Check this listing for events near you – click below to jump to your area.
WHANGAREI
Vegan Pot Luck dinners — Whangarei area
All vegans and vegetarians, or people interested in the vegetarian lifestyle, are very welcome to our pot luck dinners. The next date is 18th September – for further information email Cathy and Ian
AUCKLAND
Cooking Classes: There are some new classes available this term. Follow the link to the xtend website for more details.
Dinner at Rulei Vegetarian Restaurant at 422 Great North Road, Henderson
Saturday, September 25th 6pm
PLEASE BOOK by email – Auckland Centre or phone 523 4686
Sunday, October 3rd 11.30am – Shared lunch get together for Festival Volunteers –
Bring a plate of food to share, get clued up on your “work” for the (Festival) Day – if you would like to be involved, please contact Fiona on 523 4686 or email to put your name down so you, too, can be part of this wonderful team!!
Vegetarian Food & Lifestyle Festival Sunday 10th October
Volunteers wanted to help with this year’s Festival, to be held at the ASB Showgrounds. Add your name to the Team Members’ Book to enjoy the buzz and camaraderie of bringing this celebration of World Vegetarian Day to fruition! Email the Auckland Vegetarian Centre or phone 523 4686 to put your name down now!
- Want to get fit? Treat yourself to an hour’s exercise and deliver flyers for the Festival in your area at the same time! Let us know if you are willing and able to help with this!
- Have you space on your fence for a Festival poster? Let us know if you’d like to advertise the Festival on your fence!
Recycle your vegetarian recipe books: If you have any that you no longer want, please recycle them to us for our second hand book table at the Auckland Festival. Let us know if you have any – Email Akcentre@vegetarian.org.nz or phone 523 4686
- Contact Fiona on 523 4686 or email the Auckland Vegetarian Centre and let the Festival organisers know how you can help!
Saturday November 13th – Keep this date free for a special dinner
A late celebration of World Vegan Day – for more details and to book in – email Akcentre@vegetarian.org.nz or ph: 523 4686.
Vegetarian / Vegan Families Group
If you have young children and would like to get to know other vegetarian and vegan families, share helpful hints and have the support of other vegetarians and vegans, contact Stephanie by email or phone 414 5535
Here are the expected dates for Veg Group for the first half of the year. Pop them in your diaries and come along to join us 
The next group is Thursday 9th September, and Thursday 7th October (School Holidays) – pencil this one in, but it may change.
See you next week! Let me know if you’re coming
Vegetarian Families’ Group for over 5s meets periodically on a weekend or public holiday. We advertise on the Vegetarian Families chat group, or please call or email Bridget on 027 272 5287 or 521 8501. Although our activities are mainly organised in the interests of the school age child, younger children are welcome too.
Active for Animals! Youth Group – Wanna talk, cook, be, vegetarian?
6.45 to 8.45 at the SAFE Office, Level One, Rm 3, 63 Gt Nth Rd (Cnr Pollen St), Ponsonby.
1st Tuesday of every month. For: Veggies, vegans and wannabes (9 – 16 yrs)
Special Event: Come along for a fun night of vegetarian cooking at the next Active 4 Animals meeting on Tuesday 7 September (6.45 to 8.45 pm)
We have a 3 course meal planned. You get to help make it and most importantly – eat it!
Held at the SAFE Office, 63 Great North Road, Ponsonby, Auckland
Learn how easy it is to cook vegetarian food for your friends and family (all food will, of course, be vegan).
Take home the recipes!
Group split in to 9 to 12 years and 13 to 16 years
If it’s your first time coming to Active 4 Animals your entry is free (usually $5)
If you would like to come along, please call Marianne on 576 1368 or email Animals Active
Marianne, Diane, Amanda, Ana, Andrew and Rebecca
We’re meeting on the following dates this year: Sep 7th, Oct 5th , Nov 2nd, and Dec 7th
Come along for cooking and eating, media stuff, friends like you, movies and help animals
Cost: $5 per meeting
phone: 09 576 1368
Auckland Vegetarian Food and Lifestyle Festival
Sunday 10th October, 10 am – 4:30 pm
ASB Showgrounds!
