Come visit Friends of Animals at our table at the Seed event in New York City Aug. 9-10. The Seed promises two days of vegan exploration for vegans, the vegan-curious and the vegan-skeptical. In addition to being able to sample plant-based food from some of New York’s famed vegan restaurants, attendees will also get inspiration from world-renowned speakers, including champion athletes, authors and top chefs. They will also get to watch award-winning films, participate in cooking demonstrations and discover the vast market of cruelty-free products and services. 

Among the speakers is Kathy Stevens, founder and director of Catskill Animal Sanctuary. She is also the author of two critically and popularly-acclaimed books, Where the Blind Horse Sings and Animal Camp, a blogger on farm animal issues for the Huffington Post, and a frequent contributor to books and articles on farm animals, vegan living and related issues. 

There are also several health and wellness speakers, including Matt Frazier, founder of No Meat Athlete, a website that provides training tips, recipes, advice on how to transition to a plant-based lifestyle and the occasional dose of inspiration. He is also the author of No Meat Athlete: Run on Plants and Discover Your Fittest, Fastest, Happiest, Self.

Robert Ostfeld, co-creator of The Cardiac Wellness Program, will also be on hand to discuss his unique, nutrition-centered approach to the management of cardiovascular disease. The program aims to prevent and reverse heart disease with a whole food/plant-based diet.

Friends of Animals will have vegan cookbooks on hand as well as tote bags, t-shirts, buttons, vegan starters guides, and the latest edition of Action Line magazine, which features a story on vegan Smartphone apps, vegan fashion house Vaute Couture and a profile on Ethan Brown, founder of Beyond Meat, a company that makes plant-based meats. 

The hours for Seed, which will be held at 82 Mercer St., are Sat.  Aug 9 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sun. Aug 10, from 10 a.m.  to 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 per day. Visit www.theseedexperience.com.