Last Friday, Aug. 16, Myrtle Edwards Park was filled with stoners, legalization supporters, medical-marijuana advocates and, of course, smoke for the 22nd-annual Seattle Hempfest.
The weekend-long event opened at noon to sun and crowds of people.
Hempfest expanded throughout most of the park and featured booths selling smoking devices and food. In addition, three stages featured talks by various pot advocates and bands playing for the crowds.
As I walked into the park, I was greeted by the smell of sweet and musky smoke partially provided by a barbecue stand, one of the many food vendors.
At noon, the festivities were just starting, and a speaker on the main stage was warning festival-goers about the dangers of dehydration and heatstroke.
“If you see anyone shivering, sweating or looking like they are about to pass out, it may be heatstroke,” he said.
Hempfest director Vivian McPeak estimated 50,000 to 85,000 people showed up each day; this was apparently not a big change from last year.
“We were bracing for record numbers this year but didn’t really see that,” McPeak said.
I made my way to the press tent, where I was given a water bottle, a packet of information about the fest and a press pass appropriately affixed with a hemp string for wearing around my neck.
I set out to try to find the Seattle Police officers who were reportedly handing out bags of Doritos. On the chip bags were cards with information about the new legal pot laws. I didn’t find the officers or the chips, possibly because the Doritos had already run out.
I did find a lot of people smoking and enjoying a sunny afternoon at the park. A shaved-ice stand near the main stage had a growing line where people smoked as they waited. The first year of the event post-pot-legalization seemed to be a hit.
The stages hosted marijuana activists, along with 117 musical acts over the three-day festival. Mayor Mike McGinn spoke, as did city attorney Pete Holmes, who championed the pot-legalization initiative that passed last December.
The music included sets by Everlast and DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, along with local acts Windowpane and Lisa Dank.
“Lisa Dank showed up with stripper poles, and two women did pole acts on the main stage during her performance — that was a first,” McPeak said. “Hempfest is more peace, love, and understanding than sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. But that stuff does seep its way in.
“It was a big success. We got international news coverage this year. Marijuana legalization is happening,” she said.
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