The ninth annual Wonderful Wizards of Raw, a celebration of raw food that offers vendors, speakers, entertainment and a raw chef competition will take place June 3 through 5.

Produced by Tassili’s Raw Reality Café, a vegan restaurant in the West End, this year’s festival theme is Return to the Garden: Mother Nature’s Remedy to Build Immunity. More farmers have agreed to speak and share their wares—five and counting—than any previous year. 

The festivities kick off with The Libation at Cascade Springs Nature Preserve on Friday afternoon. The Libation, held from 4 to 8 p.m., is an opportunity to come together as a community, take a nature walk, partake in libations, and enjoy music, drumming and dancing. 

The festival’s main event will be held in the backyard of Tassili’s Raw Reality Café, located at 1059 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard. Saturday and Sunday hours are from 1 to 11p.m. 

Referring to this year’s theme, Tassili Ma’at, founder and owner of Tassili’s Raw Reality Café, says: “We need to stress the importance, at this time, of being in alignment in with nature. It’s about eating right, getting sunshine and fresh air, drinking clean water, taking supplements and taking care of Mother Earth. Just as we pick up litter to keep the planet healthy, we need to keep litter out of our bodies.”

Early-bird pricing for vendors runs through May 14. The festival is offering a savings of $50 on one-day and two-day booth slots. For more information, visit Bit.ly/WWR-2022

Disclosure: Natural Awakenings is a sponsor of the Wonderful Wizards of Raw.