Support Your Local Hempfest From the First Emerald Empire HempFest in Eugene to The BIG ONE in Seattle - Of, By and For the People The year is 2003, it’s Eugene. It' s the summertime. And something’s … missing. Ah, a Hempfest! Putting on Eugene’s first official Hempfest is meant to bring something back to the city and the region, and bring something to embrace the unique forefront in Northwest culture that exists here today. This is scheduled to be a free one-day event with vendors, food, and live entertainment for the community and visitors across the west coast - all with legal permission and recognized by the City of Eugene. The first annual Emerald Empire HempFest will be at the Alton Baker Park, Eugene, Oregon Sat July 19, 2003 from 10am-10pm. It will be a free to the public event, although they' ll need to collect a nominal fee for parking, and they have a vendor providing free artesian water. All of the bands are providing the music at no cost, so check them out around town on other dates. Mission Statement: To promote education and involvement by organizing a yearly Hempfest, as well as fundraisers to raise awareness of Hemp’s uses and benefits. Ultimately the Emerald Empire Hempfest should be encouraged to grow into a financially healthy High School Hopes for Hemp organization capable of successfully putting on a Hempfest in Eugene, Oregon on an annual basis. To A wonderful thing happened in 2000. Tragically, it may never counteract, neutralize and eradicate government happen again. That year there was a hemp initiative launched in propaganda regarding the plant, Cannabis Sativa. To Oregon. This in itself is nothing special, hemp bills are put forth facilitate research and development of Hemp based every year in a number of states either through popular initiative or products and processes. legislative process. The hempfest team have accrued some large debts in What made this one special is that is was not put forth by the law making it happen and can still use some help. reform community, such as NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. It was not a result of a special "It costs a lot of money to sponsor a free event," said interest group or vested interest for political or financial gain. It Dan Koozer, one of the organizers, most of which have was simply a logical class project by high school students. been working since September 2002 in preparation for <see HIGH HOPES on back page> the fest. <continued next page> ¡ ¡¤£ ¥ ¦ 9ROXP ¢ ,VVX $XJXV pdxnorml.org/orgs/clarion ¨ © 7K § \RX &DQQDEL /$ 5HIRU ,QIRUPDWLRQ <continued from previous page> The CLARION, "We need the peoples help to get this fledgling organization off it’s feet and turn your basic Cannabis into a successful, positive event in the eyes of the community. We can come back next year to become a financially successful non-profit organization capable of LAw Reform running this event in the future. They can help by donating services, materials, or Information and money by check/money order, or cash to the EEH." The EEH is a non-profit operation and their tax-exempting Oregon Non-Profit Number is available upon Outreach Newsletter, request. is an all-volunteer, not- What's a hempfest? for-profit venture "A hempfest, in our case, is a festival where we inform about, celebrate and committed to ending otherwise promote the benefits of hemp." explains organizing team member cannabis prohibition. It Eileen Erdelt. is intended to inform "We have speakers on various uses, like paper and fuel. We will be having fashion and educate the reader shows to see and food to try. We are trying to get groups here that can demonstrate how we could build an entire building or a car out of hemp. You can then heat and on the medical truth run them on hemp oil and fuel as well. In fact, you could run most of your diesel about cannabis and the cars today on bio-fuels. We' re trying to get a live demonstration for that - if we benefits of hemp. can' t make it this year, next hempfest we' ll have a hemp powered car here." Previous years saw hempfests held at Conde' s lumberyard in Harrisburg, just north For compliments about the of Eugene, Oregon. Bill Conde, a local businessman, was active in calling for the CLARION, call or stop on by and industrial use of hemp, the medical use of cannabis and an end to prohibition in thank our volunteer staff. Complaints, etc is the department of general. As such he held annual events at his place of business that went under various names - WHEE (World Hemp Expo Extravaganza), for example. The Perry Stripling - editor. purpose of them was to promote cannabis liberation as people celebrated, organizations recruited and supportive vendors sold their wares. Music, food, fun and activism. A win-win. Except for the powers