Not even a full year has gone by, and Canada’s largest plant-based event already made a return appearance to the Vancouver Convention Centre West on the weekend to celebrate an animal-free and sustainable lifestyle.

The droves of eager visitors is a testament to the popularity of the show, last making an appearance here in late November, as well as the overall movement. Again, over 200 vegan edible and lifestyle businesses set up booths offering small bites and sips, products for sale and more. The latest edition also featured many new faces and exhibitors showcasing interesting items like Grounded People, a local company specializing in ethical footwear almost made entirely by hand.

Aside from vendors, there was a robust speaker schedule packed with industry experts sharing knowledge about the power of a plant-based diet, the future of food, ultra-veganism and many other relevant topics.

“We see the Planted Expo as an event to bring together like-minded people and those interested in learning how to live a plant-based lifestyle,” said co-owner Stevan Mirkovich in a media release. “Our weekend speakers are leading voices in the culinary, documentary, naturopathic and fitness world.”

Entrants were not left hungry as the samples were again out in full force. Highlights include sandwiches served by JUST Egg, a California company which sells a liquified mung-bean-derived product that when cooked up, looks and scrambles just like a chicken egg; TMRW Food’s beef-like Bold Smoky Barbecue Protein Shreds; and Gruvi craft non-alcoholic beer and wine brewed right in Greater Vancouver.

This latest show represents the eighth iteration of the popular expo, before it heads east to Ontario on April 29 to 30 at the Toronto Enercare Centre.