SEATTLE EVENTS A NONPROFIT CORP

What SEATTLE EVENTS A NONPROFIT CORP does

Seattle Events A Nonprofit Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation organized under Washington State law and operating under the trade name Seattle Hempfest. Founded in 1991 as the Washington Hemp Expo at Volunteer Park, the organization produces what it describes as the world's largest annual cannabis policy reform event, a free-admission three-day "Protestival" held at Myrtle Edwards Park on Seattle's downtown waterfront since 1995. The organization is volunteer-driven at its core: approximately 120 volunteers and 3.5 paid staff coordinate year-round, supported by 1,000+ event-week volunteers organized across more than 100 crews. None of the staff or board receive compensation.

The business model is community-funded rather than ticket-funded. Revenue is generated across six primary streams: vendor fees from arts, crafts, food, and advocacy organizations; tax-deductible donations processed through Zeffy; merchandise sales (apparel, hemp products, 420 culture goods) through Shopify, WooCommerce, and Bonfire; a recurring $10/month membership program providing access to monthly Hempy Hour virtual events; event sponsorship and program advertising; and benefit events plus international Hempfest brand licensing royalties. Festival production costs exceeded $700,000 annually pre-pandemic, while the event generates an estimated $8M+ in annual regional economic impact. Pre-pandemic attendance peaked at 100,000+.

The organization maintains a permanent physical presence at Hempfest Central (12351 Lake City Way NE #102, North Seattle), established in 2012 as the first office after 20+ years operating from volunteers' homes. The storefront functions as a hemp boutique selling industrial hemp goods, books, custom glass, and event merchandise. The technology footprint is non-proprietary: Shopify/WooCommerce for e-commerce, Zeffy for donations, YouTube for video, Google Analytics for traffic, and Bonfire for limited-edition merchandise drops. The organization holds a federally registered Hempfest® trademark (USPTO Registration #4753487), produces a five-part documentary series titled "It's All About Freedom," and licenses its brand internationally for regional cannabis reform events.

Name

SEATTLE EVENTS A NONPROFIT CORP

Legal name

Seattle Events, a Non Profit Corporation

Website

https://hempfest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Seattle Events A Nonprofit Corporation operates Seattle Hempfest, the world's largest free-admission annual cannabis policy reform rally held since 1991 in Seattle. The 501(c)(3) volunteer-driven nonprofit serves cannabis reform advocates, patients, and the general public through its annual protestival, Hempfest Central storefront, membership program, educational resources, and international brand licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

SEATTLE, Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vendor Fees: Revenue from arts, crafts, food, and organizational vendors participating in the festival
2. Donations and Contributions: Financial contributions from supporters and donors to support the organization's mission
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales of Hempfest branded merchandise including clothing, accessories through Bonfire and online storefront
4. Membership Program: Monthly membership program ($10/month suggested) providing access to monthly Hempy Hour events and community building
5. Sponsorship and Advertising: Revenue from event sponsorship and program advertising sales
6. Benefit Events: Revenue from benefit events organized throughout the year to support the festival

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Seattle Events A Nonprofit Corp operates Seattle Hempfest, the world's largest annual cannabis law reform Protestival held each August at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle since 1991. The organization delivers a free three-day multi-stage festival with music, speakers, and vendors, complemented by a physical Hempfest Central storefront, a membership program with monthly Hempy Hour events, branded merchandise, advocacy and educational content, and a five-part documentary series titled "It's All About Freedom."

