Pubdate: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 Source: Portland Press Herald (ME) Copyright: 2002 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. Contact: http://www.portland.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/744 POT FESTIVAL'S PROMOTER VOWS TO DEFY COURT BAN SKOWHEGAN (AP)- Hempstock organizer Don Christen says this month's pro-marijuana festival in Starks will go on, despite a court-imposed ban. Somerset County Superior Court Justice Joseph Jabar found Christen and his Maine Vocals group in contempt of court and denied their bid to overturn the town Planning Board's refusal to approve a mass gathering permit for Hempstock XII. Minutes after the judge's ruling Thursday, Christen made it plain he was not giving up. "Oh, we're still going to hold Hempstock," he said. Last year, the town tightened its mass-gathering rules to require that a permit be obtained for events where 750 people gather for six hours. The old rule applied to gatherings of 2,000 or more people that last for at least 12 hours. Christen sought to get around the new restrictions by allowing 700 campers to stay over at the site for the four days of the festival, which is scheduled to begin next Thursday. The campers would be issued special wrist bracelets. He would then admit up to 3,800 people before the start of each of the five-hour concerts being held twice a day. "They came up with the best plan not to violate the ordinance," Christen's attorney Hal Weisberger said. "They intend to hold a non-mass gathering." Town attorney Ken Lexier said fliers, radio advertisements and a Web site announcing Hempstock XII, promising hours of nonstop music, "clearly violate the judge's order." Jabar continued the case for a week. If Christen goes ahead with the plan he outlined in court Thursday, the judge will decide what the punishment will be. Outside Selectman Beth Luce said she was happy about the decision. "It's not just about a mass gathering; it's also about the illegal substances we're dealing with, too," she said, noting that the board has invited the Maine State Police to return to town again during the festival. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom