The event ran into location problems in
June after the Eugene Police Department ob-
jected to the city of Eugene issuing a parks
permit to the festival, planned for
Washington-Jefferson Park. Police claimed
the event posed an “unreasonable danger” to
the community based on alleged drug dealing
at the previ-
ous year’s fes-
tival at Alton
Baker Park.
No drug ar-
rests
were
made at the
2003 event.
Organizer
Dan Koozer
says the pur-
pose of the
Hempfest is to
“learn about
hemp’s bene-
fit to our planet Earth,” including industrial
uses for hemp and legal medicinal marijuana.
Numerous guest speakers and workshops
have been scheduled, food and low-cost
camping will be available and nearly three
dozen bands and musicians are scheduled to
perform.
Bittersweet Campground is a private five-
acre camp on the river just past Blue River.
Other campgrounds and a hot springs are
nearby. LTD bus #91 serves the McKenzie
Highway and carpools will be coming and
going from Washington-Jefferson Park all
weekend.
For more information, visit www.emer-
aldempirehempfest.com or call 434-2377.
ALWAYS LEAVE ‘EM
WANTING MORE
More than 7,000 fans gathered Saturday
night at Civic Stadium to watch the Ems pull
out an exciting 5-4 victory over the
Salem/Keizer Volcanoes. Cheering and
worked up with excitement, the fans after-
ward poured out
onto the field,
spreading them-
selves on blan-
kets, ready and
eager for the much
anticipated annual
fireworks display.
After a 30-
minute wait, the
lights went out,
but instead of the
gradual oohs and
aahs of fingerlike
projections of reds
and blues, golden showers of fountains and
waves of starry cascades, fans received an
all-at-once wham-bam that lasted approxi-
mately five minutes.
Frustrated and disappointed, they slowly
stood, gathered their blankets and headed
home, still in the dark, to set off their own
fireworks.
A spokesperson for the Ems said the prob-
lem was caused by a glitch in the computer
program, which sets the timing for the fire-
works to be shot off.
The following night, fireworks at the
Freedom Festival at Alton Baker Park got off
without any hitches, although some still com-
plained it didn’t last long enough. — AS
Summer Glee
to Thee
Pretty Silver Jewelry
Candles • Aromatherapy • Yoga Mats
Garden Statues
RUBY CHASM
152 W 5th @ Charnelton (Farmer's Union Marketplace)
M-Sa 10-6 • Su 12-5 • 344-4074
JULY 8, 2004 9