San Francisco’s 420 event at Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park was cancelled for a third year in a row, but did not stop stoners from gathering in the rain.
Some loyal Bay Area stoners still banded together at the soggy smoke spot, hunkering under drooping trees and smoking either alone or in groups.
420 at Hippie Hill was cancelled due to economic struggles within the cannabis industry, according to an April 16 article from KQED.
Local dispensaries had been preparing for the event, with stores such as Solful, a dispensary a few blocks northeast from Hippie Hill, offering promotions and deals up to 40% of their products.
Noah Melrod, supply manager of Soful and a San Francisco local, said the store always sees increased foot traffic for the unofficial holiday.
The city is home to about 80 dispensaries making weed easily attainable to those over the age of 21 or those who possess a med card, according to a Sept. 26, 2023 Mission Local article.
“I don’t know if there’s any other place like (San Francisco) when it comes to the culture, community, tradition and legacy around cannabis … ,” Melrod said.
Cannabis boomed in popularity in San Francisco during the 1950s and 1960s during the Beatnik era, according to an SF Travel webpage.
After the passing of Proposition P, medical marijuana was allowed to be used in treatment for AIDS patients, according to a 2019 California Senate Hearing.
In 1996, San Francisco resident Dennis Peron campaigned for Proposition 215, which allowed anyone with medical approval to use and grow cannabis, according to a June 27, 2024 SFGate article.
The proposition passed and California later became the first state to legalize weed in 2016, according to the same source.
“Those folks are still in the community,” Melrod said. “This is a place where you can get some of the best weed in the world and you get to celebrate it publicly in a way that I think you don’t get too (in) many other places.”
In previous years, Hippie Hill 420 events have brought thousands of attendees, with live music and vendors on site, according to the event official website.
This year only about 200 people braved the conditions, with some preferring to celebrate indoors and dry.
Jalen Ware, a private chef, hosted a limited cannabis infused food event.
This year for April 20, Ware welcomed a 25-person event, aimed at embracing the day with a garden-themed table and offering infused dishes every other course.
“Everthing is labeled and legalized with licensing,” Ware said.
Ware said the bridge between weed and food is short, offering meals with anywhere from 15 to 20 milligrams throughout all the courses.
“My goal is not to get people stuck to their seat,” Ware said.
Solful also appreciated the connection between marijuana and food, offering tickets for free tacos at a food truck to any customer.
Other indoor events for stoners looking to stay dry included a live performance by the band LSD And the Search For God for free at Amoeba Records.
“We’re just super grateful that we are able to open right next to somewhere that’s so special to so many people,” Melrod said.