that hate the herb. Contact Us Today! Mr. Conde came under increased scrutiny due to his activism, was continuously Snail Mail: hassled and eventually forced to sell the lumberyard and cease his overt community involvement in the Eugene area. Rumor has it he spends most of his The CLARION time with business and family interests in Belize. HempFest fans recall his efforts 1675 Fairgrounds Rd., at this time of renewed action and wish him well in his endeavors. Salem, Oregon, 97303 503-363-4588 This year the Eugene area (and Oregon' s only) hempfest is being organized by a mosaic of volunteers from all over the state. Part of a grassroots effort involving E-mail: environmental, health, nutrition political and civil rights support groups. A [email protected] coalition of courage and compassion. Worried about hassles? a 'bad name'? our WWW page: pdxnorml.org/orgs/clarion "No, not really. We are just group of citizens, following procedure for a legitimate purpose." responds Ms. Erdelt. "A family affair - music, fun and education in a Check it out! nice, safe, peaceful atmosphere. Our team is more focused than some previous ___________________________ events may have seemed. This is not a pot party." the CLARION would not be For more info the website for the Emerald Empire Hempfest is up and running at: possible without the fine www.emeraldempirehempfest.com people at the Write P.O. Box 10957, Eugene, OR 97440-2957 or call: (541) 606.3062 Get a copy of their flier for a momento and future reference. Copy it and Send it to www.MercyCenters.org friends! Print it and post it at your local bulletin board, and help them get this off Many thanks for their the ground every year, for sake of future hempfests. As soon as the dust settles form this years effort they will be lining up Vendors and Volunteers for next year, support! so be in a position to get the choice spots. <continued on next page> 2 [email protected] DQ 2XWUHDF 1HZVOHWWH 9ROXP ,VVX $XJXV <continued from previous page> Potential vendors can The Hempfest - A Temporary Liberation. call the info line listed until more information is available. They need an army of Volunteers - they have tons o' slots to Enjoy Them While You Can! fill, and need managers in certain areas too. Including but Traditionally, the hempfest has been an escape from the not limited to: Parking and Traffic control, Security, Vendor wasteland that is cannabis prohibition. People entering the fest Hospitality, Bike Valets, Stage Hands, Set-up crews, Go- often feel as though they are coming out of a harsh desert into a fors. Contact Glen, their Volunteer Coordinator directly at: green, cool garden. From the hateful and repressive world of the War on Some of the Potheads into a world of hemp products and [email protected] people and places where truth is free. Music and conversations ********************* mix with the aromas of foods and herbs and spices. The smells other Emerald Empire HempFest contacts: of incense and sage interweave with our favorite weed to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Merchants often do well Dan Koozer and a sense of prosperity also can occur. Cannabis Liberation Front Phone: 541.517-0957 In addition to the basic amenities people also have a chance to contact groups advocating industrial hemp, medical cannabis or eMail: [email protected] ending prohibition in general. The people are served, and often The CLF is a Eugene area cannabis law reform flock to these events, as one of the few sources of information organization seeking to end prohibition. and general help on these issues. Armed with facts they educate --- their doctors, or farmers, or even law enforcement in their Aaron Reddick communities and continue the effort towards change. The HENsters - Hemp Education Network at the U-of-O. Activism is protected free speech under the U.S. Bill of Rights Phone: 541-334-2058 and Constitution. The American experience has been forged by eMail: [email protected] people who were not afraid to put themselves on the line for their beliefs, in the face of daunting adversity, in spite of the odds. But The HENsters are a student-oriented cannabis law reform basic rights to assemble and freely speak are not always organization at the University of Oregon. Starting the fall guaranteed. The chance of government terrorism against our term they will be meeting at the EMU, Umqua River room community is high. every Monday at 7pm. This is a critical period for the movement to change marijuana --- laws. Despite judicial victories for the drug warriors, a growing Eileen Erdelt momentum has galvanized the commitment to defend medical Producer and Hostess, marijuana, industrial hemp production, and the rights of "Eugene's Cannabis Television": responsible adult marijuana users.