An immersive music, art, and cannabis experience that won’t be forgotten anytime soon
Photos by Erik Fralick
Words by Chris Faraone
“The future is here—and the immediate future will be continuing to wait in the wings for regulating social consumption licenses in Massachusetts.”
Back in September, we asked Jordan Mackenzie Whittaker of the Weedaker Group what her team was thinking about big picture-wise while organizing their October That ?arty blowout in Kingston. She continued: “First and foremost, social consumption needs to be defined; as of now, it’s all up in the air, all up to interpretation of our own understanding.”
Last Saturday, Whittaker’s crew helped carve out that definition. As Massachusetts cannabis regulators work to write new social consumption regulations over the next few months (or years, you never know), there will likely be some references to That ?arty, which demonstrated the potential for this kind of flower fête. And you will also likely hear about it from attendees, since the whole setup was mesmerizing, stunningly decked out like some kind of trippy Disneyland but with much cooler characters.
From entry to exit, the spot was filled with enough entertainment to keep any curious partygoer busy—whether they’re into weed or not. From tarot readings to tattoos to lawn games and live music—Liv N Lil, followed by the Punk Cellist then Over The Bridge and Hitch & The Aliens—there were enough attractions to keep one’s head properly spinning for several hours making the rounds between vendor booths and installations. The people-watching was also outstanding, with the masquerade theme and Halloween season summoning some serious creativity.
And for those who happen to consume, there was no shortage of samples up for grabs. Sponsors brought their best buds and most impressive products to show off, with Nature’s Heritage having a full-service dab bar staffed by cartoon characters, Impressed wheeling a gourmet coffee cart to complement their craft cannabis, and RiverRun Gardens bringing some old-fashioned fun in the form of a backyard wooden boat race game fashioned from storm gutters. Every winner got a joint.
“That ?arty collides the worlds of immersive art, live experience, entertainment, creative cuisines, scrumptious spirits, and your favorite cannabis brands,” the organizers said ahead of the event. “The whole vision of ?arty is to build an experience that’s engaging and memorable, a way to connect at an unforgettable event while normalizing and demystifying consumption as part of a community building ritual.”
