After 60 years of hemp prohibition the initiators of Hanfparade said "THAT´S ENOUGH!" and founded the "Association Hanfparade" in February of 1997.

It is the associations' goal to mobilize the public and to fight for the legalization of hemp. With our work we try to enforce the legalization of hemp as natural resource, medical drug and stimulant.

As a first step on this way the assocation organized the first Hanfparade on the 23th of August 1997.

With this top-event of the international hemp scene the organizers supported the political demand "Legalization now!" and the ecological appeal "With hemp into the future". They have also shown the cultural variety of the hemp movement.

This took place in front of the Brandenburger Tor in a way that could not be more imaginative or varied.

On two stages artist, politicians and hemp lobbyists shaked hands. The musical main events were the appearances of the famous german bands J.B.O. and Blind Passengers and the british formation SAXON.

There was a "childrens' corner" with toys, clowns, make up, Punch and Judy show, and many more attractions for parents and their kids.

Many traders on the "market of possibilities" offered hemp food and a lot of information. The supply included hemp bakers, brewers of hemp beer, hemp muesli producers, hemp cola, and hemp tofu food. Head and grow shops from all over Germany used the chance to offer their products on the "market of possibilities".

The interested public had the chance to get informed about the various possibilities of usage the hemp plant offers in a special information tent. Legalize organisations and Cannabis self- help groups took the opportunity to present their work to the public.

The unbelievable response by the parade visitors unfortunately was not shared by the Berlin city government. In the next year the expected trouble with the conservative government began... See the archive of the Hanfparade1998 for further details.