Up Cannabis Hosts Hip Doobie Doobie Doo Event

By Kerry Doole

Yesterday (June 3), over 200 guests trekked to The New Farm in Creemore, ON, for an ambitious and undeniably expensive day in the country courtesy of Up Cannabis and The Tragically Hip, investors in and celebrity spokespersons for the company.

Designed to boost the profile of the brand as the full legalization of cannabis approaches on Oct. 17, the event certainly succeeded in attracting a high-powered guest list. Those we spied included Denise Donlon, Steve Jordan, Michael Hollett, Alan Reid, Kim Stockwood, Iain Taylor, Amanda Power of Unison, and Neville Quinlan and Cheryl Link of Peermusic. Many music, food, and cannabis scribes were also in attendance.

Guests were treated to a lavish 'cannabis-inspired' dinner from five Toronto celebrity chefs, and the craft cocktails and Ontario beer and wine flowed freely. Co-owner Gillian Files conducted a tour of the organic farm,  followed with a Cannabis 101 session. There, Gord Sinclair of The Hip declared "I'm a fan of marijuana," then introduced five new strains that Up Cannabis will market. All named after Tragically Hip songs, they are Eldorado, Morning Moon, Grace, Gems, and 50MC (Mission Cap).

Sinclair's bandmates Paul Langlois and Rob Baker were in attendance, alongside Hip managers Bernie Breen and Patrick Sambrook. Performing in a big barn, Kingston rockers The Glorious Sons invigorated the crowd, with City and Colour closing out proceedings in fittingly mellow fashion. The event is another indication of the potential for significant interaction between the Canadian music and cannabis industries.