The Surprising Trend at Outside Lands: Omnivores Choosing Plant-Based

This summer in San Francisco, one of the nation’s largest music festivals transformed into more than just a platform for music. It became a living example of how culture and sustainability can come alive side by side.

At Outside Lands, more than 200,000 people gathered for three days of music, art, and community, and left with a glimpse of how large-scale events can set new standards for food, culture, and sustainability.

Our team was invited to join the press to cover these efforts firsthand, with a special focus on plant-based food and festival initiatives.

Food 🥗

Among the 100 food vendors at the festival, nearly 60 percent offered at least one plant-based entrée. The variety showed just how far festival food has come. Visitors could dig into dishes like Aburasoba Bowls, Pad Thai, Sesame Noodles, and Empanadas, reflecting a wide range of global flavors.

What stood out most was who was ordering these meals. Vendors shared that the majority of customers choosing plant-based dishes were not vegetarian or vegan. Instead, they were people drawn to the flavor, health benefits, or environmental impact.

Om Sabor's owner, Dani, shared that they have been repeatedly invited back as a vendor at Outside Lands due to the positive response from their non-plant-based customers.

Our team was fortunate to interview Morgan Fitzgibbons, the director of sustainability at Outside Lands. He explained why the festival is a leader in sustainability, utilizing battery-powered and biodiesel-run generators, wind turbines, and eliminating single-use plastics. The festival featured refillable water stations and impressive composting and recycling efforts, achieving a waste diversion rate of around 90%.

They also prioritize sourcing products from local farmers and have a transportation plan that includes bike parking, shuttles, and partnerships with ride-sharing services to reduce car usage. Additionally, as part of this year’s mission, they showcased a dozen sustainability-oriented non-profits to share their missions with attendees. When asked for words of wisdom to share with student leaders, he said:

We also spoke with the directors of Flower Lands and Grass Lands, two experiential components of the park involved with the festival.

Shannon, the director of Flower Lands, mentioned that her booth created boutonnieres from local Northern Californian flowers as a way to reduce plastic waste and support local farmers. They also share sustainability tips about the flower industry to help consumers make better choices.

Dustin and Lauren, the directors of Grasslands, spoke about how their section integrates into the festival’s sustainability goals. They echoed Shannon's sentiment about supporting local farmers and providing opportunities for them to connect with consumers, stating, “A focus of ours is to bring small, craft, sungrown, and legacy farmers here in addition to well-known brands."

Outside Lands has shown that music festivals are not merely about entertainment; they serve as powerful cultural platforms where ideas, values, and movements can take root and flourish. By prioritizing plant-based food and sustainability, Outside Lands is igniting conversations, shifting mindsets, and demonstrating that living in harmony with the planet can be joyful, and delicious, .

Similar to Lollapalooza, if this is the direction the festival scene is heading, we are fully supportive and excited to be there, front row.

- Jeremy & Sean