On the last Saturday in April, residents across California's Central Coast attended SLO EarthFest to celebrate Earth Day 2025. Despite light rain and late afternoon wind at San Luis Obispo's Meadow Park, festival-goers celebrated Earth Day with music, dancing, food trucks, and representation from groups fighting for animal, environmental, and human justice — including In Defense of Animals' Freedom Farms.

Representing In Defense of Animals were President Marilyn Kroplick and Animal Care & Programs Specialist Justin Cross, as well as new Freedom Farms' volunteer Gillian Kingery. Over the course of the day, hundreds of people visited our booth, which featured information about the organization’s history, our newest sanctuary Freedom Farms, our Vegan Starter Guide, and pictures of some of the wonderful animals we care for at Freedom Farms.

Attendees who stopped by the booth were also able to vote on the names of a few of these animals, including two of our residential cows and one of our peacocks. Name suggestions reached into the hundreds, and more than 40 people signed up to learn which names will be chosen, as well as other events and volunteer opportunities coming up at Freedom Farms.

Since January, Freedom Farms has been making substantial strides to grow the animal rights community on California's Central Coast. These efforts include a weekly Wednesday Music Bingo Night at Brightside Pizza in Los Osos, an upcoming music series in San Luis Obispo (details coming soon), a partnership with Vegan Outreach to promote the popular Vegan Chef Challenge initiative for the first time ever in San Luis Obispo County, and much more.

Visit Freedom Farms to learn more about the animals and the efforts we're making at our Creston-based sanctuary. Please consider donating today to help us build a shelter for our cows.

Let’s keep fighting for animals, including humans, and the environment!