Annual CALMFest draws 200

A large banner hung above a stage in Dunn Meadow Saturday proclaiming "Legalize Marijuana." This slogan represented the essence of the seventh annual CALMFest. The event, held by IU's chapter of the Citizen's Alliance for the Legalization of Marijuana, featured six bands, two solo artists and a poet. President of IU CALM and senior Amanda Barker said the event's primary purpose was to educate students about marijuana laws and provide an alternative to the Little 500 bicycle race.\n"We want to give people not only an option to Little 5 -- this is a big weekend because of Little 5 with a lot of alumni in town and people who came to see the race -- but we want to make people aware of the issues of marijuana policy reform," she said.\nMike Truelove, CALM founder and the current executive director of Indiana CALM, said marijuana legalization is a big issue because it affects so many people.\n"It's important because everyone knows someone who's been busted," he said. "It's one of those things that's touched a lot of people's lives."\nKunundrum, Rebecca Ronquest, Trio in Stereo, Rhombus, Chris Seleski, BLAMF!, Snake Drive and Blue Print all took the stage during the event. \nBut one of the main attractions at CALMFest was a poet from Los Angeles named Greg Mosley, who goes by the stage name "Elevate." Mosley, who agreed to come and perform for free at the event, spoke on marijuana laws.\n"We're not just a bunch of pot heads; we have more depth than that," he said. "And the issue has more depth than that."\nPrivate vendors set up tables at the event, as well as the Southern Indiana Chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.\nBeth Solo, the director of Southern Indiana National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said CALMFest is a valuable event.\n"It gives people an opportunity to learn things they didn't know about, and it gives people an opportunity to meet other people involved with the issue," she said.\nFreshman Wes Bickford came to the event to learn more about marijuana laws but stayed because of the music.\n"I came to CALMFest to learn a little more about the issue, but I'm having a really great time," he said. "The music is rocking." \nNot all of the attendants at the event agreed with its premise.\nSenior Rita Nelson came to listen to the music but did not like the idea of legalizing marijuana.\n"It's a controversial issue," she said. "Personally, I don't really think it should be legalized. It is a drug, and drugs should be controlled by the government." \nDespite rain and the event taking place during the Men's Little 500, both Barker and Truelove estimated that about 200 people came to CALMFest.\n-- Contact staff writer Michael Zennie at mzennie@indiana.edu.