Seattle Hempfest...2006

With Hempfest coming up soon I thought it would rock to review the story I wrote on it last year. We will be there again this year signing books and getting people baked but I will be like Waldo and if you want to get high with me its your job to find Waldo.


I have never been to a Pot Rally before but things came together this year and we decided to attend the Seattle Hempfest. 2006 The event is now in its 15th year and has grown from just a few hundred attendees to the largest event of its type. Over the years the event has featured many notable speakers including Woody Harrelson and many great musicians have stepped up for the cause including The Kottonmouth Kings, and Fishbone.
Jill and I drove up Friday and I must say there is slightly something amiss with Washington drivers, in no shape or fashion will they move out of the fast lane to allow faster traffic to pass this makes for quite and innerving experience as all the other drivers weave in and out making it look like Nascar. I had two incidents in which other drivers with children in there cars drove radically and acting generally like asshats. We managed to make it safely and had a great night at the Waterfront.
[FONT=&quot]We arrived about 9.30 and found parking in a garage close by. The event staff directed us in and we found the Media booth after wandering around a bit checking out the sites. We stopped by Hemporium and stoned some people that Jill knows from chat and then set out to find Steve and Sam and the Heads Magazine crew to have a proper wake and bake and a formal introduction. I guess Jill and I were still a bit ripped from the earlier session cause we walked right by Heads huge booth with a full size half pipe set up for skate boarders. Luckily stoners are the nicest people and when we told this cat with a cowboy hat that both of us were there covering the event for 2 separate magazines his face lit up and he wanted to show us where he had put the banners. Then he not only pointed us to the place but walked Jill over and introduced us to the Heads gang. There booth was the bomb looking directly onto the main stage and complete with the half-pipe in the rear. We received a warm welcome and after exchanging greetings got down to smoking them out with some 70 day budded 90 day cured Apollo-13. Sam and Steve were both so nice and I was blown away there publication is basically a 4 person team of close knit friends and relatives. After blazing a few joints and everyone was smiling and exchanging gifts we headed out to see the sites. [/FONT]

You will notice it is not packed being my first time as a reporter I wanted to make sure I got good shots so when you see an empty area in front of a stage believe me by 3.00 it was wall to wall stoners. As we started out my eye was attracted to all the cool ass signs and banners everywhere, I love the culture that surrounds Cannabis good vibes and eye candy were everywhere even the Hemp dog collar sign was cool as hell. There are vendors selling all forms of Hemp and Cannabis related stuff and we had to stop and take pics of this creative pothead and his 7 foot glass sectional bong. Glass is everywhere in every shape size and fashion even a degenerate lampworker with a bong called the waterworks that formed a vortex in the water and made almost a power peculation forming a water mist as he pulled on it. We were both amazed how large the venue was and in between the 3 stages there was just so much cool stuff I shot over 500 pictures trying to record the event. There was so much good food and treats I had 4 snow cones myself. From organic edibles to deep fried foot long hot dogs no one went hungry at this festival.

There was this booth set up with video cameras and you could rant on what ever you wanted, as we passed this dude with a Hippy Jihad shirt was just wailing about each state with bad laws or bad cops his rant went something like this “ Florida? Fuck Florida the’ll take your stash and kick you in the balls, now Indiana it’s the fucking worse they will beat you and jail you for one joint” He just kept ranting on each state then he ends with “ Now west coast that’s where its at!” He had some serious anger at the system.
[FONT=&quot]We walked along till we saw this awesome rainbow hammock that would hold 7 people and a really nice guy selling them. We smoked him up and gave him some cookies and left him smiling and looking like he needed a pot nap in his comfy hammock. We met so many cool people along the way and when we liked someone we asked if they wanted to get stoned. This continued until we reached the second stage that Joint above the stage that was just massive and with my THC content looked just cool as hell. We passed many cops as we walked around and I saw them hassle no one except people with Glass and or Booze it was reported no one was arrested for having or smoking weed.[/FONT]

We had a really great time walking around taking in all the sites and sounds and once we saw everything twice and took in a few speakers we headed over to Smoke some Jacks Cleaner with Jack Herer and Eddie Lepp. Even though they were very busy they were nice enough to take time to enjoy the joint we brought. Jill’s still talking about sharing the same joint with both famous men.



Does it get any cooler?

Our media pass gave us access to the stage and it was really cool taking pictures from the stage of both the performing bands and the on looking crowds. There were tents set up with food and sodas for those allowed in these areas, we kind of felt just a tiny bit like rock stars or at least paparazzi
By now the half-pipe was starting to get busy with skaters of all levels of talent and I took great delight in capturing them in air. I actually managed to get some really good action shots and two in particular as good or better than the ones I’ve seen in skate magazines. I have to hand it once again to the Heads crew what a killer idea to build a pipe to attract skaters who in turn provided entertainment. The event was so much fun I am sure I haven’t covered it all.

I need to report it has become very hard for the people behind the scenes to keep the event free to attend and this year the word is out help out or Hempfest may go away! If you live anywhere near Seattle make sure to donate for next years fest! If you have ever wanted to attend a pro Cannabis rally this is the event to put on your schedule or wish list!



Subcool

smoking with the man himself is cool.

nice job sub!!!!

Thanks Bigmike it was ahuge day for us.
You west coasters plan on stopping by.
We have a booth BTW its just a secret location near where Jack Speaks

Sub

I hope they don't shut it down next year. I wouldn't mind paying a buck or 2 to get in to help the cause. I'll have to drag my lazy ass up there one day. Great pics.

man, i love Hempfest, i don't live in Washington now but I grew up in seattle and Tacoma..I went to my first Hempfest back in 1995..and went a few times since...it was so awesome...me and my wife are going to try and get up there this year...hope it doesn't go away...that would suck.....it's been a great thing for so long.....