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Hempfest tossed? Two city councilors want to move annual Freedom Rally off Boston Common
By adamg on Mon, 09/24/2018 - 8:57pm
City Councilors Josh Zakim and Ed Flynn, whose districts meet in Boston Common, say they're tired of complaints about the marijuana-focused Freedom Rally on the Common every September and that it's time to move it somewhere else.
At the regular City Council meeting on Wednesday, the councilors will seek formal approval for a hearing at which to look at ways to crack down on what they say are illegal activities at the event and to get it off the Common altogether.
In their request for a hearing, they write that:
The Boston Common hosts many permitted events throughout the year, but Hempfest is an event that regularly draws complaints from surrounding neighbors and visitors.
These complaints allege that illegal activities and permit violations occurred during the most recent events. This included reports of parked cars on the green space, camping in the park and leaving trash, including used needles, in the park after the event.
Assuming their fellow councilors give their OK for a hearing, they would invite representatives from the city law department, Boston Police, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, the Friends of the Public Garden and "other interested parties."
The council's regular Wednesday meeting begins at noon in its fifth-floor chambers in City Hall.
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
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 Councilors' request for a hearing | 55.31 KB |
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Comments
I like both councilors. I voted for zakim for secstate. they can
go fuck themselves.
Charming.
Charming.
I knew there was another reason
I didn't vote for Zakim for secstate. Doesn't want union endorsements, was absent for the trans rights vote and now he wants to ban the hempfest from the commons. Your true colors are showing Zakim. Although, I don't think you deserve two middle fingers... or even one, just not getting my vote is enough.
just a moment. i need to apply my
go f*ck yourself lipstick
I call nonsense
If cars are parked illegally, tow them.
If there's trash, fine the litterers, or pick it up like you do after any other event on the Commons.
Needles? At HempFest? Quit making shit up to stir up the locals.
And I'd really like to hear the complaints. "Those stoners are buying too much food at my restaurant." "They're too mellow and they're not getting out of the way of the roller bladers fast enough." Honestly what the hell are the complaints even about? Once a year, take the stick out.
Smoking is not allowed in city parks
But sure, type that there is no smoking at HempFest. Go on. I mean, it's not like you are trying to say it with a straight face. It's much easier to bullshit when you aren't looking people in the eye.
I typically avoid the Common that day. My wife sometimes walks by there on the way downtown. She has no desire to get a contact high strolling through a public park.
HempFest should go. The various cannabis conventions across the state, on the other hand, appear to be well maintained and serve a valid purpose. Perhaps the stoners can go there and see how to act.
“Contact high”
In an open field? Did you manage to type that with a straight face? Sounds like someone sent in a couple complaints about Hempfest but now realizes the only people on his side are by far the most stuck up residents in the entire city. I bet they too look down upon simple folk with their anon comments.
There are needles, trash and vagrants on the Common year round... facts
Then why is smoking banned in public parks?
I'm certain it's not a first hand thing or a third hand thing, but I think I've read somewhere about second hand smoke being able to get into people's lungs and into the cardiovascular system.
Again, why should the Parks Department have an event that flouts Parks Department regulations?
I've never submitted a complaint, mainly because I've avoided the place like the plague on HempFest day. But it does seem that enough people are annoyed by the goings on to make this an issue. I have to harsh your buzz, but a common space is meant for all based on generally agreed upon regulations, you know, we should all be getting along and not bumming other people out.
Contact high is just a lie. I
Contact high is just a lie. I've tried many times...lol
As for second hand smoke do you and your wife avoid all the cigarette smokers whilst going thru the common?
I have come across Hemp Fest and yes there is some pot smoke there. But it certainly isn't like you have to walk through a thick fog of it. I have found some of the booths very informative and the people running them nothing but nice.
The statement from the councilors about "trash and needles" is a bit of overkill. That stuff is there daily; maybe they should focus on that instead of trying to blame the "pot heads" for their one weekend a year. Obviously they are a tad out of touch if they think you get high w/ pot by shooting up.
Now if there was a huge uptick of trash from those days the organization that puts on Hemp Fest should have to place more garbage/ recycle barrels out, make sure it's clean after they leave or get a hefty fine.
