In a post earlier this week, I promised to give you a little insight into the 1st Inaugural Cannabis Community Celebration, which took place Wednesday evening at Cassleman’s Bar & Venue in Denver. I didn’t get a chance to talk about it yesterday, so I figure I’ll end the week with a recap.
The gathering, organized by ACT4Colorado, was held to celebrate the state’s marijuana industry. Notice I didn’t include the word “medical” in that description. That’s because ACT4Colorado didn’t use that term either in promoting the event.
Still, it was billed as a general party to recognize the patient community and bring together dispensaries, suppliers and industry organizations rather than a celebration of weed in general.
To me, therefore, the intended audience was clear. But it was hard to get an idea of the makeup of the crowd, which consisted overwhelmingly of 20-something women. I didn’t run into any of the dispensary owners or vendors present at most events I’ve been to, with the exception of Kerri and Kurt of Otoke Horticulture LLC, who I swear are become the top socialites in the local industry. They are everywhere. I did meet several patients and some people involved in different aspects of the marijuana community, which proved beneficial.
This gathering was different than the other events I’ve attended, as it featured a DJ and had more of a party vibe. Still, there were a few vendor booths and several presentations on a stage, including one in which someone received an HIV test to show how easy and painless it is to get one yourself.
I only got a glimpse of the first two hours of the event before I packed it in and headed home. The crowd was somewhat light when I left, but it had begun to pick up considerably. The celebration also lasted until 11 p.m., so I’m sure plenty of people opted to come later rather than earlier.
I really liked the obvious focus on patients rather than on the medical marijuana business or cannabis culture, as it helps balance out the local event and networking scene. And it was great to see the proceeds filtered to nonprofits. I’m still not quite sure, however, who all the young women were. Not that I’m complaining.
