WAKE UP WEEKEND 2011–MARCH 10-12, GRAND RAPIDS, MI
All events are free and open to the public (excluding the optional vegan buffet at Brick Road Pizza on Saturday morning ($11.00) and the Adoption Benefit Show on Saturday evening ($6.00). Donations to defray costs are cheerfully accepted. Questions? Write to wakeupweekend@gmail.com.

Our annual two-day celebration of animal-friendly food, art, education, and advocacy brought to you by Bartertown Diner and Roc’s Cakes, Brick Road Pizza, Calvin College Students for Compassionate Living, ExtraVEGANza!, Farm Kind, Humane Society of GVSU, Not One Sparrow, VegWestMichigan, and VegFund.

THURSDAY, MARCH 10
7:30 pm–Carol J. Adams, “The Sexual Politics of Meat”
Covenant Fine Arts Center Recital Hall, Calvin College
A vegan reception and book signing follows the lecture.

Some 20 years ago, “feminist-vegetarian critical theory” was born in the groundbreaking publication of Carol J. Adams’s The Sexual Politics of Meat. Adams’s thesis is that meat-eating is a central symbol of the patriarchy, and that we can’t dismantle harmful systems of male domination until we recognize the link between how women are objectified and (visually) consumed and how animals are objectified and (literally) consumed. Adams’s powerful multi-media presentation is the result of two decades of her continued work mapping the interdisciplinary terrain opened by this provocative thesis across the fields of theology, philosophy, visual culture, literary theory, psychology, eco-feminism, and social work in domestic violence education and prevention.

FRIDAY, MARCH 11
3:00 pm–Nathan Runkle, “Inspiring Compassion”
Commons Annex Lecture Hall, Calvin College

Join the Founder and Executive Director of Mercy For Animals–one of the nation’s most influential animal advocacy organizations–for a workshop on how our current food system affects the interests of our fellow non-human creatures, and how our food choices can become powerful tools for cultivating the virtues of compassion, mercy, and good stewardship.

5:00 pm–“Compassionate Comestibles” Vegan Potluck**
Commons Annex Lecture Hall, Calvin College
Hosted by Students for Compassionate Living

At an event where omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans are coming together in fellowship, a vegan bill of fare insures that everyone can enjoy what’s on the menu! What’s your favorite vegan recipe? Bring a dish to share and find out where others come down on this appetizing question! Need a few ideas? Vegan Yum Yum, Post Punk Kitchen, and ChooseVeg never disappoint.

**Please help us to reduce our ecological footprint by bringing your own washable or recyclable dinnerware and perhaps an extra setting or two for our out-of-town guests and last-minute participants; a limited number of recyclables will be on hand for those without table service.

7:30 pm–Carol J. Adams, Animals and the Kingdom of God Lecture Series***
Fourth Annual Address: “Anthropomorphism: The Christian Double Standard”
Covenant Fine Arts Center Recital Hall, Calvin College
A vegan reception and book signing follows the lecture.

Anthropomorphism, roughly speaking, is the ascription of human-like traits to non-human beings. How does anthropomorphism figure into human attitudes and actions toward God, animals, and even other human beings? What are the potential risks and rewards of anthropomorphizing others and what recourse do Christians have upon acknowledging these prospects for re-imagining and deepening their relationships with God, human beings, and other animals? Come follow Carol J. Adams on a trailblazing journey through these and other fascinating related questions in a brand new presentation commissioned especially for this event!

***The Animals and the Kingdom of God Lecture Series is an independent event established by a friend of Calvin College and supported this year by additional help from Calvin College Gender Studies and The Office of Multicultural Affairs. Since the lecture is free and open to the public and likely to be of interest to Wake Up Weekend participants, the College has kindly permitted us to include Adams’ lecture on our program.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12
10:00 am–Harold Brown, “Veganic Agriculture”
Brick Road Pizza Company, 1017 Wealthy Street, Grand Rapids

Join Harold Brown, President of FarmKind and star of Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home, for a state-of-the-field discussion of recent developments in veganic agriculture–the practice of organic farming without the use of animals and their byproducts or the killing of free-living animals who reside on or around the farm.

11:30 am–Vegan Brunch
Brick Road Pizza Company, 1017 Wealthy Street, Grand Rapids

A vegan buffet of Brick Road brunch favorites: all you can eat for $11.00 (kids half price!). Need I say more?

1:00 pm–Ben DeVries, “Why Creation Care Needs Creature Care”
Brick Road Pizza Company, 1017 Wealthy Street, Grand Rapids

While many Christians are increasingly hospitable to the idea that environmental stewardship or “creation care” is an important aspect of Christian living, comparatively few have investigated the implications of that idea for their attitudes toward and practices concerning the non-human animal creatures with whom we share the Earth. Join Ben DeVries, founder of the web-based animal welfare organization Not One Sparrow: A Christian Voice for Animals, to learn more about why authentic “creation care” demands a serious commitment to “creature care”.

5:00 pm–Fifth Annual Vegan Chili Cookoff
Bartertown Diner and Roc’s Cakes, 6 Jefferson, Grand Rapids

In addition to the chili-time magic you’ve come to expect from you and your peers’ relentless pursuit of the perfect vegan chili, this year’s highly-anticipated cookoff will also feature eats and sweets compassionately crafted by our hosts–the good folks at Bartertown Diner and Roc’s Cakes. This event is open to the public and the privilege of tasting chilis and sampling Bartertown’s wares is completely free of charge. But if you want a shot at the bragging rights, there is an entry fee of $10 per chili payable at the event. As if you need any further incentive, first prize is $50 in Bartertown Bucks, a Guest Chef Internship at Bartertown, your chili on the menu, and a limited edition t-shirt. There will also be prizes for 2nd and 3rd place as well as for the coveted Chili-time People’s Choice Award.

If you plan to enter a chili into competition, please send an e-mail to chilicookoff@bartertowngr.com at your earliest convenience. In a pinch, you slackers out there can still register a chili on the day of the event, but it will greatly help our planning to know your intentions in advance. Please plan to have your chili on site and ready to eat by 4:30 pm.

8:00 pm–Adoption Benefit Show
featuring Damned Dogs, Radiator Hospital, and Royl Space
(106), 106 South Division, Grand Rapids

Your $6.00 admission gets you three musical acts for one great cause: our goal is to raise $420 to cover a year’s room and board at Sasha Farm for Moose, a former veal calf who will be relocating to the sanctuary later this month. Read all about it at our Adoption Benefit Show event page.

Questions? Need more information? Drop a line to wakeupweekend@gmail.com! See you at Wake Up Weekend 2011!