NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally 2019
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams To Speak At NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally On May 4
New York’s oldest marijuana event starts in Midtown and marches to Union Square Park for a day-long rally with speakers and music
NEW YORK, NY, April 9, 2019 – New York’s longest-running annual pro-cannabis event, the NYC Cannabis Parade and Rally, returns on May 4.
This year’s Event will take place as New York State lawmakers debate the merits of two legalization measures: The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act and the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act.
A lineup of elected officials and musical performers will educate and entertain the crowd throughout the day.
The Event begins at 11 am with a pro-legalization speak-out at the assembly point at W. 32 St. and Broadway. At 12:30 pm, the Parade marches down Broadway to Union Square Park. The Rally there runs from 1-5 pm.
Speakers will include recently-elected New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Assembly Member Richard Gottfried (State Assembly District 75, Manhattan) and other elected officials, industry experts and activists.
The musical lineup features Clip Payne’s 420 Funk Mob (including members of Parliament-Funkadelic), Brooklyn’s High & Mighty Brass Band, the CCB Reggae All Stars (formerly the High Times Cannabis Cup Band), rappers Cambatta and SCRIBE the Verbalist, and the East Village’s SoulCake.
The NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally’s Coalition Partners include Empire State NORML, Women Grow NYC, Drug Policy Alliance, Marijuana Policy Project, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Cannabis Cultural Association, Start SMART New York, New Jersey Cannabusiness Association, High NY, Revel, LatinoJustice, Hemp Industry Association, Patients Out of Time, Marijuana Business Association, Green Party of New York State, A Rebel Minded Society, Freedom Leaf, Honeysuckle, Infuzes and Good Deed Entertainment.
The Event sponsors are Dutch company Sensi Seeds; Etain Health, one of New York’s medical cannabis providers with dispensaries in Manhattan (142 E. 39 St.), Yonkers and Kingston; hemp supplier Tonic; grow-box manufacturer SunBud Solutions; CannaGather; Presto Doctor; Curved Papers; and TribeTokes.
Following the Parade & Rally, there will be an Afterparty at SOB’s (204 Varick St.) featuring speakers, music and sponsor tables from 5-10 pm. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
About the NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally
The New York City Cannabis Parade & Rally (NYCCPR) is among the longest running marijuana legalization events in the world. What began as a “Smoke-In” in Washington Square Park organized by the Yippies in 1973 has evolved into a two-part Event: A Parade down Broadway and a Rally in Union Square Park, all on the first Saturday in May. Sister events take place in more than 300 cities worldwide on the same day. NYCCPR is the founding chapter of the Global Marijuana March.
The event’s mission is to end the prohibition of cannabis at all levels – international, federal, state and local. Ten states have legalized marijuana since 2012. New York and New Jersey are both on paths to legalization. Thirty-three states allow access to medical marijuana, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. By June, perhaps New York will pass legislation.
These factors make this year’s Parade & Rally all the more important. New York has come a long way from when 50,000 residents were being arrested a year for marijuana possession. Arrests are down and policy has changed since last year. Now the goal is complete legalization, with a fair and equitable commercial marketplace, like in California and Massachusetts.
Please note: Final Parade & Rally details are subject to change by NYPD and New York City Parks Department.
