It wouldn’t be August in Seattle without Hempfest. The annual celebration of cannabis, legalization, and marijuana culture parks its fragrant, fun-loving self down on Seattle’s waterfront this weekend and lets rip with one of the greatest parties of the summer.
For those hitting this year’s event, we have the full schedule plus some pro tips to help make your visit the smoothest, coolest, and happiest day of the season.
Know Before You Go
When: Friday, Aug 17, 12 noon to 8 pm
Saturday, Aug 18, 10 am to 8 pm
Sunday, Aug 19, 10 am to 8 pm
Where: Hempfest sprawls over three parks—Centennial, Myrtle Edwards, and Olympic Sculpture Parks, which connect along the Seattle waterfront, about one mile north of the Great Wheel.
Cost: Free, but it’d be cool if you ponied up the suggested $10 donation.
Age limit: None
Weather forecast: Partly cloudy with a high of 77°F on Friday, full sun with highs in the upper 70s/low 80s on Saturday and Sunday.
Ticket required: None
Can I bring my own food & bev? Sure, but alcohol is not allowed in the parks. Pro tip: Bring water and a blanket. You’re going to want to stretch out.Find the Dispensary Near You Right NowWhat about, um, you know: Buy your cannabis before arriving. None will be sold onsite. This is an all-ages cannabis festival, not an onsite consumption event like the Cannabis Cup.
What dispensaries are near the event? You’ve got Have a Heart’s Belltown location; further south there’s Green Fire Cannabis; Dockside Sodo; Diego Pellicer; and Ganja Goddess. If you’re staying near Capitol Hill, check out Ruckus on East Republican. If you’re crashing in North Seattle, The Joint‘s University District dispensary is your go-to store. Find the one nearest you with Leafly’s Dispensary Finder.
Won’t they be crowded this weekend? Yes. May we, ahem, suggest using Leafly Pickup to place your order online. Budtenders will have your package ready when you arrive, and you’ll fly past all the customers waiting in line.
Any special Hempfest deals?Diego Pellicer has some crazy deals for Hempfest: 65% off Str8fire Kief, 40% off Viva Cannabis & Odo Concentrates, 25% off Journeyman 10mg cookies, and 67% (!) off Herb’s Oil Ounces. Supplies are limited, so get there early. Order via Leafly Pickup and the Diego staff will have it ready for you at a special express station. In the U District, The Joint has 10% off the entire store Thurs-Sun. At Ganja Goddess, they’re offering Burnwell 14g packages of flower (Candyland and Sunset Sherbet) for $74, Thurs-Sun, limit 1 per customer.
Any strain recommendations?
Of course. Our cannabis expert Dante Jordan suggests stocking up on Orange Cookies. “It’s going to provide a heavy-hitting high that also gives you a little boost of ‘I need to get outside’ energy,” he says. “It leaves you stoned for hours, so you can leave the house without worrying about when you’re going to smoke again. This is great for Hempfest since you have to get stoned before getting there, and you aren’t quite sure how long it’ll be until you leave.”
What if the crowd’s a little much for me? Our strain editor Bailey Rahn recommends something higher in CBD. “Hempfest can be a very overstimulating environment, especially for people who have never been or don’t smoke tons and tons of weed,” she says. Calm your head with high-CBD classics like ACDC or Harlequin, or look into a new high-CBD strain, CBD Lilly.Hempfest Dispensary Lines Are Epic
Getting There
Best Entry Point: There are three entry points (north, central, and south). The easiest and best is central, via the West Thomas Street pedestrian overpass accessed at the intersection of 3rd Ave W and W Harris St in lower Queen Anne, four blocks west of Key Arena. More information on entry points here.
Where do I park the car? Don’t park on the street. Most spaces are limited to two hours, rates are expensive, and nobody wants to trek back to feed the meter. Find a cheap lot. The Mercer Street Garage, ($15/day), north of Key Arena, is always a good option. Park there and rideshare or bikeshare to the West Thomas Street overpass. Or enjoy a lovely stroll through Seattle Center. Pro tip: Get $10 off two rides with Lyft using the code HEMPFEST2018.
Once You’re In
Stash your stuff: Hempfest offers on-site locker storage for $15 per day, which includes free all-day phone charging at the Phone Charging Valet station.
