ALL NEWS
August 8-9, 2026
Veggie Fest 2026: A Celebration of Healthy Living and Inner Peace
Lisle, Illinois
Lisle, Illinois — August 8-9, 2026 — Thousands of visitors gathered at Danada South Park in Lisle, Illinois, for Veggie Fest 2026, one of North America’s largest vegetarian food and wellness festivals. Science of Spirituality served as the Host Sponsor in partnership with the Institute for Meditation and Inner Harmony (IMIH), joined by numerous sponsors, community organizations, and more than 100 vendors and exhibitors who helped bring the festival to life. The two-day celebration brought together good food, healthy living, meditation, music, education, and family fun.
Throughout the weekend, families enjoyed vegetarian and vegan cuisine from around the world, cooking demonstrations, live music, children’s activities, a bustling marketplace, and presentations by physicians, scientists, nutrition experts, and wellness educators. Interest in meditation was especially strong, with visitors gathering at the Learn to Meditate tents, exploring the Science of Spirituality exhibit, and taking shuttle tours of the nearby Science of Spirituality International Meditation Center.
The centerpiece of the weekend was two keynote addresses by Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj. On Saturday, in Calm Your Mind, Awaken Your Spirit, the spiritual Master explained that while the turmoil and distractions of the outer world disturb our peace, meditation helps us turn our attention within and awaken to our true nature as soul. As we experience the divine Light and Sound of God within, he said, the soul’s innate qualities of peace, love, joy, and compassion begin to express themselves more fully in our lives.
On Sunday afternoon, severe storms and flood warnings forced the outdoor festival to close early. Science of Spirituality immediately opened the doors of its nearby International Meditation Center to provide shelter for festival visitors, and almost 2,000 people made their way to the Center. Volunteers welcomed the unexpected guests, organized tours, and transformed what could have been simply an evacuation from the storm into an afternoon of hospitality and fellowship.
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji’s Sunday keynote, Discovering Stillness and Joy through Meditation, was subsequently moved to the Center’s Main Hall. He spoke of humanity’s search for happiness and explained that lasting joy cannot be found in the ever-changing world outside but in discovering the divine treasures within. Through meditation, he said, we can still the waves of the mind, experience the divine Light, and find a peace that gradually transforms every aspect of our lives.
Following the talk, Science of Spirituality volunteers served a lovingly prepared vegetarian langar to all in attendance. Hundreds of visitors who had never before entered the International Meditation Center thus had an unexpected opportunity to experience its peaceful atmosphere, learn meditation, and share a meal together.
Veggie Fest 2026 ended differently than anyone had planned. What began beneath the summer skies of Danada South Park concluded beneath the golden dome of the Science of Spirituality International Meditation Center, where an unexpected storm became an opportunity to put the festival’s message of compassion, selfless service, and care for others into practice.
About Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is a world-renowned Spiritual Master, meditation teacher, and humanitarian who has spent decades traveling across six continents presenting the ancient science of meditation as a practical path to inner transformation and direct spiritual experience. Through public talks, retreats, humanitarian initiatives, and educational programs, he continues to share a universal message of love, inner transformation, and direct spiritual experience with audiences across cultures, faiths, and generations.
About Science of Spirituality
Science of Spirituality is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming lives through meditation, spiritual development, and selfless service. All meditation classes, public talks, retreats, and spiritual programs are offered free of charge and are open to people of all backgrounds.
For more information about upcoming programs and free meditation classes, visit www.sos.org.
