CANNABIS FESTIVAL FOCUS ON MARIJUANA, HEMP USE

NIOTA, Tenn. -- Organizers of a cannabis festival here say up to 2,000
people may attend this weekend's Free Choice Fund Raiser.

The festival is to be a teaching and training time, said Brian Palmer, who
owns land where the festival will be held.

"This is a free speech event," said Mr. Palmer. "There will be workshops on
First and Fourth Amendment rights. Usually it betters people with
education, and that leads to issues like the legal use of medical marijuana."

The festival is being organized as a fund raiser for the Tennessee Cannabis
Action Network (TCAN) to help the group get their programs off the ground,
said Mr. Palmer.

The group was founded earlier this year and centers on educating about the
use of medical marijuana and industrial hemp, a material used for
everything from making rope, to shoes and other clothing, said organizers.

Thirty-two bands are expected for the event, some from as far away as
England. Also, Mr. Palmer said booths selling hemp products and other items
will be set up on the his farm.

The 25-acre farm is located along and behind homes on County Road 351,
several miles north of Niota.

The two-day event will begin about 11 a.m. today and continue until 4 p.m.
Sunday. Camping is allowed, and admission is free.

Local authorities say they know of the event, but there are not permitting
processes in the county, and since it is on private property there is
nothing wrong with holding the event.

Sheriff Steve Frisbie said he will have patrols, but unless complaints are
filed about some illegal activity, not action will be taken.

Organizers say the festival is to be a "family event" and participants from
all over the United States and overseas are expected for the celebration
and training sessions.