Oooh, Legos!

Hempfest's problem is a p.r. problem for all of us. I don't like Hempfest, so I don't go. But I also don't like the fact that Hempfest is the public face of marijuana users in Washington state. It makes us all look like dumbasses and is counterproductive in trying to convince legislators (and their constituents) that pot smokers can be intelligent, productive people: lawyers and cops and teachers.

Basically, what Fnarf said. Put Rick Steves in charge and woo the middle class.

Hempfest is in Seattle - summer fun, better than the block party and free and could get stoned - WOW - Bumpershoot is 40.00 a day now, I think the pot people are doing us all a favor, free digs and getting stoned with thousands of friends, how horrible can that be?

All you main stream pot smokers are an insult to a good high

Curious, what is the mainstream version of good sex?

I believe that would follow the "sex is like pizza" analogy...

Brendan, regardless of what Rick Steves and his pot-smoking churchmates say, I think a lot of the folks you talk about (teachers, lawyers, etc.) haven't smoked pot since college, at best. Granted, I'm basing this off of the teachers and lawyers that I know. For these guys, they say they would (smoke pot now and then), but they don't for two reasons:
1. They're afraid of losing their jobs or getting arrested.
2. Frankly, they can't find any. They aren't hippies in drum circles and they don't live on Capitol Hill. So, they don't have the connections.

Take the act of obtaining pot here away from this select few, and you'll bring in the middle class you're seeking. They don't hear about Hempfest until it's already happening. For now, they're content to simply remember pot from college, and drink their livers away. For the folks I know in that situation, it's exactly what they're doing.

We'd rather not moderate your comments, but off-topic, gratuitously inflammatory, threatening, or otherwise inappropriate remarks may be removed, and repeat offenders may be banned from commenting. We never censor comments based on ideology. Thanks to all who add to the conversation on Slog.

But regardless, my point isn't whether one event is better than another. My point is that Hempfest seems well in control of their public image - just about all of the Hempfest coverage I've seen has been extremely positive. The local mainstream media has gone out of their way to describe the weekend as calm and law-abiding, with the obvious exception proving the rule.

The only griping I see about the event is right here on the Slog. As much as I may agree with you that hippies are an anachronism, there is simply no denying that the festival attracts stoners and the people who hang with them. And Hempfest's association with that peace-loving demographic hasn't hurt Hempfest's cause one bit, except among a tiny group of non-conformist journalists.

Seriously, I want to go to a pot event that has Mr. Poe clones.

@12
HempFest is all volunteers. It looks that way because that's the culture the volunteers come from. If you wanna change it, come volunteer the other 11 months out of the year. There are many on the Core staff who are far from hippies, never wear tie-dye, don't listen to reggae or the Dead, etc. Come join us, I've got numerous volunteer opportunities at the DanceSafe stage for ya if you want 'em.

@12
HempFest is all volunteers. It looks that way because that's the culture the volunteers come from. If you wanna change it, come volunteer the other 11 months out of the year. There are many on the Core staff who are far from hippies, never wear tie-dye, don't listen to reggae or the Dead, etc. Come join us, I've got numerous volunteer opportunities at the DanceSafe stage for ya if you want 'em.