John Sinclair, the inspiration for Ann Arbor’s Hash Bash, dead at 82

John Sinclair, the poet whose imprisonment for marijuana inspired the start of Ann Arbor’s long-running annual Hash Bash in the 1970s, has died. He was 82.

Sinclair passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at a Detroit hospital, just four days before his scheduled appearance at the revered 53rd-annual marijuana rally on the University of Michigan Diag.

However, his dedication to Hash Bash prevailed, as he continued to make appearances at the event until 2023.

Heart failure was the official cause of death reported.

Sinclair’s passing will be a huge focus at Hash Bash, which starts at noon Saturday, April 6 2024.

The annual marijuana celebration and smoke fest traces its roots back to April 1972, a mere four months after renowned musician John Lennon, alongside other notable figures, descended upon the town for a freedom rally dedicated to Sinclair.

At the time, Sinclair was serving a prison sentence of 10 years merely for possessing two joints.

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