Mar 12, 2020 – ANN ARBOR, MI – There are mixed messages about whether Ann Arbor’s Hash Bash will happen this year.
Thousands in the cannabis community have gathered throughout the city on the first Saturday of every April since 1972.
The Monroe Street Fair, which has partnered with the event since 2002, earlier this week was postponed to the fall in the wake of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Tuesday declaration of a state of emergency over confirmed coronavirus cases in Michigan.
And, while a Hash Bash social media message has announced this year’s April 2 celebration will be postponed because it can’t get a permit, “Mr. Hash Bash” plans to smoke it up anyway.
“You can’t cancel Hash Bash,” said Adam L. Brook, who calls himself by the moniker. “I just got off the phone with the Legendary John Sinclair, who will be joining me and others at what Hash Bash was always intended to be…a protest and smoke-in.”
Sinclair, who has protested for marijuana usage for the last five decades, served two years of a 10-year prison sentence between 1969-71 for possession of marijuana that he was accused of giving to an undercover Detroit cop. His case was overturned by the Michigan Supreme Court, and he said he has smoked marijuana everyday since.
The University of Michigan student group that organizes Hash Bash will not get a permit for the event, as the university has disallowed all events of at least 100 people due to the threat of the spread of coronavirus.
“It is with a heavy heart that we must postpone the 49th Hash Bash,” said Nick Zettell, founding board member of MI Legalize. “To protect the health and safety of our participants, we will not be gathering on the Diag this April. We are so grateful for you, our attendees, Monroe Street Fair, and U of M. We love you all!”
But Brook, Sinclair and the toking traditionalists will still gather by the University of Michigan Diag at “high noon” on April 2, Brook said.
