Welcome to Nimbin

MardiGrass Raves

Michael Balderstone
HEMP Embassy President

25 February 2024

The five Legalise Cannabis Members of Parliament, and I hope some Greens, are coming to MardiGrass after completing their first year as representatives of our favourite vegetable, as Timothy Leary called pot. Looking forward to hearing their stories.

Jeremy Buckingham was on the front page of the Daily Terror this week, Murdoch’s flagship. He’s the chair of the Budget Estimates committee hearings which gives him plenty of air for questions.

The DT Editorial wrote, “During that hearing, the somewhat unlikely figure of Legalise Cannabis party MP Jeremy Buckingham directed an impressively informed series of questions at Premier Chris Minns.

“Do you accept that in recent years, there has been an explosion of organised crime activity across NSW that has manifested itself in gangland violence on the streets of Sydney?” Buckingham asked, and so on.

Minns agreed it’s costing NSW taxpayers billions each year. Rumour has it his Drug Summit will be in October but just for a couple of days.

Jeremy has also initiated the establishment of a NSW Hemp Industry Task Force which includes 12 representatives from growers and industry associations along with the Minister for Agriculture. Several of our local hemp farmers are in the Roundtable discussion. Hippies being included! Unheard of.  We’ll hear all about it at MardiGrass.

MardiGrass is also all about sensible law reform for ALL drugs, so this year we will partner with Entheogenesis Australis to present a day/night program dedicated to other medicinal plants. We promise expert knowledge-sharing on botanical research, mushroom cultivation, harm reduction, the black art of saliva testing, and psychedelic therapy. Don’t miss it! 10am – 10pm Saturday 4 May in the Town Hall Garden.

Meetings for this year’s first weekend in May annual protest have begun and already the hippie traditions have been upset by, you guessed it, new rules.

It seems several of last year’s Iron Grower Person Event contestants had taken an inordinately long time to recover and one, a medallist, has not recovered.

Australian International HEMP Olympix Committee (IHOC) officials attending a meeting in Brussels said, “While we are still battling the consequences of the drug war with illegal unregulated chemical drugs on the street, the committee has decided this event must be suspended until the war is over and respect for drug use returns.”

After due consideration by the IHOC, plans are afoot for a replacement gold-medal event reflecting the change from outdoor to indoor growing, another drug war impact. The Dealer’s Nightmare will be a team event testing quick and accurate reactions to police raids.

In exciting news, the IHOC is also considering including Correct Weight as an official HEMP Olympix event this year after its growing popularity in the Fringe Olympix. Contestants aim to to fill a baggie with exactly 28.35 grams. Correct weight keeps the bag.

Everyone is welcome at the MardiGrass meetings at Nimbin’s Hemp Bar, every Friday from 4.20 now until that first weekend in May.

Would you like to get involved? Submit the relevant form for: market stalls, advertising, speakers, musicians and performers, stallholders, Jungle Patrol, Ganja Faeries, and volunteers to help us set it up for a couple of weeks before May 3, 4 and 5!

Or here’s the link to buy a ticket!