BY ALLISON STEIN
It’s going to be a cloudy week in Tucson, Arizona. Although the clouds might not be due to the weather, but due to smoke. That’s because Tucson is hosting not just one, but two medical marijuana events this weekend.
Women Grow is heading south to hold a “pop up event” for the Tucson cannabis community on Thursday the 29th of August from 4 To 7 p.m. Women Grow, a national canna-business feminine empowerment organization based in Denver has local market chapters around the country in cannabis states. One of the most successful in the nation has been the Phoenix group.
The Phoenix market Women Grow chapter has been operating since 2015 and hoping to build a local community in Tucson. The event will be held at The Whistle Stop Depot, 127 W 5th St., Tucson, AZ 85705. Former Phoenix market leader, Parisa Rad, who is now in charge of national outreach for the organization, is now organizing “pop up events” on a national scale, starting with Arizona.
It’s sure to be all the fun and excitement she brought to Phoenix to Tucson at each stop across the country. Look for a variety of statewide cannabis sponsors, high profile Southern AZ cannabis business leaders and elected officials as Women Grow begins their work to build a presence in the Tucson cannabis market.
Then 2 days later, on Saturday August 31, hosts a sprawling downtown music festival in and around Tucson’s famous Hotel Congress. Known as HoCoFest, festival organizers, will provide three days and nights of bands, vendors, food trucks and all sorts of entertainment. Meanwhile, in the middle of the festival, at the Club Congress, organizers will host “Legalization 2020,” a panel discussion to provide the Tucson public with information “on the future of Arizona cannabis with reflection on its history and current status in law.”
Who’s on the panel?
Well, we have:
- John Hartsell (DIZPOT)
- William Elliott (Earth’s Healing Dispensary)
- Mikel Weisser (AZ NORML Arizona Cannabis News)
- Stacey Cope (Sonoran Prevention Works)
Moderated by Nick Meyers (Tucson Weekly / Phoenix New Times), the panel discussion focuses on the propaganda of “Reefer Madness” that led to the war on drugs to legalization now, and where we are headed, as well as info about the newly filed “Smart and Safe Arizona” 2020 Legalization Initiative. The brief discussion will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Due to the time crunch; it might be difficult to fit all of the necessary information in. Come and find out at Club Congress, 311 E Congress St., Tucson, AZ 85701. This event is only for those over 21 years of age.
Keep in mind the legalization panel is only part of the massive program for this year’s tenth anniversary edition of the street festival. To get an idea of the bands performing or check schedules, explore the HoCoFest band list here.
—Allison Stein is a staff writer for Arizona Cannabis News.