YESTERDAY AT WRIGHT PARK >>>
Yesterday in Tacoma Wright Park played host to the second annual Tacoma Hempfest -- organized by Justin Prince, Cat Jeter and Kevin Heiderich.
Our preview cover story of the event can be found here.
As Liesl Deisel and I stopped to get feathers crimped into our hair by beautiful Olympia native, Ashley Gordon, one of the booth's workers called out, "Head's up!" and everyone scurried to cover glass pipes with blankets and towels. I eased my way against the glass cabinet housing more pipes, hoping my body would shield the goods from view.
Once Tacoma Police had walked by the area and an "all clear" was given, the blankets came off and bodies crowded the booth of glass pipes - with business going back to normal.
Gordon then began to tell us a story that became an almost duplicate story told by every other glass vendor at Tacoma Hempfest that day.
Apparently, Tacoma Hempfest event organizers approached the City of Tacoma requesting permission to hold their hemp-themed festival -- including glass art, incense, t-shirts and more items of the hemp-like would be sold, while a main stage supported live music and I-1149 petitioners requested signatures.
The City of Tacoma agreed to the festival, took the thousands of dollars in fees, and asked organizers to staff (read: pay) more police officers for security reasons.
What Hempfest organizers and vendors didn't realizes is that they were apparently paying the city to shut them down.
Across an alley of vendors, Justin Steglitz, owner of Tacoma's Hippie House, tells me that the festival began at 11 a.m., and by 11:06 a.m. he was given a citation for possession of paraphernalia. According to Steglitz, the police officers confiscated an incense holder with marijuana leaves on it, two glass pipes, some marijuana-scented incense, and grabbed the marijuana-leaf lei right off his neck - without even asking.
Unlike Steglitz and his crew who were out to brave the storm and simply covered up their goods each time police officers passed, other vendors who were ticketed simply shut down and went home. Owner of Tacoma's Green Room, JT, tells me that's exactly what she had to do.
Although she wasn't ticketed, outrage was palpable from the three (out of ten) glass blowers she brought to the festival who did receive tickets from the Tacoma Police. All ten of JT's glass blowers decided to leave the event, and were gone by 2 p.m.
Tacoma Hempfest goers were also told by the police that anyone caught purchasing such marijuana-related goods would be ticketed as well.
The mood of the vendors and attendees at the event seemed solemn and angry, yet somehow full of pride and resilience. Overall, what was meant to be a happy community event on a gorgeous, sunny summer day in one of the city's nicest parks turned into a battle of citizens versus government.
Saddened by the day's events, I hope to express to each local business owner who paid event fees (upwards of $400 each booth) that I, along with a vast majority of our community, will not cease to support you.
Weekly Volcano photographer Patrick Snapp was out and about at yesterday's pro-cannabis rally, and snapped these pictures of the action ...
PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick Snapp