Cool to light up? Technically, no. It is legal for adults 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of cannabis in Washington State. It is not legal to consume in public, and Hempfest is definitely in public. But there’s also a tradition of respect and discretion at Hempfest. If you practice discretion, the local authorities will generally look the other way. Rule of thumb: Don’t be a scene-making jerk and ruin it for everyone.
If I can’t buy weed what can I buy? Hempfest is a great place to purchase a new glass bong or dab rig. Pro tip from Leafly’s Will Hyde: “Many vendors have special event pricing. Vendors are eager to make their first sale of the day, so try to barter with them and really capture that value, or wait to purchase until Sunday afternoon when vendors would much rather give you a discount than pack their items back out at the end of the event.”
I’m suddenly hungry. Go figure. Is there food onsite? Hell yeah. Hempfest’s Munchie Market has everything from Athena’s Greek gyros to Mar Y Tierra’s Mexican plates to the fryapalooza known as Poutine Your Mouth.
Anything offsite but nearby? Absolutely. South along the waterfront there’s Anthony’s on Pier 66 and Elliott’s Oyster House on Pier 56. In lower Queen Anne there’s Ozzie’s, Pagliacci, Racha Noodles, and Dick’s Drive-In (with air-conditioned indoor seating). There’s also a Safeway at 1st Ave W and Republican.
If you need to get away and chill for an hour: Head over the West Thomas Street overpass to Seattle Center. You can lounge near (or in) the International Fountain or grab some grub from more than a dozen options in the Armory. Pro tip from Leafly’s Bruce Barcott: “My favorite spot in Seattle Center–and maybe the entire city–is La Marzocco, the coffee house that’s located in the KEXP Gathering Space. Grab a sofa, enjoy some brew, and listen to the KEXP DJs create a soundtrack for your day.”
Friday Schedule
Leafly’s Daily Pick: Get yourself a dose of righteous information and inspiration at the Share Parker Main Stage late this afternoon between 4:40 and 5:00.
First up: Kevin Jodrey, owner of NorCal’s Wonderland Nursery and an internationally respected expert on cannabis seeds and growing. He’s followed by Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, who co-sponsored Washington’s Initiative 502 and is now working to expunge cannabis convictions in Seattle. Then comes Seattle attorney Danica Noble, director of NORML Women of Washington and a fierce warrior for cannabis rights.
Strain of the Day: Gelato. “Straight-up fire,” says Leafly’s Dante Jordan. “It’ll give you a bit of an energy boost, but in a way that makes you want to go somewhere and just chill for a bit.” Order it through Leafly Pickup at Ruckus on Capitol Hill.
Share Parker Main Stage
Note: Later events are hidden for space reasons. Click “Show entries” or “Next” to see more.
Time | Speaker |
---|---|
12:00 Noon | Festival Opens; Sacred Water Ceremony |
12:35pm | Seth Cunnigan |
12:40pm | Shawn DeNae |
12:45pm | Doug McVay |
12:50pm | Elvy Musikka |
1:00pm | Free the Jester |
1:35pm | Dr. Sunil Aggarwal |
1:40pm | Liz Blaz |
1:45pm | Farmer Tom Lauerman |
1:50pm | Sage Amdahl |
2:00pm | Girls Love Rockets |
2:35pm | Michael Krawitz |
2:40pm | Cat Jeter |
2:45pm | Leland Berger |
