Lansing cannabis music fest in the works

To commemorate the legalization of recreational marijuana in Michigan, concert promoter CEP has filed paperwork with the City of Lansing to host the first 420 Cannabis Music Festival to be held on April 18 at Adado Riverfront Park.

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However, there may be some notable absences in the event's official line-up, actual marijuana chief among them.

"Will marijuana be sold at the festival? No," said Dan Doyle, the festival's in-house counsel and legal organizer.

"It is not designed to be a Hash Bash," Doyle said.

Hash Bash is a marijuana event held annually near the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. That event, which also features music and food, has seen attendance grow to 15,000 people, according to the Hash Bash Website.

"The idea for the festival is around the legalization of the recreational marijuana," he said, noting that the focus will be on music, with rap, country and rock artists advertised to appear.

According to the event page on ticketing website Eventbrite, rapper Sada Baby is slated to perform.

The event is also slated to feature a marijuana expo, in which licensed businesses will offer education about products as well as job opportunities in the industry.

Doyle did not say how many acts or vendors had been booked for the event as of Thursday morning, although he noted that the roster was being updated "daily."

Despite the cannabis centered nature of the event, the 420 festival is advertised as "all-ages" with those under the age of 18 requiring adult supervision.

The legal age to purchase recreational marijuana in Michigan is 21.

Doyle said Lansing officials have not pushed back against the festival's organizers due to the content.

"We're aware of (the event)," Valerie Marchand, communications manager for Lansing, said on Thursday.

"We're working through the approval process," she said.

Although the permitting process was ongoing as of Thursday morning, ticket sales for the event already have begun.

Admission ticket prices range from $30 for early bird purchases, which end on Feb. 14, to $100 for a VIP package.

Additional information for the event can be found on Eventbrite.

Contact business reporter Christian Martinez atcmartinez@lsj.com or (517) 267-1342. Follow him on Twitter at @ChristianM_CA.

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