Chimera Veg Fest

Chimera Veg Fest lands at Brixia Forum in Brescia on 11-12 April 2026, marking another step up for what has quickly become one of northern Italy's most talked-about plant-based weekends. Where many vegan fairs cluster around food alone, Chimera deliberately mixes three worlds, gastronomy, culture and activism, in a single venue, and the result feels closer to a community gathering than a trade show.

The festival is independent, self-funded and free to attend (tickets are distributed via Eventbrite for capacity control). That independence shows up in the programming. Expect producers, artisans, chefs, activists and sanctuary founders sharing a floor with book publishers, ethical-fashion labels and animal-rights organisations. After the success of the 2025 edition, organizers have confirmed that 2026 will expand both the vendor count and the talks schedule, with conferences, concerts, workshops and a signature "tattoo circus" running across both days. The Body & Mind area hosts yoga, meditation and holistic practitioners, and there's an ongoing raffle whose proceeds feed back into activist campaigns.

Food-wise, Chimera leans on northern Italian traditions translated to plant-based: fresh pasta, regional cheeses, pizza from wood-fired vans, and a growing selection of gelato and pastry producers. The festival publishes a full vendor list on its website closer to the date.

The Brixia Forum itself is a modern convention centre on the southern edge of Brescia, an easy drive from Milan (around 90 minutes), Verona (50 minutes) and most of Lombardy. The venue has large free parking and is served by shuttle buses from Brescia train station during festival weekends. Everything is indoors, which makes April dates reliable regardless of weather, Lombardy springs can be rainy, and keeps acoustics tight for the music programme.

Kids are explicitly welcomed, with a family-friendly atmosphere and accessible facilities, though Chimera is less child-focused than outdoor festivals like Vegan Fest Terrassa or FAVA. The crowd skews toward 25-45 adults and activist circles, but the tone is warm and inclusive rather than insider-y.

Practical tips: go early on Saturday for the best talks, and save Sunday afternoon for food when queues thin out. Brescia itself has a lovely medieval centre (UNESCO-listed Santa Giulia monastery) and pairs well with a weekend trip to Lake Garda, 30 minutes east.