ATHENS, Alabama --

A group promoting the medicinal values of marijuana won't be allowed to set up a vendor booth at a Saturday music festival, according to the Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association.

Jeanette Dunnavant, president of the tourism association, said today she first accepted the application from the Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition to have a booth at the Delmore Days Music Festival, set for Saturday on the campus of Athens State University.

But Dunnavant said she didn't immediately realize the organization she had accepted was promoting marijuana use.

Dunnavant said she accepts each application that comes in unless she had already informed an organization they would not be accepted. Dunnavant also said the coalition did not meet festival standards of having items to sell.

"Their application misled me. They were not selling anything. They were giving away t-shirts and bracelets and we do require that you sell items. You cannot give away anything but information.

"I just took it that they were a regular vendor selling t-shirts and bracelets. Then when it was brought to my attention that it was the marijuana coalition, I determined at that point, after numerous phone calls, that it was not in the best interest of our festival to allow them to participate this year."

The tourism association cashed the check from the marijuana coalition before rejecting their application. Dunnavant said the money would be refunded along with a letter of apology.

Ron Crumpton, executive director of the coalition, said the group sent $45 to take part in the festival and that it had not yet received reimbursement.

The marijuana coalition would be an "inappropriate" vendor to have at Delmore Days, which caters to senior citizens, Dunnavant said. But the marijuana coalition has support from senior citizens as well, according Crumpton.

"Old people are where our money comes from," Crumpton said. "It's not a bunch of young people wanting to get high. They're not saying 'no' to us, they're saying 'no' to sick people."

Crumpton said the coalition has spent "hundreds of dollars" in preparation for the festival that can't be recouped. He also pointed to the fact that the festival is on state property at Athens State and that equal opportunity state laws should be the guiding factor for the festival.

"It's just wrong and it shouldn't be tolerated," Crumpton said of his group's rejection.

Dunnavant said her decision to exclude the marijuana coalition was supported by Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks and Athens State University President Bob Glenn. Marks spokeswoman Holly Hollman confirmed that Marks stood by Dunnavant's decision and that the mayor's office does not have a role in the festival's application process.

"This is a family-oriented event," Dunnavant said. "In my personal opinion, it was inappropriate to have them there."

According to the organization's website, the marijuana coalition has been denied access to festivals this year in Arab, Alabaster, Auburn and Pell City.

Updated at 3:17 p.m. today, June 21, 2012, with office of Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks supporting decision of tourism board to deny marijuana coalition and that the mayor's office has no role in the application process.

Updated at 4:07 p.m. today, June 21, 2012, throughout with new information and comments from marijuana coalition executive director Ron Crumpton.

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