SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) -- After many years on hiatus, one of Springfield’s most beloved community events has made its return. The vegan block party is back, showing how you can maintain a healthy lifestyle; without having to give up your favorite foods.

Sundays event, held on State Street and hosted by the non-profit ‘Flags for Health & Wellness’, brought together a vibrant mix of vegan food vendors, live entertainment, wellness resources, and family-friendly activities.

Western Mass News was at the block party, getting the chance to speak to Justin Yard; one of the organizers of the block party. There, he told us a little more about all these amazing dishes, “...And so we got vendors from all across New England, Connecticut, Boston. The list goes on. We want people to experience vegan food sometimes for the first time. I know that [there’s] easy and healthy ways to do that as well.”

As Yard explained, this event wasn’t held solely for vegans. With about 400 to 700 people in attendance, this was a chance for the community to learn more about food they may have never tried otherwise.

“We saw that the vegan community was dying out, not only in Springfield, but cities like Springfield, all across America, especially, that need it the most, right? And so, we look at vegan food as plant-based food. Plant-based food has a huge indicator on what we call pre-existing conditions like diabetes, cancer, all that great stuff. So, we try to make sure that we expose people to real food as much as possible so, we can change their mindset and also change their health as well,” he went on to explain.

Flags For Health & Wellness’s goal for a healthier community doesn’t end with food. The non-profit, aimed at building wellness knowledge within local African American communities, also hosts events teaching skills such as financial literacy and baby wearing.

If you would like to learn more, you can click here to visit their Facebook for more information.

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