2:50pm | Jerry Whiting |
3:00pm | Suntonio Bandanez |
3:35pm | Derek Smith |
3:40pm | Jamie Shaw |
3:45pm | Nicolle Callier |
3:50pm | Announcements |
4:00pm | Tall Paul |
4:40pm | Kevin Jodry |
4:45pm | Pete Holmes |
4:50pm | Danica Noble |
5:00pm | Dharma Kings |
5:35pm | Danielle Rosellison |
5:40pm | Kristin Nevedal |
5:45pm | Beth Schechter |
5:50pm | Rachael Brower |
6:00pm | Wild Planes |
6:35pm | Alex Cooley |
6:40pm | Danielle Muggli |
6:45pm | Aaron Pelley |
6:50pm | Don E. Wirtshafter |
7:00pm | DJ Brooklyn |
Ric Smith Hemposium Stage
Time | Title | Featuring |
---|---|---|
12:30pm | Saving Children With Cannabis | Meagan Holt Sierra Riddle Trey Brown Cat Jeter Jerry Whiting |
1:35pm | Sustainability: Responsible Cultivation | Derek Smith Juddy Rosellinson Kristin Nevedal Jeremy Moberg |
2:25pm | Consumers Rights: Today's Legal Market, and Expunging the Past | Dominic Corva Bonnie Fong Aaron Pelley Mitzi Vaughn Pete Holmes |
3:15pm | Genetics: Breeding Best Practices & How To Preserve Genetics | Beth Schechter Kevin Jodry DJ Short |
Seeley Black Stage
Time | Performer |
---|---|
12:35 pm | Martin Martinez |
12:40 pm | Magic Black |
12:45 pm | Carl Prothman |
1:00 pm | Tim-Me |
1:35 pm | Colt DeMorris |
1:40 pm | Kevin Jodrey |
1:45 pm | Robert Prentice |
1:50 pm | Dr. Jade Stefano |
2:00 pm | Cristos and Company |
2:35 pm | Patrick Seifert |
2:40 pm | Twenty22Many |
3:00 pm | The Boleys |
3:35 pm | Neil Lequia |
3:40 pm | Nick Mosely |
3:45 pm | Mac MacGregor |
3:50 pm | Shawn DeNae |
4:00 pm | Speak Easy |
4:35 pm | Wes Abney |
4:40 pm | Rashaan Everett |
4:45 pm | Joy Beckerman |
4:50 pm | George Martorano |
5:00 pm | Mendo Dope |
5:35 pm | Jeffrey Steinborn |
5:40 pm | Greta Carter |
5:45 pm | Chris Conrad |
5:50 pm | Mikki Norris |
6:00 pm | Simple Minded Symphony |
6:35 pm | Joelle Puccio |
6:45 pm | Omar Figueroa |
6:50 pm | Jared Allaway |
7:00 pm | Raincity Blue |
Saturday Schedule
Pick of the Day: DOPE Awards, Seeley Black Stage, 6 pm. The state’s top growers, processors, and retailers compete for the DOPE crown, awarded each year by DOPE Magazine. The best of the best will be named in more than 30 categories. Hang out and help the winners celebrate, and meet the makers of some of your favorite products. Remember: We’re all winners tonight.
Strain of the Day: Good oldACDC . It’s probably not your start-up strain for Saturday, but you’d be wise to pack some of this high-CBD, low-THC cannabis for yourself or a friend. When the sights, sounds, smells, and crowds become a little too much, ye olde AckerDacker will help mellow you out.
Share Parker Main Stage
Time | Performer |
---|---|
12:00 Noon | Christina Holmes |
12:35 pm | Boris Budd |
12:40 pm | Stacy Bloch |
12:45 pm | Amanda Mac |
12:50 pm | Dr. David Bearman |
1:00 pm | Jaded Mary |
1:35 pm | Yvonne Snyder |
1:40 pm | Sierra Riddle |
1:45 pm | John Conroy |
1:50 pm | Madeline Martinez |
2:00 pm | Deal |
2:35 pm | Kevin Oliver |
2:40 pm | Crystal Oliver |
2:45 pm | AC Braddock |
2:50 pm | Greta Carter |
3:00 pm | Ellen Bukstel |
3:35 pm | Omar Figueroa |
3:40 pm | Tiara Darnell |
4:00 pm | Danny Boy |
4:40 pm | Meagan Holt |
4:45 pm | Bonnie Fong |
4:50 pm | Wes Abney |
5:00 pm | Climax Blues Band |
5:35 pm | Nurse Heather Manus |
5:40 pm | Kyle Kushman |
