It’s that time of year again: This weekend Hempfest will take over three waterfront parks, bringing with it added traffic congestion for cars and bikes in the area. The festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Elliott Bay Park, Myrtle Edwards Park, and the Olympic Sculpture Park, but set up and tear down for the event will restrict park access from at least Friday to Monday, but possibly longer.

According to the Hempfest website and Publicola, beginning this Friday, August 14, until Monday, August 17 bicyclists riding through Myrtle Edwards Park, a 1.25-mile stretch along the waterfront that is used as a commuting route for hundreds of cyclists every day, will be required to dismount and walk through the park.

However, another report released on the 6th says otherwise, and signs currently posted in the park instruct bikers to dismount as of 6 a.m. on August 11 until 8 p.m. on August 19.

Publicola reported yesterday that the city had originally asked cyclists to dismount at Myrtle Edwards from Tuesday, August 11 to next Wednesday, August 19 – what would have been a nine-day closure of the path, book-ending the two-day festival, so that vendors could safely set up for and tear down the event. However, after getting a big lobby push from bicyclists who use the popular path, the city decided to reduce the closure to just four days — Friday to set up, and Monday to tear down. We’re still digging to find out when the finalized restriction days are.

Until then, bicyclists and pedestrians who plan on using the path though the park anytime from now through next Wednesday should be aware of the restrictions and expect to see an increase in their commute time due to the huge crowds Hempfest draws. Our editor over at MagnoliaVoice was at the park yesterday and confirms that they are already setting up for the weekend event.

Hempfest, an annual event in Seattle held on the third weekend in August since 1991, is being held August 15-16 and will feature life music over five stages, a comedy stage, and a long list of noteable speakers on hemp and marijuana policy reform. Admission is free.