Martha Stewart
Ask Martha Stewart.. who hangs out with Snoop Dog. Says they smoke on the set.. and she said she got a contact high before some celebrity roast once. There's video, its clear that Martha was higher than a kite.
She smokes weed too:)
She smokes weed too:)
Contact high, alright
The kind of high you get when the spliff hits your lips ... and you inhale.
Theoretically....
I believe the fest is to celebrate all things hemp/cannabis, not as a group smoke-a-thon. (I'm sure theory and practice diverge at this point, but the idea is that this isn't, at it's core, meant to be an excuse to openly toke in public.)
A visible haze surrounds the
A visible haze surrounds the Common, a PUBLIC park, on the day of the hemp fest making it hard to breathe for many people who aren't smokers. It's pretty gnarly and definitely not a safe place for kids to be around thousands of adult men who are not in their right mind. Sorry, but that's just the reality of the situation. If you want to have an event dedicated to thousands of adults celebrating getting high on pot, then pay to rent a PRIVATE space/ venue. It's just not appropriate for an urban PUBLIC park. I'd rather see the Common used for a charity event on that day to raise money for a worthy cause.
"Not a safe place for kids to
"Not a safe place for kids to be around thousands of adult men not in their right mind?" FFS. I can't even with this type of drama. #fakenews
Seriously
I can understand why some people wouldn't enjoy a walk through the heart of Hempfest, but alluding to children being around "men not in their right minds" is freaking idiotic. People are "intoxicated" on illegal and illegal chemicals all the time. Some of them they put into their body on purpose. Some our own body produces, creating psychosis or paranoia or rage. The world is full of men and women not in their right minds. In the hierarchy of chemical intoxication which can lead to unsafe behavior, cannabis ranks laughably low, and definitely below your garden-variety bad mood.
don't worry
The monster under your bed won't harm you. He smokes, too!
Women NEVER smoke. Nope.
You know what else is banned....
Unleashed dogs
There's actually 3 designated
There's actually 3 designated sections of the commons that are offleash friendly. Whereas smoking is banned in the entirety of the park
See this would probably be a
See this would probably be a valid complaint, but if you read the statement nowhere do they mention smoking in the Commons being an issue.
If the amount of smoking is the actual issue then list that as the issue instead of making up bullshit about needles.
On the other hand, you also say this like you won't smell marijuana on any other day of the year when walking around the same part of the Commons. The police obviously turn a blind eye to people smoking in the park. If they actually care maybe they should actually step up enforcement the rest of the year.
so it's yes to Nazis and no to potheads on the coomon
go fuck yourselves
Say Adam
Any reason why you allowed a non-registered commenter to post 4 gifs of people giving rude gestures?
hello,
complaint department
For a really good reason
It's his site and he can approve what he wants.
True
And I'll remember that logic when people start complaining about registered conservative commenters posting on current event topics and people start asking why they are allowed to present their point of view.
Pfft
Not being able to distinguish between trolls peddling dogwhistles or things bordering on hate speech and conservatism is a bad look bud. Spare us all of the enlightened centrism. Mitt Romney, John Huntsman, Rick Wilson, John Kasich, Charlie Baker, Susan Collins are all examples of conservatives who I merely have disagreements with who I would welcome dialog with. The other people you're defending are here to do nothing other than stir the pot, obfuscate, and push bad faith arguments.
Besides, expressing the desire to see those people held responsible or punished for their actions is just my right to an opinion/free speech, bro.
Disagreeing is one thing
But please tell me how a couple of gifs of people giving the finger is advancing an argument.
But I'll remember your exhortation of wanting people to be punished for expressing their worldview. It's very open minded of you.
It's difficult to roll my eyes any harder.
Pat yourself on the back for being so enlightened as to welcome trolls to spew all of the "ist" things they do here. I won't go about listing them because you're an enlightened guy and can fill in the blanks.
Also thanks for the projection regarding the GIFs. Never commented on that.
once again, why are you
once again, why are you moderating the comments section? report the post and let Adam run his own website.
Because
He's the worst sort of busybody - tries to play at being "even handed" "moderate" etc. while advancing and enabling the worst sort of prescriptive religious dominance on a free society.
It's true
My father was a Puritan and my mother smelt of elderberries. What can I say?
Ah, racism dating back to the
Ah, racism dating back to the Mayflower, excellent.
