World Village Festival Serves Only Plant-Based Food

The sustainable development festival transitioned smoothly to an all-vegetarian menu. The change had been under consideration for several years, and audience feedback had already begun to question the sale of meat-based dishes at the event.

In summer 2024, the World Village Festival, held in Suvilahti, Helsinki, adopted a fully plant-based food policy, banning the sale of dishes containing meat, poultry, or seafood. Food vendor selection now prioritises those offering vegan, organic, and locally sourced products. In addition, vendors commit to replacing conventional ingredients with Fair Trade alternatives where possible.

The decision to go plant-based was the result of several years of reflection. Visitors had already expressed surprise in feedback surveys that a sustainable development-themed festival would sell meat. In 2024, the number and variety of food vendors remained consistent with previous years: the event featured 46 food vendors, a quarter of whom served exclusively vegan dishes.

The festival’s 45,000 attendees enjoyed flavours from Tibetan, Senegalese, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Finnish cuisines. Visitor surveys showed strong support: 87 percent said they were very or extremely interested in the plant-based offering, and the same number reported plans to sample dishes from global cuisines during the event.

More information: