FOLLOWUP: Cantanna Fest no longer planned for Lincoln Park – moving to Myrtle Edwards (update: now planned for Puyallup)

Two days ago, we reported on a music-and-advocacy festival called The Cantanna Fest changing its venue to Lincoln Park with just over two weeks to go, after losing its planned site in Snohomish. The City of Seattle process for approving and planning major events usually involves a much longer lead time, and news of the festival coming to Lincoln Park on short notice sparked many questions. Then yesterday, as added to our original story, Seattle Parks spokesperson Christina Hirsch told us the department was “in discussion with the event organizer about possibly relocating the event to a different location.” That location will be Myrtle Edwards Park on the downtown waterfront, according to organizers’ announcement on Instagram (thanks to commenters for the tip), where they wrote: “… This has been a Rollercoaster. Thank you Seattle Parks and Rec for helping us and apologies to those in West Seattle freaking out about Lincoln Park. Although it would have been an amazing show we do not want to upset the community and we have listened. …” The organizers added in a comment there, “To be fair when getting a permit we are supposed to send mailers out to all the residents and the Parks and Rec helped us rush the permit but that step was not possible.” Myrtle Edwards Park was the longtime home of Hempfest, though the organizers’ comments also stress, “We are not Hempfest and we DO hope they return.” Cantanna Fest’s political component is to campaign for a Cannabis Industry Bill of Rights.

UPDATED AUGUST 7: We now have word this is instead happening at McMillin Farm in Puyallup – same dates.

Charles Burlingame July 27, 2024 (6:13 pm)

Let it never be said that West Seattle is not the NIMBY capital of Seattle. Take that, Magnolia.

Anne July 27, 2024 (9:40 pm)

Baloney- should have been at Myrtle Edwards from the get- go – Lincoln Park was never the right venue for this particular event.
- Mellow Kitty July 28, 2024 (10:23 am)
  
  🙄
Secret of Nimby July 28, 2024 (6:32 am)

You keep using that word, Nimby, I do not think it means what you think it means. A quiet park in the middle of an urban area has zero to do with housing or transit. In fact a quiet green space in an urban area is something that is needed for locals who would not have access to a natural space otherwise . It’s ok to disagree with the use of the park, but using a word you don’t even understand in an effort to try to insult people with a different view point, just makes you look ignorant.

anonyme July 27, 2024 (6:18 pm)

Myrtle Edwards is the perfect location for this. Lincoln Park was not. Simple as that.

Danimal July 27, 2024 (9:54 pm)

There are a whole bunch of people who disagree with you, anonymous one. Your statement is just an opinion.
- Win win win July 28, 2024 (8:14 am)
  
  And more people who disagree with you, Danimal. The festival got moved because it was the optimal outcome for the festival, festival goers and West Seattle – a win-win-win. The biggest winners here are the promoters and festival goers. The downtown waterfront is an incredible venue for a music festival. I’m thrilled for the promoters and attendees. West Seattlites can attend via Water Taxi. I have a deal for you, Danimal: If you report back from the festival that it was a failure because of the venue then I’ll buy you a beer and allow you to publicly shame me as NIMBY-in Chief of West Seattle.
  - Karen July 28, 2024 (2:55 pm)
    
    And a whole lot of people disagree with you “win win win Karen” West Seattle never gets anything cool cause all the uppity Karen’s want to talk to “whoever is in Charge” so they can control the fun. This isn’t the town in footloose. We want fun!
    - That’s Win Win Win Kevin to you July 28, 2024 (8:26 pm)
      
      Sure, but, again, for the record, more people disagree with you and Danimal. For sure. It wasn’t close. We can do this all day, but this wasn’t about that or about fun (bonus points for the Footloose reference, though). This was about moving this event to a much much more appropriate venue that can handle something of this scale. If you have to resort to calling people names to either make your point or diminish somebody else’s, you should reconsider the merits of your point. Let the record show that only one side of this discussion was calling the other side names. I’ll let you decide whether you think that was an effective way to make your point in this case.
  - Seattlite July 28, 2024 (8:30 pm)
    
    WIN WIN WIN….I agree with you 100%!
  - Pelicans July 29, 2024 (2:39 pm)
    
    Win. Win. Win.Best reply ever.

dBfree July 27, 2024 (6:47 pm)

Does this set a precedent for other musical and theatrical events in the Preserve?

Todd July 27, 2024 (8:21 pm)

What do you mean? Lincoln Park is not a preserve: It is a multi-purpose park (see: the shoreline that hosts barbecues, the forest with children’s play structures, etc). An example of a preserve is Schmitz Park, which just has trails, and was never in contention to host this event
Pelicans July 27, 2024 (11:08 pm)

This event was not centered around music or theater.
- Neighbor July 28, 2024 (10:30 am)
  
  Huh? Music is absolutely centered in this festival.
Josh July 28, 2024 (9:15 am)

Lincoln park is not a preserve. There is a marine sanctuary just off the North beach. The park is just a park. Local nimbys claim the park is full of wildlife when it suits them, but that does not make it a preserve.

Is Parks High? July 27, 2024 (6:50 pm)

I kept my moniker from the last thread for consistency; I would like to simply say that I believe this is absolutely the proper outcome — Myrtle Edwards is by far a better choice for a large venue like this. I heartily applaud the Parks and promoters for listening to what are very real concerns about a sudden crush of people into this delicate environ. On Monday, I plan to go pick up a dozen or so cans I noticed yesterday strewn deep inside the trees across from the gas station. I had my little dog with me, and visible toilet paper and possible needle concern kept me from that task. But yes, this is the kind of damage (perhaps only temporary) that I feel hundreds of visitors could have inflicted. Alcohol sales and weed smoking (let’s face it, we can’t even keep off-leash dogs off the beach — smoking was gonna happen) was just not a fit, period. Thank you to all who listened and changed course so quickly. It was the right choice.

Scott Mckinley July 27, 2024 (7:22 pm)

Your welcome :) We didn’t want to step on any landmines just wanted to find a home for our show. Happy we made it to Myrtle Edward’s
- Danimal July 27, 2024 (10:00 pm)
  
  Scott – let it be know that there were a huge component of folks in West Seattle who wanted this to happen in Lincoln Park and thought it is an AWESOME venue for your production. Unfortunately, the nimbys, naysayers, and whiners always seem to come out in loud droves when people want to have fun, and they have nothing better to do than jaw at their public officials and pretend that they’re the majority. Unfortunately, the squeaky wheel (read: the annoying one) always gets the grease. I say try again next year!
- Secret of Nimby July 28, 2024 (6:45 am)
  
  Thank you for listening, Scott. We appreciate you finding a better venue.
- Michael July 28, 2024 (5:00 pm)
  
  Thanks for tuning in to West Seattle Blog. The waterfront park is a much better location for the event. Better transit access, closer to other amenities. I’m glad you made the choice.
Seattlite July 27, 2024 (8:52 pm)

Is Parks High? I 100% agree with your common sense comment.
Pelicans July 27, 2024 (10:41 pm)

I’m overjoyed to see that this event was moved to another venue, and that it it will not set a precedent for future uses of that kind in Lincoln Park. Once this kind of event is allowed there, without public notice or input, it’s that much easier to allow it in the future. Same as ziplining. Seattle Parks and Rec bears constant watching and scrutiny. And no, my name is not Karen.
Leashless Dogs - A True Menace July 28, 2024 (8:04 am)

I’m glad we’ve finally realized that disacarded needles and toilet paper are equivalent to leashless dogs.When will the nightmare of contented dogs running unheeded across beaches in West Seattle cease?
- Oh Seattle July 28, 2024 (3:27 pm)
  
  If you don’t know or care what damage off leash dogs cause on beaches, then you are willfully ignorant and grossly self-absorbed. I have adopted 6 dogs in the time I’ve lived in Seattle and have never let them run off leash in a public place, and somehow they all lived happy, contented lives. I’ve also never been attacked while walking my on-leash dogs by toilet paper or discarded needles, but have been several times by “well-trained” off-leash dogs while their owners yelled at them to come back.