I'm not moderating the comments section
That's Adam's job (amongst other jobs he has.)
First off, I honestly was amazed that Adam let those through, mainly because they came from non-registered accounts and consisted of basically obscene gestures.
Conversely, I challenge you to go through my numerous comments on this website and find where I have said that someone should not be allowed to comment or that a comment by a registered user should not have been posted. And mind you that when you find a comment close to that made after someone says that someone should not be allowed to post things, that's sarcasm. It does get me when registered users think that other registered users should be banned.
Of course, I am making an assumption that you get the difference between critiquing one's writings (which as you know I have to problems with) and saying that said writings should not be allowed here (which in the end is Adam's decision, which I have defended in the past and will continue to defend.) Some people cannot quite distinguish between the two.
Nope
Just jumping in on anything that could lead to SIN!
The difference between discussing the merits of the argument
and constantly critiquing whether they express their argument legitimately.
My point is that you never seem to have much to say about the actual topic. If you deleted all the critiquing of style, there isn't much left. And I am just calling you on it. I'm not trying to stop you. Maybe Adam will give you a job.
Wait
You, the person with whom I went 12 rounds just days ago about how narrow streets help lower speed, about how it would not be a wise move to close a major road to traffic, about how grade separated pedestrian walkways have nothing to do with two cars crashing into each other, and about God knows what else, are accusing me of not having anything to say about an actual topic (the actual topic for that thread, by the way, was two cars crashing, which for you ended up being a tangent on walkability.)
Heck, you can even see my first comment on this thread, where I note that smoking is illegal in public parks, even though the participants in HempFest seem to do a lot of smoking on the Common, which is a public park. I would say that commenting on reasons why people don't want HempFest on the Common is saying something on the topic.
You really need to learn how to properly read.
Projection
We went "12 rounds" with me providing facts with links to articles and you offering less fact then you did in the above summary. Then you said was I was off topic. Color me unimpressed.
Yes, there is no smoking in the common. For some reason that has never prevented this permit from being issued.
The problem is that our lawmakers are not respecting the law. The Commonwealth legalized recreational cannabis, but the state and city refuse to allow a store to open. Until that happens it seems there should be a political rally to call the voters attention to this disrespect.
Say, Ms. Tangent
Your third paragraph has nothing to do with what we were discussing in this particular thread. Which brings us to your subject line, projection. You accuse me of going off on tangents when it is one of your favorite debate moves. I actually have no problem with it, but since you have made the accusation against me (unfairly, IMHO), I think perhaps we have found out a little issue you have.
I still don't think anything you write should be taken down by Adam or that you should not be allowed to post here. That's on you, not on me. Also, this paragraph is an example of bringing things back on topic.
there you go again.
My third paragraph is the current reason the rally still exists. If the government respected the law, no one would bother to attend.
Great, just great
I mean, the thread was about me criticizing Adam allowing the gif from an unregistered poster, which you first decided to make about me “moderating the comments” then decided to make it about me not having anything to add to a discussion, then decided to make it about the rally being in danger of being moved from the Common.
I believe that is called “moving the goal posts,” or perhaps you can’t lay out a constant line of thought. I should just ignore you when you post things, since debate is a weak point for you.
projection some more
1. this thread is about whether this freedom rally should be allowed on the common. I don't like weed, and I don't smoke it. But I am very concerned that the Commonwealth refuses to respect the will of the voters. I can understand why this rally is needed
2. if you subtracted all of your critiques of other poster's style, there would not be much left.
3. of the 1% of your comments that are left, I don't think you are wrong. But I don't think your suggestions are sufficient to solve the problems.
4. You have a right to keep posting your critiques, but I am not the only one who finds it tiresome. And I don't want you stop because of me, just reflect on it. Criticizing the manner of someone's expression is a failure of facts on your side. That doesn't mean you critiques are wrong just off topic.
5. if I am in the wrong, then why keep lashing out at me? Can't we just allow our opinions to stand?
Okay, you’re right
Does that make you feel better?
thanks!
thanks!
Say,
What makes you think they are all the same commenter?
Just a gut feeling
All posted within 15 minutes by an anon, with the same theme.
OK, maybe a bit excessive
So I deleted one that the judges voted Least Humorous, but I thought they were funny.
