I know today is Hug a Vegetarian Day and all, but if it's OK with you, I'd prefer to eat my Tofurkey sandwich in peace. Instead of making others squirm through objectionable human-on-human contact, let's just meet at Chicago VeganMania tomorrow at the Broadway Armory (5917 N. Broadway) and collectively stuff our faces full of tofu and vegan cheese. The festival (which has free admission) runs from 10 AM till 5 PM and features chef demos, speakers and workshops, and, most importantly, an expansive all-things-vegan food court.

Highlights from the food court include Arya Bhavan, Ras Dashen, Urban Vegan, Nadamoo!, the Vegan Food Truck, Native Foods, the Chicago Diner (of course), Soul Veg, and the seitan slingers at Upton's Naturals. The spectacular also has a load of exhibitors, like Montalbano Farms, Vegan Chicago Meetup, Karyn's Fresh Corner, and Chicago Vegan Foods, who produce the delicious Temptation Vegan Ice Cream.

Ryan and Mary Howard of the aforementioned Chicago Vegan Foods will be giving a demo at 11 AM and the "Vegan Black Metal Chef"—basically a dude composing hilarious black metal songs with vegan-recipe lyrics —will be schooling everyone on Satan's affinity for vegan cuisine around 1 PM.

And honestly if you want to hug me while I'm plowing through some bhindi masala or a vegan dagwood from the Chicago Diner, I probably won't stop you.