Photo Essay: Giant Cannabis Celebration

By Orato Editor Heather Wallace , Canada
Date Posted: 04/24/07 Reader Rating:

On Friday, April 20th, 2007, roughly 7,500 people gathered outside of Vancouver's art gallery for one of the most massive cannabis celebrations in the world. People started peppering the lawn and steps of the gallery at around noon, but things didn't really get started until 4:20 p.m. - the international time of day to light up a reefer. While such a gathering is nothing unusual for Vancouverites, south of the border, where the American War On Drugs cracks down on soft and hard drugs alike, attendees at such a rally surely would have been led away in cuffs, or possibly shot. But in Vancouver, amidst thousands of people, I didn't see a single law enforcement officer, despite the fact people were spilling out into the streets, blocking traffic and even dancing atop of bus stops. On my way to the rally, I ran into an old co-worker who had just left the festivities. He said it was "totally crazy" and "full of 17-year-old criminals." But when I arrived at the south side of the rally around 4 o'clock, it seemed a tame scene, with people lounging in the sun on the gallery steps, a couple drummers beating upside-down buckets and a lone bagpiper piping. It wasn't until 4:20 p.m that I heard a roar from the other side. I made my way round and discovered the north side of the gallery completely saturated with people and smoke. People seemed to be basking in their freedom, without much concern for its fragility. I circled the square, snapping photos, not taking a single puff, but inhaling nonetheless.