Could Hash Bash become a destination event?

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

Thousands of people gathered in downtown Ann Arbor Saturday afternoon for the annual Hash Bash celebration/protest/drum circle. They came, they wore colorful shirts and they spent lots of money at an event few Ann Arbor institutions embrace or even recognize, begging the question – Is Ann Arbor missing a golden opportunity to cash in on Hash Bash?

According to various reports, the recent passage of the Medicinal Marijuana law (and warm weather) attracted about 5,000 people to the University of Michigan's Diag for the 39th annual Hash Bash. These mostly younger people and a few dozen docile dogs listened to speeches, played hacky sack and chased after the occasional errant Frisbee.

The crowd, however, created copious amounts of foot traffic between the university and downtown, filling local businesses and freely spending money on coffee, food, alcohol and other retail. And they did all of this with little-to-no reference to Hash Bash on the websites of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, Visitors Bureau or Chamber of Commerce or promotion from sources other than media outlets and a viral campaign (it has a MySpace page) from organizers.

"All of these events are going to become larger as this becomes more mainstream," says Anthony Freed, a medicinal marijuana activist who also owns the 3rd Coast Seed Co and helped set up Ypsilanti's Compassion Center earlier this year. "It's because cannabis is becoming an industry, whether people like it or not. It has its own momentum and it's not going anywhere."

He adds that Hash Bash is easily the biggest marijuana-themed event in Middle America and Ann Arbor is on par with the likes of Berkley, California when it comes to marijuana culture. The Hash Bash and Ann Arbor, which originally drew the likes of John Lennon, are a big part of the legalization movement.

"Cheech & Chong in the 70s and 80s at the height of their popularity were referencing Ann Arbor in their movies," Freed says.

So why isn't Ann Arbor doing more to cultivate this well-established and revived event (Saturday's showing the was the biggest in more than a decade) at a time when medicinal marijuana laws are passing and creating backlogs? California is even making moves toward the legalization of marijuana? Could an expanded Hash Bash be much different from an Oktoberfest event for local microbrews, brewpubs and bars?

"The Ann Arbor (Convention & Visitor's Bureau) mentioned the event on our website calendar in relation to co-occurring events like the Monroe Street Fair and the Cheech & Chong show at the Michigan Theater," Mary Kerr, president of the Ann Arbor Convention & Visitors Bureau, wrote in an email. "However, we have not over the past several years received any telephone calls requesting information about the event and have not received requests for marketing support from organizers. We do not consider the Hash Bash as an event that will generate overnight stays – therefore, does not fulfill the primary mission of the (Convention & Visitor's Bureau)."

Conventional wisdom says that marijuana and Hash Bash are a refuge for hippies, burnouts and those who defy the law. But a quick trip to southern California or the Bay Area indicates these stereotypes may not sync with the on-the-ground reality.

"People of all ages and walks of life use cannabis," says Freed, who also spoke at Hash Bash. "Saturday's event was a beautiful canvas of different people. And you never see a fight at a marijuana event."

Should Ann Arborites reorient their thinking from 'Legalize it?' to 'Promote it?'

Source: Anthony Freed, medicinal marijuana activists and owner of the Third Coast Seed Co and Mary Kerr, president of the Ann Arbor Convention & Visitors Bureau
Writer: Jon Zemke