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Temperatures in the high 80s signaled the long-awaited arrival of summer and brought a large crowd to the town common for the annual Extravaganja festival on Saturday. More than 2,000 people sprawled out on the grass in downtown Amherst, soaking up the sun on the town’s hottest April day in nearly 20 years. After weaving in and out of a vast labyrinth of blankets and lawn chairs, thick clouds of smoke billowing through the air, it was clear that this year’s festival was more than just a pot-rally ‘- it was a celebration.
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In many ways, this year’s Extravaganja was an opportunity for people to rejoice over the decriminalization of marijuana, which was adopted in Nov. 4′s election and eliminates the threat of arrest for minor possession of the substance. The decriminalization was a major victory for the UMass Cannibus Reform Coalition(CRC), who have played a significant role in state lobbying for the drug’s legalization.
Cory Gillis, vice president of the CRC, said the festival was a way to celebrate all the hard work the organization has put in over the years to decriminalize marijuana in Massachusetts.
‘It was a huge sense of satisfaction for all of us who have spent hundreds of hours tabling, petitioning and registering people to vote for the proposal,’ said Gillis. ‘I think it taught people a lot about the way the government system works.’
Police cruisers idled on the streets lining the town commons, keeping an eye on the crowd. In years past, the threat of arrest was enough to deter people from smoking on the commons or even coming to the festival.
There was no such restraint on Saturday and the festival produced no legal altercations. Joints circulated freely and hand-blown smoking pipes sold by local vendors flew off the shelves. Tie-dye clothing, homemade jewelry, and shoes were also on display in neighboring tents. Fried dough, lemonade and hot dog stands served as munchies-stations, relieving cottonmouth, or dry mouth) and satiating food cravings.
The festival was emceed by Heather McCormack and Julia Sheratt of the duo Solo Sexx. The pair was among a handful of outstanding local performances. The musical lineup featured performances from Psychedelic Jazz band Primate Fiasco, local hip-hop groups The Alchemists and The Problematics, and Reggae performances from the Black Rebels.
The musical lineup was, in many ways, representative of the Amherst community. The crowd was comprised of not only students, but also their parents and professors, some of whom brought their young children to enjoy the festivities.
‘I think that this year really helped represent the diversity of the people that are in this community. The diversity was definitely represented through the music,’ said Sheratt, a senior member of the CRC and one of the musical emcees.
In addition to the local bands that rocked the stage on Saturday, this was the second year the CRC helped put together a DJ tent, located on the opposite side of the commons. UMass students DJ Megha, DJ Badboon and WMUA radio favorite DJ Nondeskript entertained crowds on the one’s and two’s with a jiggy mix of electronic and hip-hop instrumentals. A scattered few danced in front of the DJ’s tent with hula-hoops while others rested in the scarce shade provided by trees on the common’s outskirts.
While members of the UMass CRC regard the decriminalization of marijuana as a major victory for their cause, by no means is the mission accomplished. Gillis spent his time at the festival petitioning for a bill that would legalize marijuana for medical use in the state, something that has been implemented in states like
‘We can’t support the decriminalization bill if patients who need marijuana aren’t able to receive it for medical use,’ said Gillis.
The CRC will continue to collect signatures to form a petition that they can send to state senators, advocating legalization for medical use. Brian Melanson, a sophomore member of the coalition, believes following the same blueprint for decriminalization is the best way to move forward.
‘We know that the process works because that’s how we got it decriminalized,’ says Melanson. ‘It took us five years, but we did it.’
Noah Steinberg-Di Stefano can be reached at steinber@student.umass.edu.
