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Throughout the month of March, activists worldwide took part in the 22nd annual observance of the Great American Meatout. Over a thousand communities in all 50 states and 28 other countries welcomed Spring with colorful educational events ranging from information tables, exhibits, and lectures to cooking demonstrations, receptions, and elaborate “lifestivals.” Participants asked their friends, family, and neighbors to “kick the meat habit” and to explore a healthy, compassionate diet.

Dozens of exciting Vegetarian Festivals took place across the US. On the West Coast, The Vegetarians of Washington hosted Seattle’s annual VegFest! with veggie food samples, cooking demos, nutritional info, books, and much more. Hundreds of people gathered in Portland for Veg Fest, A Compassionate Living Fair, sponsored by IDA and coordinated by Northwest VEG. This massive event featured delicious food samples from dozens of vendors, cruelty-free cooking demos, dozens of displays, and numerous lectures presented by experts in compassionate living. The Bay Area Vegetarians featured a “Beach Bash” in San Francisco, offering free samples of faux meat while attracting visitors with cow and chicken costumes. James Donovan also wowed San Francisco with a day of fun, hosting a festival of music, speakers, vendors, food, and t-shirts. In Sacramento, Viva!USA, Animal Place, and API provided tasty vegan burgers and vegan hotdogs while distributing literature and showing videos.

In Katy, TX, Society of PEACE celebrated Meatout with a free outreach class, videos, free food, and informative literature. The Black Vegetarian Society of Texas hosted a day of festivities and learning in Dallas with info tables, food sampling, health screenings, and door prizes. The Black Vegetarian Society of Georgia invited guests to join their Vegetarian Food and Wholistic Health Fair, featuring exhibits, speakers, food, and more. In Knoxville, Meatout celebrations, organized by The Vegetarian Society of East Tennessee, included bands, vendors, leafleting, and speakers. The Vegan Peace Abbey in Sherborn, MA served veggie burgers, showed videos, and offered delicious recipes to visitors. The Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society held a vegan potluck with 120 guests who congregated for food and a presentation from Tom Regan. In Ann Arbor, MI, The Student Animal Defense Fund worked hard to raise consciousness about a vegan lifestyle through info tables and food samples.

Michelle LaFleur with Veg Tampa Bay organized an impressive festival in New Port Richey, FL, featuring attractive displays, food, literature, a video-viewing center, and comprehensive educational talks. Vegan Action of South Florida drew attention with an outdoor event including vegan gummy candy for children, freebies such as recipes and stickers, as well as a 6’ cow and pig. Cocoa Beach Library in Florida drew 60 people for a special presentation and vegan snacks hosted by Healthy Planet of Brevard, making headlines in a local paper. Animal Activists of Alachua paraded down the streets holding signs and banners in honor of Meatout. Dedicated activist, Dezeray Rubinchik raised funds with a vegan luncheon, followed by an open screening of the documentary “Earthlings.” In the nation’s capital, 300 Congressional members and staffers were treated to vegan food, exhibits, and videos.

Universities were well represented this year, with nearly 100 events taking place across 42 universities. Utah Animal Rights Coalition hosted feed-ins at six universities throughout Utah. Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals passed out vegan food and literature at the University of Arizona. University of North Dakota Student Health Services held a special veg cooking and health class. Milwaukee Area Resources for Vegetarianism set up a Meatout table and hosted a vegan brat fry at UWM. Go-Veggie Chicago hosted a Veg Day for Students at the Art Institute of Chicago, while the Animal League Defense Fund educated students at Northwestern University School of Law with signs, leaflets, and videos. USI Veg Club introduced fellow students to a Meatout meal at the University of Southern Indiana. The University of Central Florida celebrated a Meatout week, initiated by The Body of Animal Rights Campaigners (BARC), with the expansion of vegan options in the cafeteria. Compassionate Action for Animals brought food samples and videos to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

Other schools across the US participated, with teachers jumping on board to educate their students about the benefits of a plant-based diet. Special classes dedicated to Meatout education took place in schools within California, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Tennessee, and Washington. Dr. Andy Mars spoke to hundreds of students at Reseda High in California for a Meatout seminar, noting the nutritional, ethical, and environmental benefits of veganism.

