St. Paul Festival Offers Fun with a Dose of Wellness

Learning about healthy living doesn’t have to feel like homework.

At V-Fest—set for Saturday, July 22, at Arts Us in St. Paul—attendees can sample plant-based food from local businesses, watch cooking tutorials and talk to health experts. The V stands for vitality.

AARP Minnesota is sponsoring the festival to promote healthy living, cultivate wellness and raise awareness about health disparities in communities of color. The free event will also feature live entertainment, games, giveaways and an AARP table with informational material. Restaurants and other vendors will have food for purchase.

Hosted by Living Naturally Abundant, an organization focused on improving health and wellness among African Americans, V-Fest aims to augment state efforts to reduce racial health disparities. The goal is to encourage healthy living choices at the community and individual levels. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the state is among the healthiest in the country but also has substantial health disparities between people of color and their white counterparts.

V-Fest will run from noon to 5 p.m., at 1221 Marshall Ave., St. Paul. Learn more at aarp.org/mnevents or vfestmn.com.

—Mary Van Beusekom