A massive cannabis convergence happened in Denver recently, and no, we’re not talking about the annual 4/20 smokeout.
The two floors of Denver event venue City Hall on Broadway were full to busting at The Sensi Mag Pre-420 Launch Party on April 15. By 9 p.m., the line was down the block to get into the party.
On the first floor, Sensi Media Group’s founder an CEO Ron Kolb and president Tae Darnell welcomed cannabis industry guests to the kickoff party for Sensi Magazine. Additional party hosts were SMG publisher Tyler Tarr, along with Wendy Turner, director of Coltyn’s Crue, and Richard Haines, CEO of MDHerb.
Leland Rucker, senior editor of Sensi Magazine, took a few minutes to talk about the publication while he sat at the corner of the bar. “There are many marijuana magazines, good magazines, but none are aimed at adults.” Although not strictly for baby boomers, Rucker said he saw a need for a magazine with an adult tone for the everyday people who smoke marijuana. Sensi Magazine, says Rucker, “will cover serious stuff, show people in the industry and the people who use products.”
The inaugural cover story features 24 Denver-based cannabis pioneers. Wanda James, owner of cannabis shop Simply Pure and Jezebel’s Southern Bistro and Bar, adorns the cover, photographed by Kim Sidwell, Sensi chief photographer and owner of Cannabis Camera. Featured pioneers in attendance at the party included Ean Seeb and Kayvan Khalabari, who are the co-founders and co-owners of Denver Relief and Denver Relief Consulting; Larisa Bolivar, executive director of the Cannabis Consumer Coalition; Mason Tvert, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project; Teri Robnett, executive director of Cannabis Patients Alliance; Hunter Garth, managing director of Iron Protection Group Security; and Tripp Keber, CEO of Dixie Brands.
One of The Cannabist’s own, editor Ricardo Baca, was included among the featured pioneers along with state Rep. Jonathan Singer (D-Longmont), Mike Elliott, the executive director of Marijuana Industry Group and Art Way, the Drug Policy Alliance‘s senior director of national criminal justice reform strategy and leader of the Colorado chapter of DPA.
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Restaurateur Scott Durrah, who’s married to James and the co-owner of Jezebel’s Southern Bistro and Bar and Simply Pure, performed a savory cooking demonstration.
Party guests raised money for advocacy group Students for Sensible Drug Policy by bidding in a silent auction for items including vaporizers by Pax and Atmos, a capsule maker from Lab Society, and a mini-dabber by Concentrate Supply Company.
Upstairs, artist Patrick Kane McGregor had a live painting session, filling a large canvas with the image of a top cola of Green Crunch, grown by Good Chemistry. The plant portrait sold that evening for $420. Headlining deejays Selecta Nikka T, who’s the owner/operator of Essential Extracts and DJ Lord of Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame-inducted hip-hop group Public Enemy, got the crowd swaying and grooving on the dance floor to mixes of reggae and hip-hop until midnight.
Sensi Magazine is available at dispensaries, select coffee shops and wellness centers in the greater Denver area.
Photos of the Sensi Magazine Launch Party
