Ann Arbor’s second-annual psychedelic shroom fest is officially a go. The University of Michigan has approved organizers’ request to host the event known as Entheofest on UM’s Central Campus Diag off State Street from 1:11-4:20 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, university officials confirmed to MLive.
A festive celebration of entheogenic plants and fungi, including psychedelic mushrooms, Entheofest takes place in the same outdoor space on campus where thousands gather each April for Ann Arbor’s annual Hash Bash marijuana rally.
Entheofest celebrates the anniversary of Ann Arbor’s move in September 2019 to declare entheogenic plants and fungi the city’s lowest law-enforcement priority, effectively decriminalizing the substances at the city level. That includes ayahuasca, ibogaine, mescaline, peyote, psilocybin mushrooms and other natural compounds with hallucinogenic properties.
Organizers describe the festival as a celebration of sacred plant medicines, but they ask that people not consume psychedelics at the event. There also are to be no vendors and no buying or selling products at the event.
UM permitted last year’s Entheofest on the Diag with UM police standing watch. Thousands of people attended, some wearing mushroom-themed attire and T-shirts with messages such as “Make America Giggle Again” and “The Future is Dope.” Police reported no issues or arrests.
This year’s event is slated to include live music by Brennan Andes and Friends, activist speakers calling for statewide decriminalization and educational booths.
Entheofest is sponsored by Decriminalize Nature Michigan, the Student Association for Psychedelic Studies at UM, Michigan Initiative for Community Healing, Michigan Psychedelic Society and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Read more about the event and see who’s on the speakers lineup this year.