Listen Live
Listen Live

Canada’s first marijuana street party being held in Prince George on 4/20

It is a main selling point of the upcoming BC Craft Cannabis Summit.

For the first time in Canadian history, a city block will be shut down to vehicle traffic for a marijuana-centered street party.

It will take place in Prince George on George Street during the daytime hours of Saturday, April 20th – 4/20 – as a part of the Summit that is taking place inside the Ramada throughout the weekend.

Tara Kirkpatrick, the President of the BC Craft Farmers Co-op (BCCFC), told My PG Now people can expect “vendors, food trucks, a fun zone, a smoking consumption area, photo booths, tattoos – there is a lot going on.”

There are 27 different vendors and booths that will be set up, Kirkpatrick said they are all local or regional.

Many of the vendors will be regional cannabis farmers – Kirkpatrick one of their goals is to connect consumers with producers.

“How many people go to the stores and walk out with a joint, they never think ‘who grew that?’ This is an experience for the consumers too if they want to meet people in the industry,” she said.

The street party, however, is just one portion of the Summit that is on its way to the Northern Capital.

Keynote speakers, panelists, farmers, and consumers from across BC and the country will be present inside the Ramada throughout the weekend, and attendees can also visit a trade show that will be set up in the hotel.

One of the most noteworthy speakers that will attend the expo is Patrick Weiler, the Liberal MP from West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast.

Nadine “Mama Deen” Furnell, the Director of the BC Craft Farmers’ Co-op, explained Weiler is “the Chair of the all-party House of Commons Caucuses for both cannabis and tourism… and he is a huge supporter, he has been with us since day one.”

This is the third time the expo has run and the first time it has been held in Prince George.

Furnell said a focus of the business side of the event is to try and rally the industry together to find collaborative and local solutions to problems they have been facing.

“Prior to legalization, the industry was all together fighting the same fight,” she said. “Legalization happened. Rather than champion together, everyone went and chased the gold rush and a lot of corporations came in. It was just done wrong.”

“As a result, BC Craft is not on its rightful spot on the shelf. We proudly promote buy BC – BC bud is world renowned,” Furnell continued. “We have an opportunity here to capitalize on that and the government is just not getting it, it is difficult for us farmers to get in.”

“We need to do this together moving forward, the right way,” she concluded.

The Saturday street party is free for anyone who is of legal age, but the expo and trade show is a ticketed event.

A three day pass costs just under $150 – Furnell and Kirkpatrick said there are no single day pass options available yet but it is something organizers are looking at adding.

The expo starts at 2:00 this afternoon (Friday) and will run until noon on Sunday (April 21).

The duo were both very thankful to the City of Prince George for allowing this event to happen, doubly so for making Canadian history by allowing them to close traffic to a city block for the event.

In a previous news release, BCCFC Vice President Richard Willems said “While we all knew Prince George was a cool city, now it is official. Earlier this year, Prince George dramatically reduced annual cannabis retail fees. Then they welcomed our BC Craft Cannabis Summit. This permit completes the hat trick!”

You can find out more information on the event here.

Files by Will Peters

Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].

Darin Bain
Darin Bain
Darin is a news reporter for Vista Radio's Prince George stations. His career started in the Cariboo in 2020, working as a News Reporter in both 100 Mile House and Williams Lake before making the move to Prince George in late 2021.

Continue Reading

cjci Now playing play

cirx Now playing play

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Hartley’s Sports Shorts; Monday, September 15th

Prince George Kodiaks  35  Valley Huskers (Chilliwack)  35   (Saturday tie)The Huskers scored the go-ahead touchdown to make it 35-34 with 40 seconds left in the game, however the Kodiaks tied the game with 4.8 seconds remaining on a missed 15-yard field goal that went for a single point.

Prince George’s Terry Fox Run brings in $16,000 and counting

Hundreds of Prince George residents put shoes to pavement for the 45th Annual Terry Fox Run this morning (Sunday) in Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park."We have made it bigger and better this year," said Organizer Sylvia Masich. 

City Council to discuss e-scooter pilot project

Prince George City Council will be taking a look at a pilot project that would bring electric kick scooters to the City. At this week's meeting, taking place on Wednesday, City Council will discuss a report on the pilot project, which is being put on by the Province. 

Cougars drop final preseason matchup in Quesnel

The Prince George Cougars capped off the preseason with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Kamloops Blazers at the West Fraser Centre in Quesnel. Dmitri Yakutsenak, a new import player for the Cougars, opened the scoring 15:17 into the opening frame, with Kayden Lemire and Carson Carels picking up assist. 

Wild fourth quarter ends in a tie for Kodiaks and Huskers

Possibly the most anti-climactic finish to an exciting final few minutes, the Prince George Kodiaks and Valley Husker fought hard to a 35-35 draw."Tough team, Chilliwack's a good team, we found a way to hurt ourselves again, that's eight games in a row of hurting ourselves," said Kodiaks Head Coach Jamie Boreham. 
- Advertisement -