Would you like to run a stall at the festival? Contact us now for information about how you can be involved. This will be a vibrant event with people from all over Auckland attending, all interested in the vegan and vegetarian way of life. Email or phone us now to register your interest.
National Vegetarian Centre and home of the Auckland Centre
Come and visit us for information and see our range of books, badges, magnets and stickers for sale, or just to have a chat. We are at 10 Warborough Avenue, Epsom, Auckland. Normal opening hours are Mondays to Thursdays, 10 am until 4:30 pm.
HAMILTON
Vegan potluck every Tuesday 7.30pm
Our pot lucks are an informal dinner of vegan food where like minded activists can share ideas, ask for input into community projects, and discuss issues such as those raised at the film screenings. For the street address and more information contact Sue on 021 0228 5323.
Free weekly film screenings of vegan, environmental, and human and animal rights documentaries
Wednesdays at 7 pm
Waimarie Community House (Hamilton East Community House), 53 Wellington Street, Hamilton
Contact Andrew for details of each week’s film.
Krishna Fest is held every Thursday 6 pm at 28 Sheridan Street in Silverdale, Hamilton. Come and enjoy good food and conversation – the food is all vegan.
Raglan
Vegan/Vegetarian Pot Luck Dinner
The dates for the potluck dinners in Raglan for 2010 are:
Saturday October 16th
Saturday December 11th ( last one for year)
Meet at 6.30pm and bring a vegan dish to share, plus the recipe of the dish for others to copy as there is much enthusiasm amongst our attendees to try new recipes.
For all vegetarians and those interested in learning about a vegetarian way of living.
Contact Loretta 07 825 8695 (evenings) for further information.
TAURANGA
There are lots of vegetarians and vegans in the Tauranga area – if you would like to start up a group or would be interested in being put in touch with other members in your area, please email NZVS National office.
PALMERSTON NORTH
Second to last Sunday each month – Shared Pot Luck Lunch
Social get-togethers for vegetarians and vegans. For details of the next event Email Helen or phone (06) 358-9470.
NEW PLYMOUTH
New Plymouth / Taranaki Vegetarians and Vegans
Friendly Get togethers and gatherings - A new group has formed for social events in your area. Would you like to be part of this new and enthusiastic group of people? They would love to hear from you! Please ring email Kim or phone her on 06 753 2554 or 027 325 2296.
Saturday 2nd October World Vegetarian Day Celebration
Join us for a meal at Loving Hut, 178 Devon St East, the day after World Vegetarian Day. Contact Kim to book. We look forward to seeing you.
WELLINGTON
To book any of our events or for more information, please phone Caroline after hours on 478-4665 or email us
Wellington Food and Lifestyle Festival
to celebrate World Vegetarian Day
Saturday, 2 October 2010, 10am to 4pm
St John’s Conference Centre, Cnr of Willis and Dixon Streets
Entry by gold coin donation.
The festival will include food and information stalls, speakers, films, cooking demonstrations and children’s activities.
We need your help! We are looking for:
- volunteers to help with a range of tasks, including putting up posters and distributing leaflets to help publicise the festival
- donations of good quality second hand books, in particular vegetarian/vegan cook books
If you can help, or have any books to donate, please contact the Wgtn NZVS secretary
Dinner at Nature Vegetarian
519 High Street Lower Hutt, 6pm Saturday 23rd October
To book please contact Caroline 478 4665 after hours
Raw Vegan Potluck Lunches
We meet on occasional Saturdays, from noon till 2pm at 128 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro.
For information about our next date please ring 387-8828.
ALL WELCOME
Wellington Vegetarian/Vegan Families Group For all children who are vegetarian/vegan and their parents/families. Time for the kids to get together and meet others like them. Feel free to use the email address below to say hello so that you can be placed on a contacts list and be kept up to date with upcoming dates.
