Thousands Gather For 420 Celebrations In Denver and San Francisco

If you were asked which two states found themselves host to huge 420 celebrations on Sunday, you’d probably not have a hard time figuring it out. Both California and Colorado have been in the headlines quite a bit after they became the first two states to legalize the use of marijuana. So to probably no ones surprise, on April 20th, 4/20, both Denver and San Francisco became the spots to be for folks looking to celebrate 420.

“It’s kind of like being a part of history,” 65 year old Karen Stevenson told CNN. “I used to want to go to Amsterdam. Now I don’t have to.”

Stevenson came to the ‘Mile High City’ for her 65th birthday from her home in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in order to celebrate 420 in a way she never imagined would be possible. She wasn’t the only one. Denver was host to the “420 Rally” in Civic Center Park, and a 420 concert headlined by none other than Snoop Dogg himself at the Red Rocks Amphitheater.

This is the first year that the sale of recreational marijuana has been legal in Colorado, with recreational use legal since 2012. It was good enough reason for thousands of folks to show up and celebrate 420 together. There was a very similar scenario unfolding a few states over.

According to SFGate, thousands flocked to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park to celebrate the hippie spirit of 420.

“It’s like a celebration. Everybody is happy. We might not like each others’ ideas but we can get along,” 29-year-old Elias Pizano told SFGate. He arrived at the park at 6:30 am in order to celebrate 420.

With the park becoming a central location for many California pot smokers, there were people of every make attending Sunday’s 420 festivities, including vendors who had set up shop in order to take advantage of the massive attack of the munchies that was bound to happen at some point.

The numbers at Golden Gate Park were bolstered by officials in northern Humboldt County shutting down many parks to prevent 420 celebrations.

“Nobody is even allowed into the park on 4/20. What am I going to do? I can come here and meet all kinds of kids,” said 36-year-old Arcata resident Jut, who didn’t want to give his last name.

Despite the now legalized nature of their past time, both CNN and SFGate reported that many of the folks they spoke to, like Jut, did not want to give their last name. I guess that’s just a 420 thing.