History of 420: Ultimate Guide for 420 Event in United States (Cannabis Culture)
If you’re ever been around anyone that enjoys cannabis products, you have likely heard the term “420” at some point. This three-digit number has come to denote all things related to cannabis. This includes cannabis buds, edibles, the culture surrounding this plant, and the products created from it.
Many people deeply love cannabis and cannabis products and seize every opportunity to express this. The community has since come together in recent years to denote April 20th or 4/20 as the universal date for celebrating cannabis culture.
In this guide, we will discuss the origin of 420, its impact on popular culture, and also go over some great 420 events to consider checking out. So, let’s get blazing!
The History of 420
“420” has become a cultural phenomenon in recent years. You can find 420-themed merchandise at many stores, and many people use the term as slang for anything cannabis-related. However, it may surprise you to learn that there is actually no official explanation for how the term originated.
Over the years, many people have concocted different origin stories, but without being able to provide concrete proof, some of these origin stories are:
420 Originated from a Group of High Schoolers
One of the most popular theories is that the term 420 originated from a group of high school students from San Rafel, California, in the 1970s. These students were believed to gather at 4:20 pm every day after school to smoke cannabis and hunt for a cannabis crop rumored to be growing somewhere in the area.
The term then spread across the high school and eventually to other parts of the region. Since then, many people have used 420 to denote anything cannabis-related.
420 Originated from a Police Code
Some people believe that 420 originated from an old police code. It was said that police would report a “code 420” whenever they were apprehending people suspected of possessing or consuming marijuana. However, this theory was debunked after it was revealed that no police force ever used “420” as their official code for cannabis-related activity.
How People Celebrate 420
Regardless of where 420 came from, there’s no denying that it has had a wide impact on popular culture. From graffiti to song lyrics, there’s simply no escaping this term, and who would want to?
420 culture is here to stay, so it’s best to enjoy it in style. So exactly does one celebrate the 20th of April? Every cannabis enthusiast has their own ritual, but it’s safe to say that each one involves cannabis in some way.
Some awesome ways to celebrate 420 include:
Smoking and Vaping
Smoking and vaping have remained among the most popular ways to consume cannabis flowers. Many people like visiting their favorite Cannabis store in US and rolling some creative joints they can smoke in groups.
People who prefer vaping cannabis may purchase some highly potent concentrates to take their experience to the next level. Modern cannabis vapes are designed to be portable, so many people in legal states take them to outdoor 420 festivals and celebrate there.
Consuming Edibles
Many people also celebrate 420 by consuming edibles. The cannabis and hemp industries contain many companies that produce a wide range of edibles, each of which is great for providing a potent experience. This includes products such as 2000 mg Delta 8 Gummies, Delta 9 Brownie 100mg, and Delta 9 Chocolate Cereal Bar 100 mg.
Edibles can be heavy, so many celebrate 420 by consuming them indoors and then marathoning classic 420-themed films such as Up in Smoke, Reefer Madness, Half Baked, and Pineapple Express.
Making Cannabis Drinks
A recent 420 trend that has been making waves recently is the rise of cannabis-infused drinks. Many companies have begun introducing special syrups containing cannabis-derived compounds such as THC and CBD. These syrups can be readily mixed with soda, juice, or even water to create potent drinks that serve as a great substitute for alcoholic cocktails at social events.
There’s no doubt that many people are concocting special cannabis-infused drinks for their 420 celebrations to take their experience to the next level. So try making a creatively infused drink for 420 and hop on the bandwagon. If you need a THC or HHC Syrup option for mixing, consider our DRANK Syrup line designed to be a Delta 8 THC or HHC-infused and flavored drink mixer.
420 Events to Check Out Across the Country
420 is a special day, and many people congregate to celebrate this day in style. This has led to the rise of many 420-themed events around the country. If you’re a cannabis enthusiast, consider checking out one of the following events on 4/20.