MM July 27, 2024 (6:55 pm)

Common Sense prevails!

Seattlite July 28, 2024 (8:32 pm)

I will drink to that!

Alki resident July 27, 2024 (7:18 pm)

I’m happy this is happening. I’d hate to see West Seattle get bombarded with patrons in their establishments or see West Seattle for what it actually is, a bunch of NIMBYs.

Unfortunate July 27, 2024 (7:27 pm)

Sad, this would have been a lot of fun. The NIMBYs that think they live in a suburb instead of a city win again.

WS is a suburb genius July 27, 2024 (7:37 pm)

Sub-urban meaning offset from the urban which is Seattle. I don’t know why you think it’s not and having a big festival in a neighborhood park doesn’t make sense.
- K July 27, 2024 (7:54 pm)
  
  West Seattle is not a suburb, no matter how much you want it to be. It is part of Seattle (just like North Seattle, South Seattle, and Downtown Seattle are), which is a city.
  - Beepee July 27, 2024 (8:34 pm)
    
    I wouldn’t compare west seattle to any of those places , especially considering SLU’s vicinity to aforementioned neighborhoods. Those are not suburbs , but burien is one and closest to west seattle comparably
    - CAM July 28, 2024 (3:00 pm)
      
      Um, I don’t think you can make that argument for “West Seattle” as a whole. I live in West Seattle and I’m far closer to downtown than I am to Burien. I’m probably almost closer to SLU than I am to Burien.
- Alki resident July 27, 2024 (8:27 pm)
  
  West Seattle is a city, with city buses and city workers and city people. There are musicians who perform in city parks every single year, including , drum roll, Hiawatha. If you go to other parts of the city, you’ll find performances in Puyallup at the downtown library park who welcome hundreds of spectators who laugh, dance, eat and have a great time. There’s so many options for locations but uptight NIMBYs continue to kill the vibe in West Seattle because they have nothing else going on in their lives. What an embarrassment.
  - Danimal July 27, 2024 (9:55 pm)
    
    Hear hear, Alki resident. The naysayers and NIMBYs really suck.
  - Wes C. Addle July 27, 2024 (10:34 pm)
    
    Yep, finally something fun was gonna happen in the neighborhood. We don’t even have Bubble-man anymore. Yeah, it was short notice but there’s plays and bands that are in Lincoln Park fairly often. It would be nice to have something like this happen every now and then.
    - Brian July 28, 2024 (7:13 am)
      
      I go to Lincoln Park multiple times a week and I’ve never see any bands playing there.
  - Everybody wins here July 28, 2024 (7:01 am)
    
    There’s no reason to be angry with this outcome, Alki Resident. You can still attend this festival, a festival that will be much, much better off being held in a location that can accommodate it. Given your 27 posts to this conversation, it would appear that, for you, it this was more about making your point rather than having the best outcome for the festival goers and West Seattle. The festival is going to be amazing – even more fun now that it will have more space, parking, power, etc. I’m proud to be a NIMBY when it makes sense to be one and that was surely the case here. This was nothing more than a sensible decision for everybody involved. Now go enjoy the festival. Better yet, let’s both go enjoy the festival together as neighbors. We can enjoy a smoke together on the waterfront and you can call me a NIMBY until your heart’s content.
  - Mellow Kitty July 28, 2024 (10:35 am)
    
    Says the person who always complains about people coming to Alki Beach . . .
  - Pelicans July 28, 2024 (12:17 pm)
    
    To ostensibly take a spokesperson’s role in this, I very much doubt West Seattlites are “embarrassed” by the outrage we have expressed over Seattle Parks and Rec’s trying to slip this event in “under the radar.” We are not “embarrassed” that, due to public outcry, it was moved to a more suitable place – Myrtle Edwards Park.
  - Pelicans July 28, 2024 (12:22 pm)
    
