World Vegan Day is an internationally recognized event held on November 1st each year, marking the start of World Vegan Month. The day was created to celebrate veganism and promote awareness of its benefits for the planet, our health, and animals. It’s a moment to reflect on the positive impact of a plant-based lifestyle and encourage others to explore this compassionate and sustainable way of living.
By the way, we have a complete list of vegan and vegetarian national days in one place. Also, if you’re interested in more, check out our full list of national food days.
History of World Vegan Day
The roots of World Vegan Day go back to 1994, when Louise Wallis, chair of The Vegan Society in the UK, established it to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the society’s founding and the coining of the word “vegan.”
The term itself was created by Donald Watson and his fellow members in 1944, combining the first and last letters of “vegetarian” to signify the beginning and end of a diet that excludes animal products. What started as a small movement has grown into a global lifestyle embraced by millions.
The Rise of Veganism
Veganism, in its essence, is more than just a diet. It is a philosophy and way of living that seeks to exclude, as far as possible, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. As more people become aware of the environmental damage caused by animal agriculture, the health risks associated with heavy meat consumption, and the ethical issues surrounding animal cruelty, the appeal of a plant-based lifestyle continues to expand.
When Is World Vegan Day Observed?
World Vegan Day is celebrated every year on November 1st, kicking off World Vegan Month. It’s a great opportunity to explore plant-based living, try new recipes, or join a local event. Mark your calendar with the upcoming dates to ensure you’re ready to take part in the celebrations, year after year!
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2024 | November 1, Friday |
| 2025 | November 1, Saturday |
| 2026 | November 1, Sunday |
| 2027 | November 1, Monday |
| 2028 | November 1, Wednesday |
| 2029 | November 1, Thursday |
| 2030 | November 1, Friday |
How World Vegan Day is Celebrated
Many cities host vegan food festivals to celebrate the day, where attendees can sample a variety of plant-based dishes. For example, at past festivals in cities like London, visitors have enjoyed dishes like jackfruit BBQ sandwiches, dairy-free ice cream, and rich chocolate desserts. These events often offer a great way to discover new flavors and meet people passionate about veganism.
For a more personal celebration, some choose to host vegan-themed dinner parties. A fun idea is to challenge guests to bring a creative dish they’ve never made before, like a cashew-based cheesecake or mushroom wellington. It’s a simple way to explore plant-based cooking while sharing delicious food with loved ones.
From festivals to at-home cooking, World Vegan Day is about exploring and celebrating the creativity of plant-based living.
Before You Go:
We have many more national days lists for you to explore.
- Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, mushroom days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
- Non-food national days: National Days Calendars 2024-2025 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, cleaning & organizing days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
- Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.