420 Smoke Out 2023, Tennessee
Tennessee and hemp products are thriving together. It has never been a better time to explore the new and blossoming opportunities to enjoy hemp products if you live in Tennessee or are visiting. A new concept for hemp retail, featuring private rooms and a lounge, is sweeping the state. Popular local brands such as Freedom Health CBD have comfortable hemp lounges set up with projectors, smart TVs, and next-gen videogame consoles with fan-favorite games.
Once a year, on April 20th Freedom Health CBD hosts its annual 420 Smoke Out event. This is a combination hemp lounge event and a super sale. Freedom Health CBD’s lounge locations in Harriman, Tennessee, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Knoxville, Tennessee, will have 420-friendly movies playing all day every 2 hours from opening to close. The bonus film content will be the nature channel.
There will be free products and super deals all day on 420. First, anyone who stays to hang out in the lounge will get a free pre-roll or gummy. Second, if you spend 25 dollars or more, you will get a free Delta 9 THC treat. Third, we are offering buy 3 get 1 free pre-rolls of the same variety. Finally, it will be 15% off between April 20th and April 23rd! Enjoy the savings all weekend but make sure to stop in on the day for maximum benefits. We will also be announcing a secret deal for 420 only on the day of 420. We
will give you a hint… the pricing of popular products is getting slashed by nearly 50% or more. That announcement will be made on Thursday, April 20th. We hope you see you inside!
420 Rally in Denver, Colorado
Colorado was among the first states to legalize recreational cannabis use. Since then, the state has become widely known for its 420 culture, and many people gather in Denver for an annual 420 Rally.
This rally was actually started by a Vietnam Veteran named Ken Gorman back in 1992. Gorman began hosting the event that featured people openly smoking cannabis at the steps of Colorado’s capitol building in defiance of cannabis laws. The rally began growing in subsequent years and pulled in a whopping 80,000 attendees in 2013.
The annual rally has continued since Denver legalized cannabis in 2014. However, festival organizers put the event on hold in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Festivities were back in full swing in 2022, and the 2023 celebrations are set to be even more epic.
Denver’s 420 rally features concerts, great food, and many unique and exciting vendor booths. This is one spot every cannabis enthusiast needs to be at on 4/20.
420 Hippie Hill in San Francisco, California
People who want to enjoy 420 celebrations in the golden state should hit up Hippie Hill. This patch of grass is on the Golden Gate Bridge’s grounds and showcases many things people love about San Francisco.
The area originally became popular with the youth during the Summer of Love in 1967, and it is believed that 100,000 people flooded onto Hippie Hill during that year. This included people who openly consumed marijuana and LSD.
Hippie Hill has since maintained its reputation as being the go-to spot for tokers in San Francisco and is the epicenter for the region’s 420 celebrations. This year’s event is set to run from 10 am to 5 pm and will feature musical performances from acts such as Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, and DJ Shortkut. The event is being sponsored by numerous cannabis companies that will be supplying festival-goers with FREE cannabis. This is definitely the ideal spot for West Coast cannabis enthusiasts to go to.
Hempfest in Seattle, Washington
Seattle also has a great 420 celebration event known as Hempfest. This event was first held in Volunteer Park in 1991, back when it was known as the “Washington Hemp Expo”. Don’t let the event’s formal name fool you. This was a gathering of 500 of the state’s most passionate cannabis enthusiasts. The festivals that followed in subsequent years saw exponential growth in the number of attendees they drew.
By the 2020s, the event was pulling 150,000 to 200,000 visitors. Hempfest stands out from other 420 celebrations because its goal isn’t just to spend a day enjoying the wonders of cannabis. The event has also been traditionally used to highlight the plight of the thousands of people who are currently imprisoned as part of the Drug War. Head down to this festival if you’re interested in advocating for smarter cannabis drug policies and meeting other people who appreciate this plant’s life-changing properties.
Why Buy High-Quality CBD Products?
If you plan to celebrate 420 in Tennessee, consider checking out the products we offer over at Freedom Health CBD. We offer flowers, edibles, and topical products that are sure to appeal to different types of THC and CBD users. Many consider us to be the most trusted hemp store in Tennessee because we provide lab test results for each of our products. Please visit our website to see our full selection of CBD products.
