Seattle Hempfest 2013

Groups of young folks pass a pipe back and forth, smoking up their spot on the waterfront during the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Thousands crowd the stages and walkways on the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Homer Simpson's eyeballs, emblazoned on a pipe, pop out from under a man's hat on the first day of Seattle Hempfest Friday, August 16, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. The annual event, which advocates the idea of decriminalized marijuana, continues through Sunday. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

A group of young men share weed and trade off smoking on different bongs on the first day of Seattle Hempfest Friday, August 16, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. The annual event, which advocates the idea of decriminalized marijuana, continues through Sunday. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Reflected in a bong, event attendees admire colorful pipes on the first day of Seattle Hempfest Friday, August 16, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. The annual event, which advocates the idea of decriminalized marijuana, continues through Sunday. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Patrick MacVane, right, pushes pot smoke through one half of a water bottle dipped in soap to create a cloudy bubble on the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Thousands crowd the walkways and waterfront on the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

To avoid the heat, event attendees dunk their heads in a nearby fountain on the waterfront on the first day of Seattle Hempfest Friday, August 16, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. The annual event, which advocates the idea of decriminalized marijuana, continues through Sunday. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Festivalgoers smoke under the shade of a tent on the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Squirrel, bassist for Angie & The Car Wrecks, plays his way through their set on his weed leaf shaped instrument on the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Paradise Vape employees Tio Cervantes, left, blows smoke through his 10-gram blunt into the mouth of Chayse Salvini, right, on the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)2

A person decked out in green pot paraphernalia walks near the beach on the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Medical personnel wheel an exhausted and immobile woman away from a booth on the third and final day of Seattle Hempfest Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Washington Lives the California Dream | The San Francisco Chronicle

On a stroke of good luck, I was referred to the photo editors of the San Francisco Chronicle to photograph a story conceptualized by the question: "If San Francisco is so liberally left-leaning, then why is Washington state beating it to such passages as gay marriage and legal marijuana use?" After swapping info, I met the Chronicle's reporter for the story, Justin Berton - an excellent writer and good guy to boot - who had flown up from sunnier places to cover the issue. Over the course of two days, I made pictures around the greater Seattle area that embodied the spirit of Washington state living out the California dream. The story is located HERE, and a number of the photographic results are as follows.  Enjoy!

An expansive selection of marijuana strains are grown under hot lamps and controlled conditions Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the Northwest Patient Resource Center in Seattle, Washington. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Jake Dimmock, co-owner of the Northwest Patient Resource Center, examines a expansive selection of marijuana strains grown under hot lamps and controlled conditions Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the Northwest Patient Resource Center in Seattle, Washington.
By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Marijuana reading material litters the counter of a dispensary Saturday, December 8, 2012, in Seattle, Washington. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Pastor Joe Fuiten, one of the region's leading evangelical pastors at the Cedar Park Assembly of God, poses for a portrait Saturday, December 8, 2012, in Bothell, Washington. Fuiten is opposed to the recent passages of gay marriage and marijuana legality in Washington state. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

A selection of marijuana is kept in jars in the back room of a dispensary Saturday, December 8, 2012, in Seattle, Washington. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Ashley Szekely, 28, separates Sweet Afgoo marijuana into one and four gram bags Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the Northwest Patient Resource Center in Seattle, Washington. Szekely is a medical marijuana patient who pursued a job at the NWPRC "to be a part of history" in light of the recent passage of I-502. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Medical marijuana patient and customer Lola Lewis, 63, prepares to make a selection of marijuana to purchase Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the Northwest Patient Resource Center in Seattle, Washington. Lewis is overjoyed at the passage of I-502. "It's better now for those who need to find certain strains for certain types of illnesses," Lewis said. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

An expansive selection of marijuana strains are grown under hot lamps and controlled conditions Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the Northwest Patient Resource Center in Seattle, Washington. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Medical marijuana patients Brett Skaret, 20, left, and Joe Engelhardt, 22, enjoy the freedom of a smoking room with other smokers Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the NW Cannabis Market in Seattle, Washington. The pair are vehemently opposed to the recent passage of I-502. "The whole thing criminalizes patients," Skaret said. "It's all for the money." By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Strains of marijuana - sold here at wholesale prices - sit on display Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the NW Cannabis Market in Seattle, Washington. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Jesse Pergakis reaches into a jar of marijuana to fish out a sample for a customer to sniff Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the NW Cannabis Market in Seattle, Washington. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Crowds of onlookers cheered and handed out flowers to congratulate recently married gay couples as they descended the steps of City Hall Sunday, December 9, 2012, in Seattle, Washington. Gay marriage was legalized in Washington state on Dec. 6. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Richard, center left, and Liam Sauer-Wooden, center right, of Seattle, descend the steps of City Hall after getting married following 19 years of love on Sunday, December 9, 2012, in Seattle, Washington. Gay marriage was legalized in Washington state on Dec. 6. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Nancy Monahan, retired military, center, and wife Deborah Needham, left, of Renton, WA, leave Seattle City Hall after getting married after nearly 14 years of being together on Sunday, December 9, 2012, in Seattle, Washington. Gay marriage was legalized in Washington state on Dec. 6. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

A crowd of onlookers and media photograph couple Luke Botzheim, right, and Allan Carandang, center, as they descended the steps of City Hall after getting married on Sunday, December 9, 2012, in Seattle, Washington. Gay marriage was legalized in Washington state on Dec. 6. By JORDAN STEAD/SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

TEARSHEET:

Space Needle Smoke-Out | Reuters

Best friends Ingrid Campos (center) and Eli Ramos publicly share a blunt during a marijuana smoke out event in Seattle, Washington December 6, 2012. REUTERS/Jordan Stead (UNITED STATES)

Wearing items representative of the state's historic events, Desiree Moore - a 20-year marijuana activist - takes a sip of her Starbucks coffee at a marijuana smoke out event in Seattle, Washington December 6, 2012. REUTERS/Jordan Stead (UNITED STATES)