Munchies Mall, Muralists, and Music: Experiencing Cannabis Bliss at Buds-A-Palooza

Cannabis connoisseurs from across the Valley got an early start to their 4/20 festivities on Friday during Buds-A-Palooza. The dank smell of flower filled the air during the outdoor festival, which encompassed a four-block area near Fifth and Garfield streets in downtown Phoenix.

Highlights of the event included dozens of local glass artists performing live demonstrations, cannabis vendors giving away their products, and a lineup of reggae-rock bands providing the soundtracks. There were also screenings of stoner flicks, a “munchies mall” filled with food trucks, and muralists creating large-scale art pieces.

The vendor tents at Buds-A-Palooza had almost anything and everything related to cannabis consumption. Dispensaries gave out product samples and pre-rolls. Smoke shops sold various paraphernalia and accessories. And companies like Tempe hydroponic supply company Sea of Green had gear for growing and cultivating cannabis plants.

Cannabis companies also had interesting ways to give away their samples at the event. Daze Off, a brand from Illinois-based cannabis producer Aeriz, had a miniature claw machine set up at its tent where Buds-A-Palooza attendees could attempt to fish out a small joint. And, in a nice gesture, Aeriz employees would usually give players the reefer, even if they didn’t have the dexterity or hand-eye coordination to succeed.

Buds-A-Palooza’s Mural Park offered a stunning visual feast with its collection of large-scale paintings that were created during the event by local artists, including Ana Falteisek, Maxx Valentine, Georilla, Just, Price Goodman, Tszabo, Aimee Ink, and Yukue. Multiple styles ranging from surrealism to street art were utilized.

One of the more dynamic murals seen at Buds-A-Palooza was the graf art creation painted by Phoenix street artist Daer, who used cans of brightly colored spray paint to add swooping oversized letters to a giant plywood canvas. He also did it while wearing a mask resembling one of the insidious aliens from the 1988 cult film They Live.

More than a dozen different glass artists from around Arizona created pipes and other glass masterpieces during the event, including Hendy Glass, Desi B., Josh Porter, Friday Glass, Erkdejerk, Brian Jacobson, Shuhbuh, and Reverend Morse.

One of the most popular glass artists showing off their skills at Buds-A-Palooza was Michael Butzine, also known as Mikey B, a local multidisciplinary creative and co-founder of the Snood City art collective in downtown Phoenix. His tattooed arms stayed busy throughout the evening while manipulating molten glass into creations resembling octopi and other sea creatures. He also made plenty of bad jokes, like asking people, “How many times do you have to tickle an octopus to make it laugh? Ten tickles!”

If anyone had a raging case of the munchies during Buds-A-Palooza, they didn’t have to go far to satisfy their cravings. A total of 24 different food trucks and vendors served up a wide variety of drinks and eats, including plenty of stoner-friendly selections. Chicago dogs and flatbread pizzas. Barbecue and nachos. Frybread and beignets.

The Buds-A-Palooza main stage on one end of Garfield Street hosted sets by reggae-rock bands throughout the evening, including Southern California-based acts The Expendable and Long Beach Dub Allstars, which features several former members of Sublime. Local band Fayuca, which features a Latin influence in its brand of reggae-rock, also performed.

Rock, punk, and reggae weren’t the only sort of jams that were filling the air at Buds-A-Palooza. A number of DJs were also laying down sounds of the R&B, soul, and hip-hop variety. Turntablists from the Phoenix Funkeros could be found on the patio of Bud’s Glass Shop dropping old-school cuts while other local selectors did their thing near the food vendors and elsewhere at the event.

Thanks to Arizona’s recreational cannabis laws, attendees of Buds-A-Palooza were able to light up in public throughout the event. And they did so with gusto while checking out musicians, browsing vendors, or just sitting at picnic tables. Cannabis-friendly influencer and Mesa resident MamaStemsDabs, for example, filmed herself using a dabbing rig while wearing a T-rex mask at one of the tables near Bud’s Glass Joint.

Buds-A-Palooza attendees came to the event prepared to celebrate. Some brought items like LED hula-hoops to vibe out. Others wore humorous cannabis-themed t-shirts or other gear. A few brought entire dabbing rigs. All had a good time.

We even spotted one trio of cannabis connoisseurs who were wielding an enormous crocheted anthropomorphic bong, complete with giant googly eyes. Because why not?