Freedom Rally

The Boston Freedom Rally (otherwise known as Hempfest, to locals)[1] is an annual event in Boston, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Held on the third Saturday in September, it is traditionally the second largest annual gathering demanding marijuana law reform in the United States, after the Seattle Hempfest.[2] After achieving the original goal of legalising marijuana in the state of Massachusetts in 2016, the rally is seen as a celebration and a chance to educate the community. Some attendees also view it as a rally to lessen the restriction on marijuana consumption, with public consumption still banned, and violations costing up to US$100.[1][3] It is organized by the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition (MassCann), the state affiliate of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) also known as Mass Cann/NORML.[2]

Mass Cann/NORML's Freedom Rally 2008

History
4:20 PM at Freedom Rally 2009

The first Freedom Rally was held in 1989 in North Adams. The second was on the dock beside the USS Constitution. The third was held in front of the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Street and the fourth, in 1992, was held on Boston Common at the Parkman Bandstand.[4] In 1995, the Freedom Rally moved to its current location across the Common on the Carty Parade Field. The annual membership fee is $18 for single and $30 for couples.[5]

References
  1. "'Hempfest' is coming. And it's going to be a little different this year". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  2. "Boston Freedom Rally [09/19/20]". www.thebostoncalendar.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  3. Hilliard, John (21 September 2019). "Years after Mass. made pot legal, Boston Freedom Rally rolls on". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  4. "Boston Freedom Rally History | MassCann/NORML". Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  5. "The Tasmanian Bushland Garden". www.anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 2020-04-02.


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