11 am Friday 5 May
10:45am : Gather on the footpath outside Nimbin Hospital
March for cannabis law reform
From Nimbin Hospital across the road to the Police Station to deliver a request for them to treat us, and our choice of medicine and recreation, as part of everyday life – not a criminal matter.
5 pm Friday 5 May
25th MardiGrass Opening Ceremony – Allsop Park
After the arrival of Chibo carrying the Hemp Olympix Torch with the Eternal Flame For The Victims Of Prohibition, the Bundjalung Custodians will do a smoking ceremony and welcome to country followed by a minutes silence to remember our Brothers and Sisters, Victims of this senseless War on Drugs. Captain Cook stayed at Botany Bay from 29th April to May 7th 1770 when he raised the flag 247 years ago.
7 pm Friday 5 May
Nimbin Street Drummers – Outside Daizy’s
On Friday nights Cullen street comes alive with drumming – Aboriginal – African- Carribean- Latin American. The percussion circle right on Nimbin’s own ‘Blister’ attracts local musicians, dancers and revellers every Friday night until late.
11 am Saturday 6 May
Register for the MWSCC (MardiGrass World Stoned Chess Championship) on the old Museum site next to Rainbow Lane by 12:00 pm Saturday.
12 pm Saturday 6 May
World Stoned Chess Championship – Old Museum Site
Winner decided by sunset. Drug testing will be compulsory, but not after every move.
11 am Saturday 6 May
STONER SCRABBLE – Oasis Cafe Chill Space
In The Green Zone behind the Nimbin Cafe OASIS. Bring your scrabble set!!
3 pm Saturday 6 May
Old Fashioned cookie cooking – Oasis Cafe Chill Space
Hosted by the Cookie Queen
4 pm Saturday 6 May
Kombi Konvoy!!
…rolls up in Nimbin having wended its way from Byron Bay. Line Cullen Street to welcome up to 100 kombis!
4.20 pm Saturday 6 May
Global Marijuana March!!
Welcome to the Earth’s longest running “Four Twenty” Demonstration in Nimbin! Come on everybody! It’s time to take control of the street! OCCUPY!! Stand shoulder-to-shoulder with your fellow cannabis lovers and light whatever you have in your hand, and let’s appreciate that all around the world millions of people are smoking pot at Four Twenty. They are getting together outside factories and offices. They are lighting up in homes and in gardens and on beaches, and pretty much everywhere! At Four Twenty everyone ought to be thinking pot for peace and peace for pot and ways to achieve it!! Thank each other for bravery in the face of what can seem at times to be overwhelming opposition, and for standing strong against those who think cannabis is a problem. Thank each other for spreading the word that cannabis is part of the solution. Now take this vibe out into the world and tell everyone you meet that there is a tribal wave of change coming. Tell them everything you learned at Nimbin MardiGrass!! [More at bigjoint.org]
5 pm Saturday 6 May
Moving pictures showing 25 years of MardiGrass – Old Museum Site
Projectionists: Doug and Old Steve
11 am Sunday 7 May
STONER SCRABBLE Final! – Oasis Cafe Chill Space
In The Green Zone behind the Nimbin Cafe OASIS. Bring your scrabble set!!
2 pm Sunday 7 May
MardiGrass Parade!!
Gather and get ready for the MardiGrass Parade!! Meet at the exit of the western car park, across the road from the Community Centre Market. The march is the main event, so please walk with us for cannabis law reform!
Led by the Widjibal Elders of the Bunjalung Nation, with children holding the Koori flag, the parade this year will make its way south along Cullen street past the Police Station where it will turn left and head down Cecil Street and around to the Hash Bowl Stage in Sativa Stadium for the Cannabis Law Reform Rally, speeches and MardiGrass Float Prize presentations. There is also a short cut down past Green Bank if you run out of puff! Just follow the GANJA FAERIES and the BIG JOINT!!
The Ganja Faeries celebrate the spirit of MardiGrass. They dance behind the Bundjalung people who traditionally welcome the protesters to their country each year. Their dance has itself become a tradition simply because the laws remain unacceptable to all self respecting ganja users, be they Bundjalung, faeries or otherwise.
Rally speeches from Bundjalung Elders, Michael Balderstone, Ganja Faeries and cannabis activists and law reformists from around the globe.
This is our twenty-fifth consecutive annual Rally for Cannabis Law Reform. We vowed to Rally every year on the first Sunday in May until we are no longer criminals for using this herb. Prohibition is an incitement, not a control! MardiGrass will become a Festival when we can celebrate the herb without fear of prosecution and persecution. When the Police have a float in the street parade behind the Ganja Faeries, Big Joint & POLITE, then we really will have a proper festival and celebration. In the meantime, this annual event is a POLITICAL PROTEST RALLY.
7 pm Sunday 7 May
Drumming circle – Outside Daizy’s
Vibrate into the closing hours of MardiGrass.
