The event was founded in 2003 by individuals who shared an interest in vegetable powered vehicles.[4] It held on the grounds of Peter Pratt's Inn, a historic landmark.[5][6] According to James Pratt, founder of the event, while the original event hosted only eight people interested in discussing alternatives to gas, each successive incarnation of the Greasestock celebration has drawn more and more visitors from all over the United States who are interested in cheaper gas, cleaner energy, and helping the environment.[7]
The "Veggie Van", a project of V.O. Tech Inc. of Mahpoac, New York and the Westchester County Government, is one of the exhibits at the Greasestock event.[10] The van gets its fuel from a local restaurant, and the food filtered out of the vegetable oil is used as compost at the County's Hanover Farm in Yorktown, New York.[11][12]