Activists distributed samples of cruelty-free cuisine, such as veggie burgers, soy dogs, and “chicken” nuggets. Fitting this year’s theme, Alternative Fast Foods, national diner chain Johnny Rockets celebrated by offering a free veggie burger throughout the entire month of March. Over 60 events were carried out by Meatout and PETA activists in front of KFC and other fast food outlets. In Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan PETA staged the “arrest” of a knife-wielding “Col. Sanders” for his role in crippling and torturing more than 850 million chickens each year. The “crime scene” was blocked off with yellow tape and the restaurant was declared “closed for cruelty.”

International events were more successful than ever with a record 28 countries taking part. France, Germany, and Portugal built their own Meatout websites. Throughout France, activists in nine groups organized street actions and colorful events. Germany hosted a dozen Meatout events, complete with information tables, signs, handouts, and more. The Portuguese Vegetarian Centre promoted Meatout throughout Portugal, encouraging others to live meat-free. Canadian activists took to the streets with dozens of events. In Montreal, Students’ Society’s Animal Liberties Club hosted a series of lectures, debates, and film screenings at McGill University. Concordia Animal Rights Association (CARA) held feed-ins at two busy locations downtown and hosted a Meatout festival at Concordia University. In Toronto, Wild At Heart hosted a public drop-in vegan meal, literature table, video screening, and more. Animal Friends Croatia greeted visitors with fun taste contests and prize giveaways. Over 18 events took place throughout India, including exciting info tables, leafleting, rallies, demos, and festivals. Vegetarian Society of Delhi held a particularly fascinating festival, including a salad competition and fashion show with models wearing fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ferns. In Ireland, Animal Rights Action Network held an attention grabbing bird-flu die-in. Other participating countries include Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, England, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Romania, Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe.

Media coverage for Meatout 2006 was extensive. Hundreds of billboards and buscards carried the Meatout message in Baltimore, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, DC. Dozens of news articles alerted readers of the festivities. Tens of thousands of individuals across the US and Canada read about Meatout in their local papers through Letters to Editors, offering FREE Veg Starter Kits. Radio interviews featured special guests such as former cattle rancher turned animal activist Howard Lyman, vegan nutritionist specialist, Dr. Neil Barnard, Meatout Executive Director Dawn Moncrief, and Meatout Founder and President, Dr. Alex Hershaft. TV features helped spread the word, with ABC and FOX featuring a Meatout promotion across a combined total of more than 50 stations. Celebrity entertainers like Casey Kasem, Mary Tyler Moore, Joaquin Phoenix, Rue McClanahan, James Cromwell, and Bill Maher headlined in this year’s observance.

E-cards, brought to us by All-Yours.net, were a huge hit. Activists e-mailed these fun, colorful animations to friends, family, neighbors, and associates to spread the message of compassion.

Proclamations urging citizens to explore a wholesome, nonviolent diet of vegetables, fruits, and grains were issued by mayors and governors in numerous cities and states. Meatout proclamations were issued in Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. Mayors of the following cities also participated: Eugene, Honolulu, Maui, New Orleans, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Monica, Washington, DC and more.

Meatout observances have been coordinated since 1985 by FARM (Farm Animal Reform Movement), a nonprofit educational organization in the nation’s capital. This year’s observance was co-sponsored by In Defense of Animals, Vegetarian Times, Hippocrates Health Institute and Healthy Adventure, with activity support from PETA.

Supporting Meatout Manufacturers donated their delicious products to demonstrate that great health can also have great taste! Special Thanks to these Meatout Manufacturers: Amy’s Kitchen,
Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods, Eat in the Raw, Edward & Sons, Fantastic Foods, Gardenburger, Lumen Foods, Mori-Nu Tofu, Road’s End Organics, Sunergia Soyfoods, Sun Flour Baking, Tofutti Brand Non-Dairy, Turtle Island (Tofurky).