4/20 Vancouver BC

Apr2102:04 PM

Yesterday was the annual 420 event, Cannabis Day as some call it, a holiday for the counterculture you might say. Regardless of whether you smoke ganja or not, I hope you'll admit that this is a fantastic expression of free speech and a rally call to governments all over the world to end the prohibition on the world's safest substance, cannabis, a natural and medicinal plant.

Each year in Vancouver one of the world's largest 420 rallies takes place at the Vancouver Art Gallery, smack-dab in the middle of downtown. Some reports place attendance at 3,000, others at 5,000...while my estimate is around the 10,000 mark. The crowd ebbed and flowed throughout the afternoon, but at the peak time of 4:20 PM people appeared out of nowhere to celebrate, with the police having to shut down Howe St. to accommadate thousands of people who just couldn't fit into the Gallery square.

It was an extremely happy and peaceful event celebrating freedom of choice. The day's festiviites was MC'd by the 'Prince Of Pot' himself, Marc Emery. Marc's wife Jodie Emery, was also in attendance, who just launched her political campaign for Vancouver-Fraserview MLA with the Green Party BC Of BC.

It was quite a beautiful thing actually, kind of like being transported back in time to the 60's. Hippies and Rastas and Punks and Teenagers and Suits were everywhere. Anti-war songs were sung and Free The Weed was openly embraced. People of every colour, age-group, and social clique were there; all smiling, laughing, enjoying the music, and passing the peace pipe.

So what was The Bleeder Blog doing there? Well, like it or not, marijuana is tightly entwined with music; both in the creation by artists and in the consumption by fans. Music has always played a significant and important role in culture. Music unifies people and helps make change happen. While I have no intention of this blog becoming a soapbox for political opinions, it seems more than appropriate to be the perfect opportunity to voice support for a much needed end to the criminilaztion of this multi-purpose, environment-saving, medicinal, recreational, super-plant.

So I attended. And with video camera in hand, this is what I saw. Oh, and by the way...you don't want to miss the fantastic street musician I filmed as well. Think Jack White. This kid is amazing and dripping with soul. Enjoy!

Peace.
Brian

Photographs by: Les Bazso, The Province