Summer finished with a blast of Cannabis smoke in the air as the Joint Rivers Summer Roll Up brought the Cannabis community together in a celebration of freedom.

Located on Muckleshoot tribal land and next door to the beautiful casino and hotel with a premier Cannabis retail location, Joint Rivers has grown rapidly since opening in the summer of 2018, and they give back each year by throwing an amazing party for customers and vendors. This year’s event, the Summer Roll Up, featured over 45 Cannabis vendors in a parking lot festival with their best products on display and available for tasting. Joint Rivers customers and event attendees were welcomed to this free event with the opportunity to acquire custom casino-style tokens, which were then redeemable for Cannabis tastings and samples at booths. The tokens were collected and tallied throughout the weekend, and the companies with the most engagement won big awards, making this a true people’s choice competition.

“We had over 13,500 tokens passed out and redeemed for Cannabis and over 3,500 people who came to the event over the two days, and we had a really good response to the token tasting and competition,” explained Hannah Pohl, sales manager at Joint Rivers. “This is an event we look forward to throwing every year, and we enjoy bringing our vendors to the community and giving them a platform to connect with consumers directly.”

Entrants to the event had to pass through the retail shop, where they were ID’d and given a wristband. Inside the secured parking lot were dozens of Cannabis vendors, and a heavily discounted food area serving tacos, street corn and hot dogs. The fruited drinks were a hit, and the presence of affordable food with tons of terps was a solid combination. Other highlights included an on-site tattoo station, puff putt golf, a dazzling photo station, and DJ Ben Soto dropping beats to keep the crowd moving.

“We want the word to get out that we can do open consumption events. We are blessed to be able to provide tasting and consumption on tribal land, and it’s something we feel very lucky to have, like a small bird in your hand. You have to treat it respectfully while moving forward, and we take it very seriously,” Pohl explained passionately.

As Washington State continues to wrestle with regulatory issues including consumption events, on-site and off-site sales for events, and general freedoms like homegrow, it’s important to recognize the work that tribally owned stores are doing to progress freedoms for all Cannabis users and companies. Over the past decade, the Liquor and Cannabis Board has shown zero desire to normalize Cannabis and allow companies the same freedoms as alcohol producers and sellers. As the industry looks to grow, it’s more important than ever before that consumers and companies have the chance to connect, share, and smell Cannabis, and be a part of our vibrant community that, like plants, thrive best outside in the light.

“This is the future of events,” said Chris Taylor, general manager of Joint Rivers. “The tribes are all equal in their opportunity for consumption events or deli-style, and as tribes show that more freedom can come with high standards, we will move policy forward for everyone. We hope these rights spread to all of 502, and we feel lucky to pave the way for the industry and LCB to show how to throw these events safely and successfully.”