All about Bong-a-Thon

Since 1974, the Colorado Invitational Bong-a-Thon has represented community, camping, and competitive cannabis consumption. The nation’s longest running cannabis event, Bong-a-Thon is an opportunity for cannabis consumers to see who really can outsmoke the rest. Held every summer at a clandestine location somewhere in Colorado.

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2019’s event marked 36 years of Bong-a-Thon, and a decade of events under the leadership of Chris Jetter. In 2010, Jetter and VP Norm Hartman picked up the torch that had been cast after the 1999 “Bust-a-Thon” was raided, beginning a decade without “the greatest party on earth”. With Jetter and Norm at the helm, Colorado has seen ten years of consecutive cannabis consumption events, in spite of the obstacles still in place in an industry supposedly regulated like alcohol.

 

2020 and beyond brings us a new President. Chris Gillson has been attending the party with her family since the early days and continued to party with the masses as an adult until 2015 where her and her family became an important piece to the puzzle. Each year Gillson took on more responsibilities as Jetter prepared for retirment. She will do a great job running the show! 

In addition to competitive cannabis consumption, BAT hosts live music, raffles, a Best Bong, a Best Camp (known as the Rick Russell award), and the Biggest Bud, just to name a few. 

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Each year, the highlight of the event is the smoking competitions, which put competitors’ ability to rapidly consume cannabis to the test. The Individual BAT — a 7-gram challenge for the individual smoker — is among the most sought-after trophies. Additionally, team events like the 7-gram relay and the ounce hookah require teamwork to outsmoke your fellow campers.