Both Riot Fest and the 420 Fest have been canceled by organizers. While for different reasons, it's equally disappointing for festival goers.
One new, one old, all around a huge bummer. Both Riot Fest and the new 420 Fest have been canceled by their respective organizers for several individual reasons.
Riot Fest has been rocking the streets of Denver for four years. Organizers announced on March 17 that the rock-fest will not be returning to Denver. The group behind the Chicago-based event decided two festivals were simply too much work. Back in November, one of their lead organizers Sean McKeough had passed away, making planning more daunting for the rest of the team.
Riot Fest organizers released a woeful statement about the cancellation:
It saddens us to say, however, that we will not be able to return to Denver in 2017,” ...“Without Sean’s massive contributions, taking on more than one festival this year is, unfortunately, simply not possible. That said, we hope our absence from Denver is only temporary.”
Riot Fest began in 2013 and brought the rock and rap carnival out east in Byers. The festival was forced out by unhappy residents, but set up shop in the streets of Denver at Mile High Stadium... then the National Western Complex.
Despite the moves, Riot Fest did very well in Denver. The event drew huge crowds and even convinced The Misfits to get back together for their first show in 33 years. But now it's gone... Hopefully, as the statement says, only temporarily.
Along with Riot Fest, another highly anticipated Denver festival has been canceled... this one for more regulatory reasons.
The new 420 Festival was planned for April 20-21 and was expecting to bring in a lot of people for the two day festivities. A date near and dear to any starting-out-stoner's heart. 420 is a time honored unofficial holiday for marijuana enthusiasts and the new festival would have aligned with the decades-old 420 Rally in Civic Center park (which is still on track!).
The plans for the new marijuana festival at Cheesman Park were being placed by Colorado Highlife LLC. The 420 Festival had been met with strong opposition from park advocates in Denver.
The organizers' initial announcement characterized the conditions of the festival as "ridiculous." The announcement was posted as a pop-up on the event website on Thursday, March 16. Which unfortunately followed a well received announcement that rapper 2 Chainz was going to be the event's headliner.
The organizer's application for their permit estimated about 4,900 attendees for each day, including vendor booths, a DJ and performances by bluegrass and pop artists. The park advocacy group, Friends and Neighbors for Cheesman Park, sent out a message to it's members and city officials called the idea for the festival "disrespectful to historic Cheesman Park and the neighborhood." Concerns were expressed about the potential for excess noise, illegal public consumption of marijuana, and the sale of drug paraphernalia in the park.
The cancellation came after a the list of "ridiculous" conditions was presented to the organizer. Among them: Submission of agreements for security, portable toilets and trash removal; plans for noise mitigation, parking and transport, as well as communication to attendees about public consumption laws; and that the organizer meet with Denver PD to discuss security. The deadline to meet these requirements and paying permit fees would have been March 30.
In response the organizers wrote in their cancellation notice:
Due to the city of Denver placing extra ordinary requirements on us that they do not place on anyone else (sic) events we have to cancel. We met all of the requirements from the city … and they “invented” more that were not part of the normal policies. Due to the last minute additions that were placed on us we cannot meet the ridiculous requirements of the Denver city Parks and Denver PD.”
Considering the planned placement of 420 fest, a park in close proximity to a residential neighborhood, it seems more thought should have been put into the regulatory aspect of marijuana use. At the same time, things like planning to have porta-potties, security, and having your full payment in 21 days before the actual event don't seem all that "ridiculous," but not all requirements have been listed out.
Regardless, Riot Fest fans and 420 enthusiasts are pretty disappointed at cancellations. On the bright side, if you still want to rock out for Riot Fest you can plan a trip to Chicago September 15-17. If you still want your Denver 420 festivities to continue, the 420 Rally in Civic Center Park is still on track to go on!
