Marijuana-related festival planned for Bangor on 4-20-19

On Saturday, the city of Ann Arbor will hold its 48th annual Hash Bash.

Two weeks from Saturday, the city of Bangor will stage its inaugural 420 Festival.

“Well, I feel it’s a chance for us to demonstrate that medical cannabis and recreational cannabis can be done correctly,” festival organizer and Green Door co-owner Mark Smith said.

The sale of marijuana in Bangor now takes place exclusively at The Green Door medical marijuana dispensary, but there is no longer a law that says pot can’t be given away or gifted out on the street.

“I have 1,500 joints rolled myself, and I plan on handing them out to everybody,” said Rick Anstiss with Mr. Fungi. “I’m giving plants away as well. I have young plants that I’ll be giving out, and that, too, is to promote the recreational grow. The little old lady that maybe just wants to grow something for her arthritis.”

The 420 Festival planned for Bangor on April 20 will be an event about pot that won’t be without pot. Some consumption will be allowed on designated private property.

“Our beer tent and this area here is where people can medicate if they choose to, but only here, so you can't walk up and down the street or on someone else’s property or anything like that,” Smith said. "We want to stay away from the Hash Bash, High Times. I believe we need to put an educational spin on this.”

With the city of Bangor’s blessings, the road that runs through downtown will be closed, and vendors will line the sidewalks in a sort of coming-out party for the cannabis industry, offering information on everything from CBD smoothies and massage therapy oils to hydroponic growing and cooking with cannabis.

“This will be well-organized, kind of low-key. We're going to have some bands and food vendors, and everyone is supposed to behave,” Bangor City Manager Regina Hoover said.

The event is also designed to raise money for the city. In lieu of a fee on vendors for booth space, vendors are being asked to make a monetary contribution to the city.

The festival is scheduled to run from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday, April 20.