Hey Fort Collins, what if this year we did Backyfest instead of Brewfest?
Regional tobacco growers and hookah bars could set up booths downtown where they hand out samples of private blends like Rocky Mountain Air-cured, Mile-high Burley, and the nationally popular, Snowshredder’s Shisha.
The growers could use the event to promote indie tobacco farms–a chance to stand out from impersonal corporate operators. It’ll be a feel-good summer shindig, with special awards for those who use enviro-friendly farming methods and treat labor like family.
Of course, we’ll check IDs and, as always, encourage everybody to smoke responsibly.
photo Francis Bourgouin
(Lost Fort Collins is getting ready to vacation for a few weeks. So I’m dragging in some of my writing from years past. This one was from a private 2007 blog. But you know, there really was a time when CSU and local farmers experimented with growing tobacco. We might have had a successful Backyfest, if only the local crop hadn’t tasted so awful.)
LOL I guess you’d best leave tobacco growing to the southern states. Have a wonderful vacation!
When I would drive up to Madison, Wisconsin I would sometimes stop in the town of Edgerton. Years ago (like 30!) the whole place smelled like an ashtray! They still have their backyfest:
http://www.tobaccoheritagedays.com/home.htm
You can go there and watch them grade the backy leaves and auction off a boatload of cigar-binder leaf tobacco. The weird thing is is that it’s in Wisconsin!
Interesting how Edgerton couches their tobacco fest in history, education, and family! Probably a better marketing strategy than my Indy and Green approach.
I enjoyed the humor of the post. Obviously since tobacco isn’t considered a “good” thing, the whole thing gave me a chuckle.
On a semi-related manner, I find there’s a chuckle to be had as well with the Owl Cigar sign on 113 College Avenue. Historic Preservation’s influence on preserving a sign advertising something that isn’t considered “good” for you is “interesting” to me.
We’ll have to make that owl the Backyfest mascot.