For more details contact Claire 027-313-6266 / 565-3079 or Claire by email
Animal Rights and Wrongs, hosted by Debra Ashton and Eric Wolff – tune in every Saturday 11am, Wellington Access Radio 783am, to hear the latest news and keep up to date with local events and campaigns.You can listen live or download later:
NELSON
Join the Nelson vegetarian and vegan Meetup group. This is a way to meet new vegetarians in the Nelson area. Join us for dinners in vegetarian friendly restaurants, pot lucks, and other social events. Costs nothing to join! Just go to our Meetup page or email Diane for more information.
CHRISTCHURCH
Christchurch Vegetarian Expo,
Sun 26th Sept 10am-4.30pm at the Horticultural Hall.
Christchurch’s fourth Vegetarian Food And Lifestyle Expo, with many vegetarian food stalls, cookery demonstrations with free tasters, workshops, all-day films, information displays, vegetarian community groups, businesses and artists, a cafe, kids activities, great music, New Zealand’s biggest vegetarian sausage sizzle and much more.
All welcome. Adults $2.50, kids free.
Vegetarian Sausage Sizzle, Mitre 10, Ferrymead
Sat 4th Sept, 10am – 4pm
Our June Sausage Sizzle in the same location was highly successful and well-appreciated by members of the public and staff alike. Please come along and support the Vegetarian Youth Group, as well as purchasing some delicious sausages for only $3!
Pot Luck Dinner, Avon Loop Cottage
Fri 10th Sept, 7pm
The best value and yummiest meal in town! Come along to this cozy and informal setting and enjoy some great kai and conversation. $2 and a vegan dish to share.
Saturday, October 30th 7pm World Vegan Day Dinner
$30, Visions Restaurant - celebrate World Vegan Day with a three-course set menu dinner at Visions on Campus Restaurant. Always a grand night out.
Vegetarian Families Group
Bring your children for them to play, eat, and have fun with other vege kids, 10 am til noon at the Shirley Playcentre, 61 Chancellor Street. We meet approximately every two months, and the next date is Sunday November 7th. Please bring a plate of vegan morning tea food to share, plus $2 towards venue hire. For further information please contact Iain or Francesca, ph 981 5090.
Veggies Under Fives Play Group
We meet during the week for play and chat and morning tea. Babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers (with carers) are all welcome. Meetings are from 10 am til noon on Fridays – contact us for information about the next date. Contact us to be included in our Vegetarian Under 5’s email list or call or call 940 9483. Email: Under 5s Group
Vegetarian Youth Groups
Our groups are now run in three age groups, 10-13 years and 14-18 years. The groups get together fortnightly on Friday evenings for more fun, food and awesome times together as young vegetarian/vegans!
For more info and /or to get involved in any of the Vegetarian Youth Groups contact Jo
phone 382 0812, text 021 259 1549 or email Jo
Vege Puffs (Gay/Lesbian/Transgender) group dinner
This group has been meeting every two months for six years and new members are always welcome. We dine out at a great variety of delicious and good-value restaurants.
We’ve just met on Saturday 28th August. For the next date and more details contact us by email
Raw Vegan Group
Support and fun group for people interested in or already following a high raw vegan lifestyle in Christchurch. There are regular “rawluck” gatherings, plus other events. It’s a great chance to share recipe ideas, provide support for detox, and much more.
The next ‘rawlucks’ are Saturday 11th September and Saturday 24th.
For details on our next meeting, please refer to the raw vegan page on our website, or to join our email list, contact Karen on 343-2022.
Pot Luck Group
We meet once every two months for an informal vegan pot luck at the Avon Loop Cottage, 28 Hurley Street. A relaxing and friendly way to unwind after the working week with good food and great company. Contact us by email, or phone 940 9483; or just turn up at 7pm!
Contact the Christchurch Branch about any of these events.
Christchurch Branch Vegetarian Centre 141 Hereford St ph 940 9483
Open Monday – Friday 9 – 2 pm, late opening until 5 pm on Wednesday.
Drop by or call anytime to say hi, shop or browse our resources.
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
39th IVU World Vegetarian Congress
Jakarta, October 1st – 6th and Bali, October 7th-9th
For a programme and more details, go to the 2010 Congress website