SOUTH HADLEY — Urged by the South Hadley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition, members of Music and Arts South Hadley voted unanimously last week not to accept money from any marijuana businesses to fund this year’s FallsFest.
“I think that the marijuana industry is in formation and a lot is unanswered,” said Karen Walsh Pio, director of the Prevention Coalition and member of Music and Arts South Hadley, or MASH. “Both Maura Healey’s recent actions and the sudden discovery that the Cannabis Control Commission has not yet licensed a testing facility — and that was supposed to come first — it just shows that things are somewhat in disarray.”
The question was raised after MASH found out they had a $15,000 deficit in the event budget, and the organizers suggested looking for donations from local marijuana dispensaries. Pio spoke against the idea, and the music and arts board agreed.
“We didn’t want to send mixed message to the kids about marijuana,” said Scott Moore, vice president of MASH. “We wanted to uphold what the Town Meeting had decided, so we thought it would be best that we didn’t accept money from them.”
He said the music and arts association will look for other sources of funding and more support from their current sponsors, and it should be no problem to make up the extra money.
“We’re a family-oriented event, so we’re trying to keep peace with everybody and not send mixed signals to the youth,” Moore said.
After a one-year hiatus, the free annual music and arts festival returned last year with an expanded musical lineup and over 6,000 attendees. Usually FallsFest is planned by a volunteer board of about 100 members, but for the first time this year, MASH hired a management company, Laudable Productions from Easthampton, to help organize the event.
According to Pio, to close the $15,000 gap in this year’s FallsFest budget, the company suggested asking for money from Easthampton marijuana dispensaries. After voicing her objection, MASH members put the matter to vote.
To help cover the gap, the South Hadley Prevention Coalition agreed to donate $1,000 towards the event, and encouraged members to make donations to support the decision not to accept marijuana money.
“This shows a good faith effort on the part of our Prevention work and support for all of the protective factors offered by FallsFest to youth and families,” Pio wrote in an email.
After a vote at an April 10 Town Meeting, South Hadley became the first municipality in Hampshire county to ban retail marijuana businesses. The Prevention Coalition pushed for the town to pass the ban, and Pio spoke favorably of it’s passing to the Music and Arts group.
“I explained to them that I felt uncomfortable about the idea of accepting marijuana money when I have this group of teeenagers trying to educate their peers about the dangers of marijuana,” Pio said of the members of the Prevention Coalition.
This year’s event will feature an eclectic music lineup, vendors, local craft beer and food trucks, Moore said. According to Pio the FallsFest costs about $50,000 to put on and will feature musical acts like Glen David Andrews, Charmaine Lakou Mizik.
“I’m looking forward to it, it should be a good event this year,” Moore said.
When asked how the coalition feels about alcohol being served at the event, Pio said the organizers are aware and have taken every precaution to keep minors from consuming it.
“The police chief is a member of our coalition and we are extremely vigilant that young people under the age of 21 are kept safe,” Pio said. “It’s legal, so I’m not telling you we need the support or don’t need the support.”
South Hadley Music and Arts has put on other community events like FestForward, CraftFest and JazzFest this year.
“It’s a complicated situation, needless to say, and I think given the fact that we are surrounded by a number of towns that have different kinds of festivals and they pretty much all include alcohol,’ Pio said. “Then you have Extravaganja.”
This year’s FallsFest will take place on July 28 at the Beachgrounds Park at 116 Main St in South Hadley Falls. Admission is free and festivities will take place beginning at noon and last until 10 p.m.
Sarah Robertson can be reached at srobertson@gazettenet.com.