Seattle Hempfest

History of Seattle Hempfest

• Founded in 1991 as Washington Hemp Expo, later renamed to Hempfest in 1992.
• Early events featured marijuana smoking.
• Washington legalized medical marijuana in 1998, followed by cannabis legalization in 2013.

Notable Speakers and Performers at Seattle Hempfest

• Woody Harrelson (2004), Rick Steves (2007, 2010), Jill Stein (2012), Mark Stepnoski (2003).
• Musical acts like Fishbone, The Kottonmouth Kings, Rehab, Pato Banton have performed.

Attendance, Awards, and Recognition

• Over 100,000 attendees annually, with a record of 310,000 in 2008.
• Volunteers awarded NORML Outstanding Cannabis Advocate of the Year in 2008.
• Annual budget around $700,000 in 2013.
• David Bronner named Cannabis Activist of the Year in 2015.
• Hempfest considered the largest pot rally globally, advocating for decriminalization of marijuana for responsible adults.
• Received National NORML Award for Outstanding Cannabis Advocate.

Advocacy and Goals of Seattle Hempfest

• Advocate for legalization and decriminalization of cannabis.
• Support legal access to medical marijuana and promote legal domestic hemp production.
• Emphasis on marijuana policy reform and supporting voter initiatives for cannabis-related laws.

Impact and Acknowledgments of Seattle Hempfest

• Various elected officials have spoken at Hempfest, recognizing its impact.
• The event’s advocacy work has been acknowledged in the media and by organizations supporting cannabis reform.

Seattle Hempfest Data Sources