Skip to content

CannaFest 2015 coming to Grand Forks

CannaFest 2015 is a two-day festival featuring music from the likes of Prism, the Headpins and Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm.
30456grandforksCannaFesttickets
CannaFest 2015 tickets are on sale now

CannaFest 2015, a two-day festival featuring music from the likes of Prism, the Headpins and Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm, is coming to Grand Forks.

At the regular council meeting on Feb. 23, council voted to support the event after the promoter addressed some of the original concerns from council.

“I think it should be noted that originally when Mr. Varabioff presented to us with a request for CannaFest 2015 music festival, it was advertised as an educational event to promote and educate on medical marijuana and have a dispenser on site where they would be selling it,” said Coun. Chris Hammett. “They have since been refused an application and have come back and said there would be no sales of medical marijuana at the event at all. He has also said there will be no liquor at the event on the grounds.”

The letter to council from promoter Chuck Varabioff of the BC Pain Society stated that no marijuana would be sold at the festival. He would not change the name of the festival.

“I can live with no marijuana sales, but to change the name would be extremely difficult as we are trying to brand ‘CannaFest’ into a household name,” he wrote.

Varabioff also stated that ticket sales would be capped at 3,000 and that there would be one security guard for every 10 attendees.

“Because he has conformed to council’s request that nothing illegal will take place and that it will just be a musical and educational event—I make a motion we accept his request and allow him to proceed,” said Hammett.

The motion was approved unanimously by council.

CAO Doug Allin said that the festival would still need to satisfy all the requests which the city makes of field users for special events.

Tickets for the event are already available on the bcpainsociety.com website for $50 for a single day pass and $75 for a two-day pass. Kids 6-12 are $25 for both days; kids under 6 are free. Tickets are also available locally at The Source and Kocomo’s Coffee House as of this Saturday, March 8.

The show will be held at James Donaldson Park on Aug. 7 and 8 and features Prism, Streetheart, Headpins, Lou Gramm from Foreigner, Jerry Doucette, Lee Aaron and Franklins Dealers.