Pubdate: Wed, 26 Mar 2003
Source: Creative Loafing Atlanta (GA)
Copyright: 2003, Creative Loafing
Contact:  http://www.atlanta.creativeloafing.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1507
Author: Scott Henry

DUDE, WHERE'S MY PERMIT?

After nearly a decade, the Great Atlanta Pot Festival will be allowed to 
roll again in Piedmont Park next month.

In the early '90s, longtime Atlanta promoter and marijuana activist Paul 
Cornwell built his festival into a huge annual event anchored by such 
big-name musical acts as the Black Crowes, Cypress Hill and OutKast. 
Drawing estimated crowds of more than 30,000 people -- many openly enjoying 
reefer -- the free festival was targeted by Mayor Bill Campbell, who vowed 
to shut it down because, he said, festival-goers were encouraged to break 
the law.

In 1995, the last year the festival took place in the park, the city won a 
court ruling that banned alcohol and food sales and did not allow Cornwell 
to erect a soundstage. Since then, the city has managed to deny him a 
festival permit altogether.

Cornwell believes the city may have bent to legal pressure this year in 
granting him a permit to bring a scaled-down version of the festival back 
to Piedmont Park April 20. A federal lawsuit he filed in February 
challenges the city's new festival ordinance, claiming it restricts 
free-speech rights and puts too much authority in the hands of Atlanta 
Chief Operating Officer Greg Pridgeon.

"It's a bad idea to give someone like Pridgeon the power to pick and choose 
who gets [permits]," Cornwell says, reflecting on the COO's recent decision 
to deny a permit for a proposed hip-hop fest. "There's way too much 
influence on our First Amendment rights by corporations, neighborhoods and 
other special-interest groups."

Along with pro-pot legalization speakers, the headlining band for the 10th 
annual Great Atlanta Pot Festival will be Peter Tosh Legacy, featuring the 
late reggae star's oldest son, Andrew.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager