. In the Kumquat Kids Area, the younger set will be able to take advantage of arts and crafts, storytelling, and music making. Entertainers will be found around the festival grounds, adding to what the organizers hope will be an overall upbeat atmosphere.

Presented by U.S. Veg Corp, its California edition is one of three large-scale festivals staged throughout the country. (The other two are in Scottsdale, Arizona and New York City.) Co-founders Sarah Feoli and Nira Paliwoda also present more intimate plant-based events such as food competitions and parenting mixers.

For each festival, they select a charity partner to raise funds for. In San Francisco their partner will be Community Grows, whose mission is to cultivate healthy youth through growing gardens in low-income, diverse communities. 

For further information on the California Vegetarian Food Festival and Symposium or to purchase advance tickets, visit https://www.cavegfoodfest.com/index.php/festival-info/tickets.