Turning over a new leaf: Cannabis legalisation campaigners act up outside Downing St. London March 2001. Photo: Ian Hunter

Cannabis Fez A Go Go

The UK's largest one day free festival looks set for sunshine

3rd May 2002

The fourth annual Cannabis Festival will take place in Brockwell Park, Brixton in south London on Saturday May 4 and the weather forecast is good.

The festival is one of the best kept underground secrets on the events circuit. Despite almost no mainstream coverage before or after the event, the festival attracts around 30,000 people. It is one of the few festivals of its size left in the UK which still relies heavily on voluntary labour and remains mercifully free of the commercialisation which has eaten its way into the rest of summer festival circuit.

The event is proceeded by a march commencing 12 noon (sharp) at Kennington Park (Oval tube) and proceeding to the festival site in Brixton. Police estimates of numbers [always low unless it's a police event] at last year's march was 10,000.

Both the march and the festival is taking place in the region of Lambeth which is currently experimenting with a more liberal approach to policing cannabis users. There will also be a demonstration of solidarity with the former chief of local police, Brian Paddick, who was moved from his post after coming out as gay and making radical comments policing and drugs on a website chat room.

In the past three years the police have turned a blind eye to the voluminous clouds of combusting herb which provide the festival with its characteristic atmosphere. The festival has always been peaceful.

The London event is part of a global network of similar events. This year's 'Million Marijuana March' global cannabis action on Sat May 4 includes confirmed events in 189 cities world-wide.

In Britain, cannabis festivals, marches or events are also happening Manchester and Birmingham on Sat May 4, in Hull on Sun May 5, and in Edinburgh on Mon May 6.