5:45 pm | Chris Conrad |
5:50 pm | Mikki Norris |
6:00 pm | Harrison B |
6:35 pm | Patrick Seifert |
6:40 pm | Twenty22Many |
7:00 pm | Rocky Kramer |
Ric Smith Hemposium Stage
Time | Title | Participants |
---|---|---|
10am | Opening Set | Stacy Bloch Amanda Mac Chris Conrad Mikki Norris |
10:15am | NORML: Fighting for Consumer Rights | Colt DeMorris Madeline Martinez John Conroy Danica Noble Kevin Oliver Joy Beckerman |
11:05am | Activism in the Legal Age: We Still Need You | Bailey Hirschburg Amber Iris Langston Mac McGregor Danielle Muggli Seth Cunnigan |
11:55am | Hemp Revolution | Joy Beckerman Pamela Bosch David Seber Patricia Steward Don E. Wirtshafter |
12:45pm | How's Business? The Local, National, and Global Cannabis Industry | Crystal Oliver Shanita Penny Jamie Shaw Neil Juneja Greta Carter |
1:35pm | Cultivating Best Practices: From Home Grows to Commercial Acres | Stinkbud Kyle Kushman Danny Danko Tyson Haworth Farmer Tom |
2:25pm | Military Veterans: The Fight for Access | Ellen Brown Patrick Seifert Michael Krawitz Twenty22Many |
3:15pm | Motivational Speaker | Robert Prentice |
4:00pm | The Lightweight Champs | The Lightweight Champs |
5:00pm | Space Coyote | Space Coyote |
6:00pm | Boris Budd | Boris Budd |
7:00pm | Tim-Me | Tim-Me |
Seeley Black Stage
Time | Performer |
---|---|
11 am | Tribal Voices |
12:00 Noon | Satin Sirens |
12:35 pm | Trey Brown |
12:40 pm | Karyemaitre Aliffe |
12:45 pm | Kari Boiter |
12:50 pm | Alex Cooley |
1:00 pm | The Requisite |
1:35 pm | Leah Maurer |
1:40 pm | Grandma Cat Jeter |
1:45 pm | Casey Houlihan |
1:50 pm | Brian Stone |
2:00 pm | Pause for the Cause |
2:35 pm | Douglas Hiatt |
2:40 pm | Shanita Penny |
2:45 pm | Ah Warner |
2:50 pm | Liz Blaz |
3:00 pm | Lacy Gibbet |
3:35 pm | Nurse Heather Manus |
3:40 pm | Sage Amdahl |
3:45 pm | Giana Lampreda |
3:50 pm | Ngaio Bealum |
4:00 pm | Kings of Cavalier |
4:35 pm | Derek Smith |
4:40 pm | Jerry Whiting |
4:45 pm | Ben Livingston |
4:50 pm | Allison Bigelow |
5:00 pm | Ghosts of the Pacific |
5:35 pm | Leland Berger |
5:40 pm | DJ Short |
5:45 pm | Cheryl Shuman |
5:50 pm | Tara Darnell |
6:00 pm | DOPE Awards |
Sunday Schedule
Leafly’s Pick of the Day: The Ric Smith Hemposium Stage, 10 am to 3 pm.
This stage really hits its stride on Sunday, with six back-to-back panel discussions packed with some of the best cannabis minds in the nation. Highlights: Ngaio Bealum will set your morning with a smile (10 am) and bring on a panel All About the Cannabinoid System (10:15 am), followed by a panel about Cannabis POWs (11 am). Then it’s Tackling Cannabias: Normalizing Cannabis in an Alcohol-Friendly Society (11:50 am); Topicals, Tinctures, Extractions & Infusions (12:40 pm) with two of our faves, AC Braddock and Ah Warner; Diversity Plans and Social Equity (1:30 pm), featuring the East Coast powerhouse Shanita Penny, president of the Minority Cannabis Business Association; and CBD: What’s the Buzz? (2:20 pm) anchored by Project CBD founder Martin Lee.
Strain of the Day: Go for the deep relax today with Purple Punch, a strain that offers a one-two punch to the head and body, initially landing between the eyes before settling down into the limbs. Its effects may help with managing nausea, stress, minor body aches, and sleeplessness.