    “Uptight nimbys” are not “killing the vibe” in West Seattle. There is a reason people move here.
  - Seattlite July 28, 2024 (2:41 pm)
    
    Alki Resident: That’s a broad brush to use in painting a negative picture of West Seattle’s residents. By the way, Seattle is a city. West Seattle is a neighborhood community in the City of Seattle. West Seattle is not a city. The City of Seattle annexed West Seattle in 1907. West Seattle was an independent town before being annexed. By the way, whose responsibility is it to cleanup after a two-day festival of boozing, eating, live music, and who knows what else? Is it neighborhood residents? Is it the parks department? Is it the event coordinator? Who would pay for the police to direct traffic for the ferry dock, neighborhood commuters, buses, cars?
    - JustSarah July 28, 2024 (3:08 pm)
      
      Do you work for the city budget planning office or something? Why do you care about the division of duties for this event? You seem to be implying something but not actually saying it.
johnny July 27, 2024 (8:49 pm)

Bummer! I guess I won’t get the chance to share my favorite covert Lincoln Park weed brain blastin’ spots!!🤩
Pelicans July 27, 2024 (11:19 pm)

Go attend this at Myrtle Edwards Park . Enjoy the waterfront. Take the bus. Be a happy weed smoking commuter.

Guy July 27, 2024 (7:28 pm)

That’s too bad–it would have been a great time for all.

momosmom July 28, 2024 (6:48 am)

And maybe being around all that 2nd hand smoke could had relaxed some of these nimby’s, just like their evening glass of wine???😉

Colby July 27, 2024 (7:49 pm)

I just spoke to several Lincoln Park birds. They are rather upset they must travel across the water for their EDM dance party. They did comment they hope the water taxi will accommodate a late sailing back.

My two cents July 27, 2024 (8:20 pm)

… that late sailing will upset everyone along Alki and we know what issues that causes. Thankfully we seem to have a lot of armchair “Naturalists” around that can save us (once again).

Seattlite July 27, 2024 (8:50 pm)

EXCELLENT! Myrtle Edwards Park is where the Hempfest is held. It is not near residential areas and is a much better location for this type of festival where booze is served and live music is played all day long.

End-o-line July 27, 2024 (9:42 pm)

Last I checked, that entire part of Belltown where the new highrises are, is the definition of residential area. More people live in that square mile than all of Endolyne.
- Pelicans July 27, 2024 (11:01 pm)
  
  If I’m not mistaken, Hempfest was permitted at Myrtle Edwards Park long before most of those condos were built and before weed was legalized. It’s a perfect venue for this event. Why didn’t Parks and Rec designate that venue for this event in the first place? What were they thinking? That city entity really bears watching and oversight, imho.
YepYepYep July 28, 2024 (10:43 pm)

This is a much better location indeed. I would have been highly entertained watching it go down, but Lincoln Park on a couple weeks of planning would have been a hot mess.At least they already know how to logistically handle big events at ME, and LQA (my old neighborhood) is pretty accustomed to it.

Terremoto July 27, 2024 (9:20 pm)

Myrtle Edwards – perfect location for – three stages for decibel-lovin’ music, car show, drinking/smoking areas, large crowds, limitless parking. Win-win. Seattle Center also a great venue for large crowds.

SJ July 28, 2024 (8:07 am)

Exactly. Those spaces are designed for large public gatherings – better chance of success where needed features are already built in. Two weeks is ambitious no matter where this lands – good luck to organizers.

I know it’s super-fun to say “NIMBY”, but this is pure logistics.
bill July 29, 2024 (7:55 am)

Show me the limitless parking at Myrtle Edwards. Taking over Myrtle Edwards probably means the bike path will be closed, or at be impassible, just like during Hemp Pest. There is no safe and comfortable bike detour, unless SDOT closes a lane of Broad, Elliot, & 15th. I expect a fair number of hapless and bewildered cruise tourists trying to make their way to the Pier 91 terminal. Seattle Center is a much more appropriate place. Or Discovery Park, if disrupting a major park is one the goals.

