Nimbin’s 33rd MardiGrass program is on the way to the printer and up on the website now, says Michael Balderstone, president of the MardiGrass Organising Body, better known as the MOB.

“There’s absolutely first-class speakers on all aspects of the cannabis plant and, in fact, on many other entheogenic plants as well this year. The term comes from the Greek words “en” (in) and “Theos” (god), meaning “god within”, Michael said.

“Albo’s called the election for the same weekend, and we recommended voters use a prepoll before they come to Nimbin rather than crushing the polling booth at Nimbin on the Saturday.”

The clash of the two events has created a highlight in the MardiGrass program with Jeremy "Joe" Buckingham, the NSW Legalise Cannabis MP, bringing his increasingly famous “Into The Weeds” podcast to town to join Antony Greenout in our very own Mardigrass Tally-Ho Room.

There’s always plenty of comedy at MardiGrass, and this year is the 30th Hemp Olympix, and by popular demand, the Growers Iron Person Event is on again. The Joint Rolling contests and Bong Throw and Yell are crowd favourites, as well as Correct Weight, where contestants have to guess an ounce, or the Dealer's Nightmare, which tests your cool in a police raid.

It looks like a record-breaking lineup for the Kombi Konvoy on election day which culminates in the 420 Stoner Blaze protest. Everyone is encouraged to dress up and enjoy the main event, the Rally for Cannabis Law Reform is on Sunday afternoon.

There are weed movies running all weekend at the Bush Theatre and six stages for speakers and performers. They’re all listed in the program on the website along with the musicians, including Hussy Hicks, The Hoochers, Black Bird Hum, and Lionheart Rebellion, the Oz Hip Hop Showcase, and the massive High Vibes program, which includes Elektropanda, Whompus, Creten, Organic Distortion and Coneheadz.

Special speakers who have never been to MardiGrass before, include Dr Michael White, flying up from Adelaide, who is Australia's expert on the dreaded RDT, Roadside Drug Testing. Dr Patrick Keyser, fresh from touring America, Emily Rigby founder of Australian Cannabis Cultivators, a crew from Cymra, our local legal cannabis farm that specialises growing organically in the ground, another big crew from Entheogenesis Australis, and still more. 

With hundreds of new people signing up for legal medical cannabis every day now, there is a resurgence of interest in cannabis and MardiGrass is a real grassroots opportunity for people to learn from those with experience who gather in Nimbin once a year. The cannabis plant itself is the real teacher, but the array of doctors and healers, growers and medicine makers, scientists, and professors lined up to talk this year make the weekend a knowledge fest. And if you need a rest, the sport, the stalls, the stoned chess and pot poets, the food court, and endless music will keep you entertained.

Cannabis may be legal through a doctor now, but we still cannot grow our own, and we cannot drive without fear of losing our licence, so please support our cause. Tickets are on sale now at nimbinmardigrass.com and still the same price for years now: $150 for a full weekend pass to all events plus 3 nights camping at the Nimbin Showgrounds with excellent facilities. Keep an eye on the website for program updates until the big weed weekend on May 2-4. 

”It really is time to legalise cannabis…the drug against wars!”