Let’s Make a Deal
Share Parker Main Stage
Time | Performer |
---|---|
12 noon | Zombie Jihad |
12:35 pm | Dr. Jake Felice |
12:40 pm | Courtney Moran |
12:45 pm | Patricia Steward |
12:50 pm | Ben Livingston |
1:00 pm | Tommy G |
1:35 pm | Joelle Puccio |
1:40 pm | Leah Maurer |
1:45 pm | Tyson Haworth |
1:50 pm | Martin Martinez |
2:00 pm | Paper Nova |
2:35 pm | Charlo Greene |
2:40 pm | Cheryl Shuman |
2:45 pm | Madeline Martinez |
2:50 pm | Douglas Hiatt |
3:00 pm | NOHC |
3:35 pm | Robert Prentice |
3:40 pm | Rashaan Everett |
3:45 pm | Joy Beckerman |
4:00 pm | Dame Dilla |
4:40 pm | Ah Warner |
4:45 pm | Diane Fornbacher |
4:50 pm | Shanita Penny |
5:00 pm | Fynnie's Basement |
5:35 pm | Ngaio Bealum |
5:40 pm | Cyril Bouanna |
5:45 pm | Allison Bigelow |
5:50 pm | Kari Boiter |
6:00 pm | Withering Blooms |
6:35 pm | John Davis |
6:40 pm | Monte Levine |
6:45 pm | Sharon Whitson |
6:50 pm | George Martorano |
7:00 pm | Herbivores |
7:45 pm | Closing Ceremony |
Ric Smith Hemposium Stage
Time | Title | Participants |
---|---|---|
10:00am | Festival Opening | Ngaio Bealum Dominic Corva |
10:15am | The Endocannabinoid Systems: Maximizing the Benefits for Our Bodies | Dr. Sunil Aggarwal Dr. Karymaitre Aliffe Dr. David Bearman Dr. Jade Stefano Dr. Jake Felice |
11:00am | Cannabis POWs | Natalie DePriest Kristin Flor George Martorano Kari Boiter |
11:50am | Tackling Cannabias: Normalizing Cannabis in an Alcohol Friendly Society | Leah Maurer Joelle Puccio Diane Fornbacher Tiara Darnell |
12:40pm | Topicals, Tinctures, Terpenes, Tokes and Tastes: Extractions and Infusions | Ben Cassidy AC Braddock Amanda Mac Unika Noiel Ah Warner |
1:30pm | Diversity Plans and Social Equity: What Can Your Organization Do? | Moderator: Jerry Whiting Shanita Penny Rashaan Everett Neil Lequia Rachael Brower Nicolle Callier |
2:20pm | CBD: What’s the Buzz? | Martin Lee Giana Lampreda Golan Vaknin Courtney Moran |
3:00pm | Lessons from Around the Nation: Working toward Standardization for Future Interstate Commerce | Rachel Kurtz Casey Houlihan Nick Mosely Jim MacRae Alex Cooley |
4:00pm | Kader Sundy | Kader Sundy |
5:00pm | The PerSisters | The PerSisters |
6:00pm | Tommy G. | Tommy G. |
7:00pm | NOHC | NOHC |
Seeley Black Stage
Time | Performer |
---|---|
11 am | Tribal Voice |
12 noon | Victory Kid |
12:35 pm | Golan Vaknin |
12:40 pm | Jeremy Moberg |
12:45 pm | Ellen Brown |
12:50 pm | Elvy Musikka |
1:35 pm | Rachel Kurtz |
1:40 pm | Madeline Martinez |
1:45 pm | Amber Iris Langston |
1:50 pm | Bailey Hirschburg |
2:00 pm | Butt Dial |
2:35 pm | Amanda Mac |
2:40 pm | Stacy Bloch |
2:45 pm | Yvonne Snyder |
2:50 pm | Diane Fornbacher |
3:35 pm | Bech Schechter |
3:40 pm | Meagan Holt |
3:45 pm | AC Braddock |
3:50 pm | Martin Lee |
4:00 pm | Lakota |
4:35 pm | Michael Krawitz |
4:40 pm | Charlo Greene |
4:45 pm | Seth Cunnigan |
4:50 pm | Dawn Darington |
5:00 pm | Phake |
5:35 pm | Tea Lopez |
5:40 pm | Doug McVay |
5:45 pm | Nicolle Callier |
5:50 pm | Kristen Flor |
6:00 pm | Siren's Rain |
6:35 pm | Unika Noiel |
6:40 pm | Sierra Riddle |
7:00 pm | Lou Era and CMak |