...an animated gif of a Nazi
...an animated gif of a Nazi giving Uhub readers the finger is funny to some? To each his own!
No, but it makes a point ...
You'll recall that the city allowed Nazis to protest on the Common (really, they had no choice, First Amendment and all), so the person who posted that did have a point to make.
But ...
... can Nazi's smoke on the commons?
Only if they get the name right
No one can smoke in a place that doesn't exist.
The commons. The Boston Common.
The commons is the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable earth. These resources are held in common, not owned privately. Commons can also be understood as natural resources that groups of people (communities, user groups) manage for individual and collective benefit. Characteristically, this involves a variety of informal norms and values (social practice) employed for a governance mechanism. Commons can be also defined as a social practice of governing a resource not by state or market but by a community of users that self-governs the resource through institutions that it creates.
The Boston Common
It's really ...
a tragedy.
More importantly
Why are you allowing anyone to post here making reference to the "Commons". This is an article about the Common (i.e Boston Common). I have no idea what these people are commenting about. It must be about something going on in Connecticut.
Good and bad things here
Bad: nobody has to drive to get to the Common
Good: the event seems to have outgrown the Common a long time ago
Now that recreational pot is legal in Massachusetts
Is there even a legitimate reason for this "rally" or "festival" or whatever title they want to stick on it any more?
How insightful mr roadman.
How insightful mr roadman. Let’s also get rid of MLK day, Labor Day, 4th of July and whatever other celebrations you deem unecessary at this moment in time.
Please do share the “correct” list.
In all seriousness I care very little for this hempfest, and understand the complaints about a bunch of smelly dirty people downtown... but pretty presumptuous that we should disallow their right to lawfully assemble don’t yah think?
if we defend the right to assemble
for white nationalist holocaust deniers then surely...
What?
Please dont put hempfest and MLK day in the same breath... Have a great day
Is there a legitimate reason
Is there a legitimate reason why Massachusetts does not have a single open recreational marijuana store despite the fact that the voters passed a ballet initiative in 2016?
Because parents don't want
Because parents don't want their kids growing up around the corner, down the block, on the same block, down the street from a pot shop.
Which parents are these?
!!!?????KEVIN!!!!!??????
Thank you for this reference,
Thank you for this reference, it should have more likes. It was the best/worst commercial in that cycle. Way to go, Kevin.
Thats stupid
I don't want my kids to grow up near a pot shop. The liquor store on the corner is fine though. Only stand up people in the community buy liquor.
More Complicated
I think there is more nuance to why people voted in favor of legalizing pot than you appreciate. Its not necessarily because people are ok with smoking pot. Many people who still view pot as a vice, but recognize that it is a comparatively harmless one that people will use regardless. I among these people voted to legalize it purely to kill the black market and the utter lack of regulation around what goes into it, and to tax it. Personally, I could care less if people want to use edibles or smoke in their own home, but I don't want to see (or smell) people smoking pot, nor do I want my kids to. I also don't want to see people using pot in public any more than I want to see people drinking out of a paper bag in a park or smoking cicarettes on T platforms.
Let's say alcohol prohibition just ended
You would hear the same thing about the corner liquor store that you are hearing about pot shops. Why would I say this? Because in many neighborhoods, people gripe about the abundance of corner liquor stores.
Not really
It would be all cheers and beers - and jeers as 14 year old Johnny drank too much his first time out.
Here
An example of a quick search of "too many liquor stores."
Do parents vote? Because the
Do parents vote? Because the majority voted to legalize weed. Why is no one concerned that laws passed by the people are not being enacted?
Because the CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!
Because the CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But totally ok w/ them being around bars, packies, ciggies, Red Bull, Starbucks, etc.
despite the fact that the
Because they are too busy walking around on their tiptoes and their tights are too tight.
Now that driving cars is legal in MA
Why do we allow these twice daily critical mass drives?
Agree with swirly (cue the heavenly bells):-)
Walked through at the end of the day.
A) If I randomly drug tested myself the next day, I'd have failed
B) i thought i was walking through the great pacific garbage patch. It was disgusting
C) packed at 6 pm - struggled to make it through the crowds even at that hour.
A hard surface location like city hall plaza would be much better for this than a grassed area. Mych easier to clean.
