Seattle Hempfest | |
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![]() Seattle city council member Nick Licata speaking at the 2009 Seattle Hempfest | |
Genre | Political |
Frequency | Annually |
Location(s) | Myrtle Edwards Park, Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Years active | 32 |
Inaugurated | August 1, 1991 |
Previous event | 10 October 2020 | – 11 October 2020
Attendance | 100,000 |
Budget | $1,000,000 |
Organised by | Seattle Events, a Non-Profit Corporation |
Member | Hempfest Central Seattle Peace Heathens Community Action Group |
Website | www |
Seattle Hempfest is an annual event in the city of Seattle, Washington (and the world's largest[1] annual gathering) advocating the legalization of cannabis.[2] Vivian McPeak serves as the organization's executive director. Founded in 1991 as the Washington Hemp Expo,[3][4] a self-described "humble gathering of stoners" attended by only 500 people,[4] and renamed the following year as Hempfest,[3] it has grown into a three-day annual political rally, concert, and arts and crafts fair[5] with attendance typically over 100,000. Speakers have included Seattle city council member Nick Licata,[4] actor/activist Woody Harrelson (2004),[4] travel writer and TV host Rick Steves (2007), (2010),[4][6] 2012 Green Party speaker Jill Stein, Dallas Cowboys center Mark Stepnoski (2003),[4][7] and former chief of the Seattle Police Department Norm Stamper (2006).[3] Hempfest has also in recent years attracted such well-known performers as Fishbone (2002),[8] The Kottonmouth Kings (2004),[9] Rehab (2006),[10] and Pato Banton (2007)[11] to its five stages[12] spread throughout Myrtle Edwards Park and Elliott Bay Park, on Seattle's waterfront.[12][13]