BANGOR, Mich. (WOOD) — On Saturday morning, the main drag through Bangor will shut down for the town’s first ever 4/20 festival.
"People would gather on 4/20 and said, ‘We're against prohibition on marijuana,’ and that is how it started off as a protest,” festival organizer Mark Smith said. “Now that the United States has moved into legalization, it’s more of a celebration.”
Smith owns the medical marijuana shop The Green Door in downtown Bangor. He wants to make sure those who attend know what the festival is and what it is not.
"Not a high time event, not a hash bash. A festival,” Smith said.
Smith got approval from the city and has been working with people like the mayor, police and fire personnel along with other business owners to pull off the event and wants to make sure everyone is happy.
"We're gonna have educational pieces to this with speakers that are coming in, from doctors to lawyers to veterans’ groups and growers," Smith said.
There will also be bands, local food vendors and a beer tent. All the vendors have pledged to give part of their proceeds back to the city police force so they can buy new bulletproof vests.
Bangor Mayor Nick Householder says there hasn't been much pushback.
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