RAK July 27, 2024 (9:48 pm)

Thank goodness. This would have been a disaster during and aftermath. Not appropriate for Lincoln Park. Some other part of my back yard please. Yes, common sense prevails.

Lincoln Park Neighbor July 28, 2024 (6:45 am)

Thank goodness. This would have been nightmare for neighborhoods around Lincoln Park. Fauntleroy is already a traffic mess on the weekends with park goers and ferry traffic. Adding thousands of concert attendees and their cars to the mix would have been a disaster. There’s a place for everything and Myrtle Edwards Park makes far more sense. This is not about being a NYMBY, this area of West Seattle is at capacity. Hope you have a great show.

Alex July 28, 2024 (8:01 am)

Shoot – I was planning on charging $100 to park in my driveway, but in all seriousness the lack of parking and a messy ferry queue did not bode well for this event. If they want to try again next year I’d like to see deals with Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and Gatewood Elementary to use their grounds for parking. It could be a nice fundraiser.

Mellow Kitty July 28, 2024 (10:30 am)

I’m not really being sarcastic here: to the people who obviously want Lincoln Park to be their private, little haven, give it to them. Let them pay for the upkeep and do the physical work themselves. Hell, let them fence it up. Maybe it will keep them away from public parks where everyone is welcome to use them.

Vanessa July 28, 2024 (1:35 pm)

“Get offa my lawn”, said Lincoln Park. I agree. Good move to downtown.

NOT Karen July 28, 2024 (3:01 pm)

BOO! West Seattle Karen’s strike again and take the fun away for everyone else. Too bad maybe we can try again next year and properly survey the neighbors and not just the annoying non-fun havers who complained. “NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, FUN WILL NOT BE HAD”Go to therapy instead of projecting your misery onto everyone else.

KT July 28, 2024 (4:50 pm)

Please stop using my name to describe morons. Thank you
This was never about fun vs unfun people July 28, 2024 (8:43 pm)

NOT Karen, this had nothing to do with fun or whether one group of people wants to have fun and another does not. That was not the issue here – despite efforts by people like you to (desperately) make it about that and throw as many slurs and names out as you can possibly fit into a blog post. You can call me whatever name you’d like. I will legally change my name to “Karen McNimberson” and that still won’t make having a cannabis festival in Lincoln Park a good idea. It was a bad idea no matter how hard you try to make this about the people who opposed it.
- Insults aren’t an argument July 28, 2024 (9:14 pm)
  
  Hallelujah ‘This was never about fun vs unfun people!’ Thank you for calling people out! I’ve been following this discussion over the last two days. One side has been trying to make what I can only describe as a valid argument – that LP isn’t really designed for something like this. I agree completely. It’s not. Just my opinion. And I can assure you that I love fun and music. Meanwhile, the only thing I’ve heard from the other side of the discussion are insults. Telling people that they don’t like fun isn’t an argument.

HS July 28, 2024 (3:26 pm)

Geez. The animosity.

datamuse July 29, 2024 (11:16 pm)

For real. I don’t care about this event one way or the other but a lot of people who live here seem to hate both West Seattle and their neighbors.

Arbor Heights Resident July 28, 2024 (4:59 pm)

Wow, this sucks so much. God forbid something new and interesting happens within walking distance of where I live.

NW July 28, 2024 (4:59 pm)

1. Every half hour to hour some 400 or more cars use the roadway which parallels Lincoln Park with ferry traffic in the summer especially heavy traffic.

2. Busy roadway with only one lane in each direction gets backed up with heavy traffic.

3. Rapid Ride king county metro C line buses which use fauntleroy approximately 4 buses per hour.

4. Area lacks alternative roads in and out for general purpose traffic and emergency vehicles could pose significant fire hazard in dry weather we are experiencing.