Slog - Comments on Statues of Limitations

Comment by Pointing out the obvious

Pointing out the obvious — Mon, 28 May 2007 14:51:42 -0800

I hate to break it to the people at SAM but just about any day at the Olympic Sculpture Park is hemp fest. Especially that decomposing log, its nature and its art!

Comment by Jude Fawley

Jude Fawley — Mon, 28 May 2007 20:36:41 -0800

I am just curious, but what makes Myrtle Edwards the only park in Seattle adequate for the festival? Just wondering...

Comment by Dominic Holden

Dominic Holden — Mon, 28 May 2007 21:17:16 -0800

Hey, Jude... The only public parks in Seattle that can accommodate big events are Gasworks, Volunteer and Myrtle Edwards Parks. Other parks are too small, too far from public transportation, and/or not landscaped for large events (like Lincoln and Magnuson Parks).

Gasworks won't work for Hempfest because it's right in the middle of a neighborhood with limited access. 4th of July is held there but the traffic turns Wallingford into a total clusterfuck; the neighbors would freak out if the city tried to put another big event there, particularly one that lasted two days. Volunteer Park is also in the middle of a neighborhood and is covered in luscious lawns, so the city has stymied Hempfest's efforts to move there and prevented the Pride festival from expanding to two full days.

Myrtle Edwards Park is workable because it is near lots of buslines, surrounded by parking spaces, has relatively few residential neighbors, and is landscaped to handle the event's huge crowds and hundreds of vendors.

Comment by George

George — Mon, 28 May 2007 21:55:20 -0800

...need to add Garfield playfield to the list - very big, but out of the way and owned by the schools....hence no dealing with the parks system, which is all set up for many events.

... gay pride went to two days years ago, but Volunteer is a specimen park, showcase, and I think pride is the only large user event ever granted a permit to use it for large events.

...much lobbying of city hall after the Weekly story of several weeks ago...very cogent and focused ... which raised the issue of ending ALL big events in Myrtle Edwards because of the right of way problems, not just Hemp Fest...

On to the people's use of parks, big and small ....

Comment by George

George — Mon, 28 May 2007 21:55:26 -0800

...need to add Garfield playfield to the list - very big, but out of the way and owned by the schools....hence no dealing with the parks system, which is all set up for many events.

... gay pride went to two days years ago, but Volunteer is a specimen park, showcase, and I think pride is the only large user event ever granted a permit to use it for large events.

On to the people's use of parks, big and small ....

Comment by George

George — Mon, 28 May 2007 21:55:29 -0800

...need to add Garfield playfield to the list - very big, but out of the way and owned by the schools....hence no dealing with the parks system, which is all set up for many events.

... gay pride went to two days years ago, but Volunteer is a specimen park, showcase, and I think pride is the only large user event ever granted a permit to use it for large events.

On to the people's use of parks, big and small ....

Comment by burnout

burnout — Tue, 29 May 2007 02:31:28 -0800

i think, like man, we all imagine, collectively, a yellow brick road, goin from myrtle to discovery, turn up some pink floyd, and follow

Comment by Lord Nigel Featherston

Lord Nigel Featherston — Tue, 29 May 2007 09:44:49 -0800

Floyd....wow, man.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Tue, 29 May 2007 10:10:08 -0800

A spliff in the statue park is what makes Seattle fun!

Besides, if you're not high, you're not really appreciating it.

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Tue, 29 May 2007 12:03:39 -0800

why does there need to be a hempfest? isnt seattle trying to be something more than an overgrown northwest pot haven?

Comment by Dominic Holden

Dominic Holden — Tue, 29 May 2007 12:21:41 -0800

Good question, @10. I was just wondering the same thing about gay pride. Isn't Seattle trying to be something more than a big, sweaty gay bar? For real. In fact, political rallies and festivals should be eradicated entirely. Historically, they haven't served a function. And when it comes to American drug policy, we have a best case scenario as it is: it's racially biased, exorbitantly expensive, consumes limited law enforcement resources, and totally ineffective to boot. Why bother changing it?

Comment by Dougsf

Dougsf — Tue, 29 May 2007 13:33:35 -0800

Wasn't it at Volunteer Park forever? And c'mon... Floyd? That'd be a BEST case scenario... you'd be closer guessing something from the 90's I bet. Whatever, as long as all the stoners are nice to the statues, what's the big deal?

Comment by meh

meh — Tue, 29 May 2007 13:48:21 -0800

Why have a Hempfest? Uh... could it be that pesky first ammendment? Hempfest may be a political pot rally, but it's also a HUGE free speech event.

Nah, I guess we don't need those.

If you've never been to a Hempfest, you'll see more than the stoner kids sleeping it off on the lawn. There's political speakers, roundtable discussions, great music and vendors galore. It's like Bumbershoot, only with a slightly funny smell.

Comment by sharon citti

sharon citti — Thu, 31 May 2007 06:34:18 -0800

Fourth of Julivar's is gone. The historic trolly is gone. Now SAM wants Hempfest gone. The Hammering man is ponding our city's cultural events. Chipping away at them until they, in two cases, now no longer exist.

SAM has not followed it's charter and should be admonished for his. Why not just allow use of the "high" road and move on to other things. Why continue to make this an issue when it's so easily resolved? It just makes no sense!

Seattle is a dynamic city and deserves a diversity of events.

Art is supose to be inclusive and free flowing, not used as a catalyst to damage our city's cultural lime light.

Comment by dmsn ritfbqcg

dmsn ritfbqcg — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:55:29 -0800

thgl wqna rogd lyaip oprcdu locjx kilgmhcp

Comment by zpwcsy ykild

zpwcsy ykild — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:56:33 -0800

qfextgsu dirhcpga fbvtyzoe msgwv weaoncd bnfomk yuax inkep eaoil