Product overview

Seattle Events a Non-Profit Corporation operates Seattle Hempfest, the world's largest annual cannabis law reform protestival. The organization runs the main three-day August event at Myrtle Edwards Park featuring multiple stages of music, speakers, and vendors, complemented by Hempfest Central retail store, a membership program with monthly Hempy Hour virtual events, and educational resources including Gut Checks and Cannabis Studies. The organization also produces the 'It's All About Freedom' documentary series and merchandise through Bonfire.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seattle Hempfest Protestival The world's largest annual cannabis law reform event, held each August at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle since 1991. Features multiple stages with music, speakers, vendors, and educational content on cannabis policy; free admission maintained as a constitutional free speech protection.
• Hempfest Central Retail Storefront Physical retail location in North Seattle selling industrial hemp goods, books, custom glass, 420 wall art, handmade earthenware, posters, and Hempfest event merchandise.
• Hempfest Membership Program with Hempy Hour Monthly membership program at suggested $10/month providing access to monthly Hempy Hour virtual meetups on the second Sunday of each month, year-round cannabis education, event updates, and community connection for cannabis advocates.
• Branded Hempfest Merchandise Limited edition Hempfest branded merchandise including the Pixel Logo Shirt collection of clothing and accessories, sold through Bonfire.com and the online storefront.
• It's All About Freedom Documentary Series 5-part documentary series in production on the Seattle Hempfest YouTube channel, covering the history of cannabis reform, science and medicine, politics and policing, hemp sustainability, and arts and music in the movement.
• International Hempfest Licensing Program Licensing program allowing organizations worldwide to host authorized Hempfest-branded cannabis reform events, with international events such as the Hempfest International event in Açores, Portugal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $8 million annual economic impact to the Seattle region
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• Seattle Police DepartmentnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Historic collaboration in 2013 where Seattle Police announced they would distribute bags of Doritos with informational stickers about new legal parameters post-I-502. SPD spokesperson Sergeant Sean Whitcomb spoke from the Hempfest Main Stage. This created international media attention and symbolized changing relationship between law enforcement and cannabis community.
• The November CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Inmate advocacy organization introduced to Hempfest in 1998 by Nora Callahan. Focuses on putting names, faces, and stories behind prisoners of the War On Drugs. Most formidable organizations fighting America's criminal war on its own people.
• The Human SolutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to advocate for adopted prisoners serving sentences for cannabis offenses. Hempfest raised funds ($3,400.85 in 2014) for adopted prisoners including Jimmy Roman, George Montorano, and Eddie Lepp. Seattle Hempfest Human Solution Chapter adopts prisoners and leads information campaigns about those doing time for cannabis.
• Hemp Industries AssociationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in 2009 to showcase what the hemp plant could do for America. Featured exhibits and displays on industrial hemp and its many uses.
• Washington State LegislaturenotableGTM or Marketing PartnerActive engagement with state legislators for cannabis policy reform. Signature gatherers participate in qualifying initiatives for ballots. Hempfest platform details 25 national and regional movement goals for legislative advocacy.
• ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal assistance provided in 1994 negotiations with city officials regarding Special Events Permit requirements. Helped establish Hempfest as a legitimate political rally.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hemp Industries Association: National trade association for the hemp industry with which Hempfest has a documented partnership. Comparable as a hemp/cannabis reform nonprofit with educational programming, advocacy, and event presence; more industry-focused than Hempfest.
• Portland Hempstalk: Annual cannabis/hemp reform event held in Portland, Oregon. Directly comparable as a regional cannabis advocacy event with free admission, vendor village, speakers, and education focus; smaller scale than Hempfest.
• Drug Policy Alliance: Leading national drug policy reform nonprofit. Directly comparable mission (ending the War on Drugs, cannabis legalization) and similar tactics including public events, legislative advocacy, and educational programming. Operates at a larger, more national scale than Hempfest.
• Boston Freedom Rally: Annual cannabis reform event held on Boston Common since 1989. Highly comparable as a large, free-admission cannabis advocacy rally featuring speakers, vendors, and music, organized by a nonprofit coalition.
• Hash Bash (Ann Arbor, MI): Annual cannabis reform rally held at the University of Michigan since 1972. Closest direct peer as a free, cannabis-policy advocacy event held annually in a public space, with similar speakers, vendors, and reform-oriented programming.
• Marijuana Policy Project: Major U.S. cannabis policy reform nonprofit focused on state-level legalization. Comparable nonprofit advocacy model with similar donor-driven funding, lobbying, and public-facing campaigns; less comparable on the event/festival dimension.
• NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws): The largest and oldest U.S. cannabis policy reform advocacy organization (founded 1970). Directly comparable as a nonprofit advocacy organization focused on ending cannabis prohibition, with grassroots organizing, voter registration, and policy engagement activities that closely mirror Hempfest's mission.
• National Cannabis Festival (Washington, D.C.): Annual cannabis policy and culture event held in Washington, D.C. Comparable as a cannabis-themed festival combining advocacy, music, and education, though newer and more industry-tilted than Hempfest's protest heritage.

Emerging players

• Veterans Cannabis Group: Nonprofit advocating for veteran access to medical cannabis. Comparable as a niche cannabis advocacy nonprofit doing policy work, although not an event organizer; reflects the broader cannabis nonprofit ecosystem Hempfest operates within.
• High Times: Iconic cannabis media brand that operated the Cannabis Cup competitions and related events. Partially comparable as a cannabis cultural event organizer and lifestyle brand, though primarily commercial/media rather than nonprofit advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/seattlehempfest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SeattleHempfestOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/seattlehempfest
• Instagraminstagram.com/seattle_hempfest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seattle-events-a-nonprofit-corp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SEATTLE EVENTS A NONPROFIT CORP