A massive cannabis convergence happened in Denver recently, and no, we re not talking about the .
The two floors of Denver event venue on Broadway were full to busting at on April 15. By 9 p.m., the line was down the block to get into the party.
On the first floor, founder an CEO Ron Kolb and president Tae Darnell welcomed cannabis industry guests to the kickoff party for . Additional party hosts were SMG publisher Tyler Tarr, along with Wendy Turner, director of , and Richard Haines, CEO of .
The inaugural issue of Sensi Magazine. (Sensi Media Group via Facebook)
Leland Rucker, senior editor of Sensi Magazine, took a few minutes to talk about the publication while he sat at the corner of the bar. There are many marijuana magazines, good magazines, but none are aimed at adults. Although not strictly for baby boomers, Rucker said he saw a need for a magazine with an adult tone for the everyday people who smoke marijuana. Sensi Magazine, says Rucker, will cover serious stuff, show people in the industry and the people who use products.
The inaugural cover story features 24 Denver-based cannabis pioneers. Wanda James, owner of cannabis shop Ի, adorns the cover, photographed by Kim Sidwell, Sensi chief photographer and owner of . Featured pioneers in attendance at the party included Ean Seeb and Kayvan Khalabari, who are the co-founders and co-owners of and ; Larisa Bolivar, executive director of the ; Mason Tvert, director of communications for the ; Teri Robnett, executive director of ; Hunter Garth, managing director of ; and Tripp Keber, CEO of .
One of The Cannabist s own, editor Ricardo Baca, was included among the featured pioneers along with state Rep. (D-Longmont), Mike Elliott, the executive director of and Art Way,ٳ s senior director of national criminal justice reform strategy and leader of the Colorado chapter of DPA.
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Restaurateur Scott Durrah, who s married to James and the co-owner of Jezebel s Southern Bistro and Bar and Simply Pure, performed a savory cooking demonstration.
Party guests raised money for advocacy group by bidding in a silent auction for items including and Atmos, a capsule maker from Lab Society, and a mini-dabber by Concentrate Supply Company.
Upstairs, artist had a live painting session, filling a large canvas with the image of a top cola of Green Crunch, grown by Good Chemistry. The plant portrait sold that evening for $420. Headlining deejays Selecta Nikka T, who s the owner/operator of and of -inducted hip-hop group , got the crowd swaying and grooving on the dance floor to mixes of reggae and hip-hop until midnight.
Sensi Magazine is available at dispensaries, select coffee shops and wellness centers in the greater Denver area.
Photos of the Sensi Magazine Launch Party
Cannabis couple Scott Durrah and Wanda James, co-owners of dispensary Simply Pure. Durrah had a cooking demo at the launch party. James is featured on Sensi Magazine s inaugural cover as one of Denver s cannabis pioneers. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
L-R: Activist Stacey Linn, left, and Cannabis Consumer Coalition leader Larisa Bolivar, who is one of the featured cannabis pioneers in the inaugural issue of Sensi Magazine. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
L-R: Tae Darnell, president of Sensi Media Group, and Morris Beagle of NOCO. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
Deejay Nikka Tof Essential Extracts spins at the Sensi Magazine Launch Party at event space City Hall. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
L-R: Yvonne Pena, office manager for Medically Correct; Meghan Larson of Adistry; Lauren Gibbs of Rise Above Social Strategies; and Shawn Hauser of law firm Vicente Sederberg. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
L-R: Edibles company MarQaha s Caleb Barcus, director of sales and operations; Skip Meador, founder; and Natalie Junk, regional sales manager. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
L-R: Heidi Keyes of Puff Pass & Paint and Brittany Driver, Cannabist contributor and founder of Your Driving Force public relations. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
L-R: Ean Seeb of Denver Relief; Mason Tvert of Marijuana Policy Project; and Jaime Lewis of Mountain Medicine. Seeb and Tvert are featured in Sensi Magazine s cover article about Denver cannabis pioneers. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
Artist Patrick Kane McGregor works on a painting during the party. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
Dawn Blackman, community empowerment director for the Women s Cannabis Chamber of Commerce. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
L-R: Katherine Grimm of Clever Gent consulting; Maureen McNamara of Cannabis Trainers; and Phillip Wolf of Cultivating Spirits tours. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
Andy Juett of SexPot Comedy hams it up in the camera booth. (Susan Squibb, The Cannabist)
