Organizers: First ‘Cannafest’ a hit

DIXON – Glass blowers, vendors and music all were part of the first “Herbal Roots Cannafest” held Saturday at Elks Page Park, north of Dixon.

“A portion of our proceeds today will be going to Rosbrook Studios to help with their building,” said Guy Cooksey, owner of Herbal Essentials in Dixon and event organizer for Cannafest.

The event – for those 21 and older – started at noon and ran until midnight. It included about 40 vendors selling a variety of items, live music, food trucks, glass blowers and a tattoo artist. For a $10 entrance fee, visitors could walk around the rows of vendor booths, see glass artisans work in the lodge and listen to live music until 8 p.m. followed by a DJ and light show.

“This is our first year hosting an event like this,” Cooksey said. “We haven’t seen many of these in Illinois since recreational use for those 21 and older was approved. This is a zero-alcohol event. Things like this used to be frowned upon, but there are no fights here, everything is super cool.”

Cooksey estimated attendance between 1,200 to 1,500 people. “The weather was great. It’s been steady all day,” he said.

Rosbrook Studio is raising funds to buy its historic building downtown, make needed structural repairs and create a center for promoting arts culture in the community. The studio has operated as a music and arts venue through donations and volunteers for more than a decade on the second floor at 107 S. Peoria Ave.

Cooksey’s store, located at 308 W. First St., does not sell cannabis, but offers paraphernalia for those who use marijuana/cannabis recreationally or for medical purposes.