Bus parked at Porcupine Hills Farm for the winter.
2009 was a transitional year for the Vegan Bus. We were often frustrated by mechanical difficulties, mainly having to do with the brakes and brake lines breaking, true to their nature. We were thwarted from bringing the bus to a planned July 4th event in Philadelphia and then the Farm Sanctuary Hoe Down in August. We still attended by car, and out of these adversities we grew stronger.
2009 is the year we formed a non-profit called Evolvegan to fund the bus, Vegan Radio, and other projects that combine art, media and outreach. We put together a really great board of directors to help us face the challenges of the future. We also got to get the bus out on the road in October. We were filmed by the Supreme Master TV for a documentary clip, and handed out vegan donuts and propaganda at the Ashfield Fall Festival (view the photos here).
group photo with the Vegan Bus and Supreme Master crews
Once the weather got too cold to run the bus we took it off the road and stored it at board member Heather Bargeron's farm, where it is (hopefully) sitting now. Founder and president Derek Goodwin migrated to New Orleans for the winter to form a southern base for the project. Not one to waste any time, he soon became the New Orleans Vegan Examiner and joined in helping organize the New Orleans VeggieFest. He is planning his return in May to begin working on upgrading the bus inside and out for a planned tour in July.
PROPOSED VEGAN BUS JULY 2010 TOUR:
July 4th daytime: Public Eye Philly's Kid's Club Vegan Barbeque in Philadelphia, PA
July 4th night-time: Vegan Drinks Philly in Philadelphia, PA
July 7-11: Vegetarian Summerfest in Johnstown, PA
July 15-19: Animal Rights 2010 National Conference in Alexandria, VA (near DC)
The Vegan Bus crew will also be making an appearance at the Veggie Pride Parade in NYC on May 16th. Unfortunately they won't allow the bus in the parade...
Stay tuned for updates on the tour, fund raising events and other shenanigans as the warm weather returns to New England and the bus wakes from hibernation!