So this event is a problem so
So this event is a problem so shove down the throat of another neighborhood? You moved to the pricey beacon hill with the nice view, get over a 3 hour event.
21-hour event, not 3-hour
The official page says Friday 9/14 3-8 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9/15-16 noon-8 pm. Perhaps just reducing the length of the event would be enough to appease the neighbors?
I love to go to the hempfest
I love to go to the hempfest
It makes my day the realbest
But where will I go
To do a roll
Because they think I am a bad guest
Guess they will need to find
Guess they will need to find a new joint.
hard to take seriously
Doesn't the city have a police dept, park rangers, ticket booklets, and tow-trucks. Illegal parking seems like the easiest possible thing to deal with.
Same with camping. Just include "no tents, no camping, must be vacated by 11pm" in the permit and clean the place up at 11:05pm.
All the other things: Needles and trash. Seems like any event organizers should have some responsibility here. And don't homeless people & addicts 'camp' on the common every night leaving plenty of needles and trash.
This complaint sorta reeks and the councilors (whom I respect) seem to be headed in the wrong direction.
Ban st patricks day parade?
St Patricks Day parade in Southie is much worse and way more illegal activities/fights go on. Will they ban that too?
Move it where?
It's a big event, too big to fit in some little park like Christopher Columbus Park or Blackstone Square. Would you put it in the Back Bay Fens or Marine Park or Franklin Park instead? If so, why would the neighbors of those parks not have the same complaints afterwards?
Long Island
Preferable with a boat shuttle from Squantum.
Suffolk Downs?
That still a big dirt lot?
Gang bangers
It's gang bangers that have been ruining the event FOR YEARS now. The Heapfest use to be the best music festival in Boston. Now it's completely overrun with scumbag hoodlums who know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about what it stood for. It should be canned altogether now. Shameful state of affairs
A-men
Used to be a really great day.
Just a fun day to see some friends, see some bands that wouldnt usually share a stage, and meet others who question abuse and authority.
Now its just an open air market of dirty weed and hustlers.
What gangbangers?
Criminal gangs are not hanging around the common. Street dealers are there to sell to tourists but that's it. Organized criminals are busy importing fentanyl and running prostitutes out of budget hotels.
Did you not realize that non-white people can smoke pot without joining a gang?
Nah
Usually the hustlers of DTX have to "work" while keeping an eye out for cops.
During Hempfest the police don't even bother with them.
And as far as street dealers only "selling [weed] to tourists",
theres open prostitution, heroin & fentanyl use, stolen goods, and all sorts of goodies that can be found in DTX on any given day.
Criminals yes, Gangs no. All
Criminals yes, Gangs no. All the DTX crime is on foot, bicycle or subway. If you are not making enough paper for a whip, your crime lacks organization.
No, I'm pretty sure
you automatically join a gang the minute you toke up. It also leads to heroin addiction, attempted homicide, shared hallucinations, and jazz music. I saw it in a documentary once.
Hmm...
I dropped by with a few friends this year and definitely noted way more folks vending and attending than previously. So, let's agree for sake of argument that it has gotten too big for Boston Common.
Now wither to relocate?
Hynes Convention Center already hosts several large events. Let's try there in 2019!
{But then after next year's relocated Hempfest...}
"Eataly completely ran out of breadsticks and marinara as it couldn't meet munchies demand."
"My Green Line driver got a contact-high from all the joints/blunts being smoked on the car!"
"37 people rang my Hereford Street doorbell looking for some man named 'Dave'."
"My weekly shopping trip to Neimans was utterly ruined because so many people were, ugh, congregating about the entrance asking if I wanted to buy 'Raws'. And they wouldn't even specify if it was raw meat or vegetables!"
Alternative:
- Keep it at the centrally-located Boston Common.
- Add $50/day "good neighbor fee" for all vendor licenses to offset clean up, security and any repair costs.
- Give the destitute + underemployed five days work supplementing the DPW and Parks Department crews. Six hour pieces of work, at $12.00 per hour, to tidy up The Common the day beforehand {thus establishing a "pristine baseline"} and during the event itself to empty trash barrels and assist with an overall evening cleanup. Use the day after the festival to restore the aforesaid pristine-ness. Fifty extra individuals should ensure each acre is devoid of filth and stale Fronto/Game leaves.
- Assume one trash barrel per 100 people present to be emptied hourly. See above to whom this task would fall. Have a similar ratio of port-a-potties and cleanings.
- Get a trio of ISD inspectors to do day-of spot-checks for permit violations. Schmidtty, in fact, just got his medical card, so I'm sure he'd be happy to volunteer next year!
- Discourage event-related camping by sending around a pair of BPD officers and a pair of Park Rangers on foot betwixt 10:00PM and 10:00AM. If people are, quite literally, only sleeping or otherwise not being dangerous {to themselves or others}, a nuisance {ibid}; or both, then leave them with a citation simply citing the fact that their presence is now known to authorities and if they are still there at or after 10:00PM of the final day of the festival they shall be subject to fines and other civil penalties. Feel free to reference some colonial or provincial law still in effect and relevant.
- Tell the Brahmins and neo-Brahmins that if youth {both suburban + urban}, reefer {of varying levels of dankness} and generally good vibes are just too much... they might want to sell their Beacon Hill/Back Bay/DTX property, use the proceeds to build a time machine and just move back to the 1870s.
/END RANT/
{ And time to go spark something... ;P }
not paying for any of that
Why does my money have to go to pay for these park rangers and maintenance guys to pick up trash that imbeciles cant pick up themselves? i live right next to the park and walk my dog in there twice a day and the common is disgusting for DAYS after this event. no other event has this sort of problem where people can't pick up after themselves. The vendors left behind piles of trash, poured the cooking oil into sewer grates or on the ground, and stampeded the grass. you can still see food smashed into the grass, not to mention the dead grass everywhere now. while you might not think this is a big deal, but when you live in that area the common is usually your only outdoor space. thats not fair for a group of people to ruin that for others.
So narrow minded you can’t comprehend what you’ve read
If you might take a moment to get your head out of your behind, then you will realize that the neighbors wouldn’t be paying for said clean up. He clearly said a proposed 50 dollar service fee added to each vender permit.
Why is it always the rich, snotty, entitled back bay residents who feel as if they are “too good” to have to deal with anything that they don’t agree with. So much for equality and fairness when it’s not something you prefer. I have been smoking the good ol devils lettuce for quite some time and am I big supporter of the cause, but I do also agree that it is a little out of control and could use a little more enforcement on certain rules. No one seems to be so annoyed at the junkies shooting up on the common but more so at the people smoking some gangja. How about all the pencil pushers who smoke their cigarettes to and from work or while on break in the same park ? Not as bad when you are part of the problem I suppose. Can’t pick and choose what rules you want enforced. What’s wrong is wrong and there shouldn’t be any argument about it.
Keep the event. Fine people who litter. Fine people who smoke in public. Hold the vendors accountable for their own actions and don’t ruin it for the people that actually follow the rules or the residents that actually enjoy the event. I
I think it's childish en masse
But then, it's fun to be childish, so
I smoke weed everyday.
And I have for decades.
I also support full legalization.
that being said....
Hempfest is a gross, shady, super sketchy mess.
And to all those replying with animated gifs;
Grow up. You wanna smoke? Be an adult and just smoke.
Beerfests
Hopefully as the legal market is established and matures there will be events more akin to a brew festival to go to than what this has become.
beer me. city hall plaza
Oh, my gosh, Miffy and Biffy on
The Hill are offended as well as all their friends of the Public Garden!!!
It sounds like the "complaints" are minor. Illegal parked cars, tow 'em, trash left, put out those cardboard trash bins, camping?, well, the homeless "camp" there each night, so..., and used needles are all over the place in the city.
I'm more offended by the dog park attendees having their dogs pee and crap all over the Common. Nothing like sitting on lovely dog peed and freshly crapped on grass on grass (yeah, I know, most owners pick it up, but the crap still hits the grass).
With the popularity of weed
With the popularity of weed skyrocketing, especially among suburbanites, hemp fest has outgrown the Boston Common. Really, it's a no-brainer, no pun intended. It's time to find a larger venue... somewhere in the suburbs where there's more space, like a large empty parking lot. One of the issues for the Common is that the grass gets ruined and that's expensive to fix. Hemp fest isn't a charity fundraiser, a cultural event for the general public, or a political rally, it's a for-profit party... tax-payer money used to clean up afterward could be used better elsewhere. Parking lots are paved and therefore there's no large lawn to ruin/ repair, so that's one issue solved. For safety's sake, hemp fest attendees should be prohibited from driving to and from the event since they'll all be wasted. It would make sense that the hemp fest venue be situated near a train station so stoners can be shuttled to and from the event to the train station and then take public transportation / Uber home from there.
Moving it to a suburban place near a commuter rail stop
South Common in Lowell?
Campagnone Common in Lawrence?
Stage Fort Park in Gloucester?
The Newburyport riverfront park?
Waltham Common?
Natick Common?
Norwood Common?
Somehow I doubt that these towns are gong to want an event that Boston rejects.
Move it to Freetown where
Move it to Freetown where they're building the giant weed facotory -- the company that will be manufacturing pot owns 52 acres. They should 100% sponsor Hemp Fest next year.
Oh Great
What subway line is that on?
ridiculous
how about those 2 men go down to mass ave and melena cass and see the real problem this city faces, they are willing to look the other way when it comes to opiod use but not weed...ridiculous
Now you've done it - you're making me defend Ed Flynn
Flynn knows all about the opioid epidemic - not only is the worst of it happening in his district (from Newmarket Square down to Andrew Square), he was a probation officer for a number of years.
I'm sure you just happened to miss the story last week about him and several other councilors looking to convene a hearing on the opioid problem.
Been to Hempfest every year for 8 years
There were definitely more vendors this year than in the past but nobody is doing anything that's actually harmful to anyone. People are just sitting there on the grass, smoking and eating. That's it. It basically all boils down to people not liking to have to smell it. Get over it, you don't have to walk through the park that day. The reason this event is so popular is because it's an opportunity to centrally gather the weed-smoking community in solidarity, and it would be much harder to do that if it were relocated to some suburb. Many of us don't have cars.
OH NOOOO THERE'S TRASH? Yeah, like there is at literally any other festival or event, weed or not. If anything, the people there are more conscious about the environment, I've seen it firsthand.
Just another case of people that have never tried it and are needlessly scared making decisions for us all. Same reason we are still waiting for the stores to open.
While you're waiting, please
While you're waiting, please enjoy a beer.
good job, posters
A thread about marijuana without references to Reefer Madness or pearl clutching.
Wowza, this topic causes a
Wowza, this topic causes a surprising amount of butthurt for reportedly mellow and lazy potheads. Keep it up.
This is about the Hempfest
This is about the Hempfest people not picking up after themselves and ruining lots of work that goes into keeping the Common clean.
https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/2018/09/17/advocacy-boston-common-i...
Pot shops are on the way
Pot shops are on the way(supposedly), we don't need the Freedom Rally anymore, right?
Councilors Josh Zakim and Ed Flynn Pleezzz
Hypodermic needles from attendees at a smoking festival? Not!
If you want to take up time at City Hall, Councilors Josh Zakim and Ed Flynn, please hold a hearing on all the hypodermic needles found along the banks of the Muddy River this summer and Victory Gardens in the Fens. Also, be sure to ask about the homeless and needle park encampment which has returned to the reeds.
Invite some Beacon Hill residents over for a field trip, too. They can see a real public health and public safety problem in the city. Let's put time and resources where they are really needed.
Ed Flynn, his first term and
Ed Flynn, his first term and he's tired already. Poor baby, he didn't get any of daddy's stamina.
Needles?
I'm sure there are plenty of needles to be found all over this city but that has nothing to do with the hemp fest...
Needles
Are there any dangers from knitting while high?
Freedom rally
I think that's terrible the youth need something like the city counclers need peace but we get low police activity and hy violence shooting killings stabbings when you go to Oakland u get sure see murder once a week let alone everyday but you don't see it in boston we need the break right there cuz tthats the center and these people call and complain but never complain bout the infestation of dirt disease and drugs and blood stuck all over the area around the freedom rally but if we call them obsessed you do nothing screw you for rizzeal
It’s legal
Not that you could tell. The commonwealth is doing a bad job implementing the will of the voters. Can’t buy it, can’t have a rally to smoke it. When does someone file suit bc too many barriers to entry.
Leave No Trace
Burning Man and similar regional events observe the principle of Leave No Trace. Perhaps it's time for the Freedom Rally to follow suit?