420 Festivals to visit before you die

There is something in the air today. Maybe you've noticed?

Now that the pandemic is something we are learning to live with, it is safe to gather again; inperson celebrations are back in full force! After a two-year high-atus, we can finally celebrate 4/20 in our usual, epic fashion.

If you work in the cannabis industry or love a good excuse to toke, you know one weed holiday a year is far too little for an herb that is so important to so many. In addition, 1 in 3 Americans live in a state where cannabis is legal now, and cannabis and CBD are being used to aid with symptoms of epilepsy, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and many other conditions around the country. You can even get a college degree in cannabis. Who would have thought?

The cannabis enthusiast's year starts with the most widely recognized stoner holiday. THE stoner holiday, if you will. The day that is so big, Willie Nelson called President Biden to declare it a national holiday this year.

But besides being the most well-known cannabis holiday, the origins of 4/20 are more mysterious. One widely accepted belief is that 420 was the penal code for cannabis in California at one point, but there's no evidence to support that idea.

Another theory is that a tradition of smoking weed at 4:20 pm every afternoon was adopted by a group of California high school students. San Rafael High School friends called themselves the Waldos, as they often hung out by a wall outside of their school. They coined the term in 1971 to refer to their after-school trips and because extracurricular activities had usually ended by then. This group Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich, became known as the "Waldos" because they met at a wall. They would say "420" to each other as code for marijuana. As Reddix told TIME in 2017,

"We got tired of the Friday night football scene with all of the jocks. We were the guys sitting under the stands smoking a doobie, wondering what we were doing there."

Later, Reddix's brother helped him get work with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh as a roadie, so the band is said to have helped popularize the term "420." On December 28, 1990, a group of Deadheads in Oakland handed out flyers that invited people to smoke "420" on April 20 at 4:20 pm. One ended up with Steve Bloom, a former reporter for High Times magazine, an authority on cannabis culture. The magazine printed the flyer in 1991 and continued to reference the number. Soon, it became known worldwide as the code for marijuana. Then, in 1998, the outlet acknowledged that the "Waldos" were the "inventors" of 420.

The day has taken on a life of its own in the cannabis industry. According to Headset, a Seattle-based cannabis data firm, April 20 has consistently been the most important day for cannabis sales in the U.S. since 2016, when states first began legalizing recreational marijuana. This true. Dispo hoping on 4/20 is so much fun.

VISITING A 4/20 FESTIVAL IS ON OUR MINDS; BELOW ARE SOME OF THE TOP ONES IN THE UNITED STATES:

San Francisco - The Hippie Hill

The largest celebration in the Bay Area, where 420 originated, will be back at Hippie Hill this year and better than ever. For the first time, people will be able to buy legal cannabis from licensed vendors. Set in the Robin Williams Meadow in glorious Golden Gate Park, this party starts early at 10 am. It features Berner from Cookies Fam as a headliner, with appearances by comedians Jeff Ross and Mike Tyson.

Los Angeles - Glass House Fest

The Glass House Fest, put on by Glass House Brands, is back for its second year in downtown LA's trendy arts district. This year's event will be in the immersive dome known as Wisdom. The party was headlined by Reggie Watts, bandleader of CBS's The Late Late Show with James Corden. Blackillack, Guapdad 4000, and DCKWRTH will also perform, and a comedy stage will host performances by Trevor Wallace and Friends. It features music and comedy.

New York City - Unity Day

The stage is set for a spectacular celebration in New York this year, mainly because it is the first 4/20 since the state legalized recreational cannabis. More than a dozen events happened throughout the week, but one of the best will be the Unity Day party produced by Cannademix. With Wu-Tang Clan's Inspectah Deck and Cappadonna performances, Sensi All-Stars, Big Nate All-Star, PBS Skinz, Puffington, and Jdotlittles.

Washington D.C. - National Cannabis Festival

In the nation's capital, whose Constitution was written on hemp, revelers will gather to celebrate 4/20 the following weekend for a two-day Smokeout. Wiz Khalifa headlines Saturday, and Slick Rick takes center stage on Sunday. Lettuce, Ghostface Killah, Backyard Band, Dupont Brass, and others are also set to perform. In addition, the event features a Munchies Zone, Exhibitor Fair, Education Pavilion, and Advocacy Village for those who want to keep up with the status of cannabis on the legal landscape.

Denver - Mile High 420 Festival

With many years of legal 4/20 parties under its belt, Denver knows how to do the stoner holidaze right. The downtown party features Big Boi, Lil Jon, and Talib Kweli this year. A crowd of 50,000 is expected to attend, making this likely to be the most prominent 4/20 party in the country. They all sound super fun, and I need to add one of them to my life.

While cannabis holidays are a great time to offer discounts and promote your brand, keep in mind that these are not the only days you can do that; here are a few other cannabis holidays during the year: June 18 is known as Jack Herer's Birthday. Jack Herer was one of the most passionate and outspoken cannabis activists in the '70s, '80s, and early 90's. So in 2016, Leafly suggested recognizing Jack Herer's birthday as a day to commemorate all cannabis activists, past and present, who have dedicated their lives to ending the prohibition of marijuana. If you want to celebrate Jack's birthday right, try the Sativa-dominant hybrid strain named in his honor.

July 10

Oil and Concentrate Day (National Dab Day). Don't worry, dabbers – there is a weed holiday for you. While most cannabis holidays are celebrated in smoking circles, July 10 is reserved for cannabis oil and concentrate enthusiasts. It came about if you flip the number "710" over. It looks like the world's "oil," obviously. Legend has it that the rapper TaskRock first brought it up in a chat room where people discussed their distaste for the traditional 4:20 smoke sesh time, and the idea stuck. So now, you can enjoy discounted cannabis concentrates every July 10.

August 8

National CBD Day. Not to be overlooked, August 8 celebrates the nation's favorite non-intoxicating, anti-inflammatory cannabis compound: CBD. National CBD Day was officially recognized as a holiday in 2017 by National Day Calendar, a firm that promotes holidays on social media to help companies market themselves. The idea was pitched by a North Carolina CBD manufacturer, who felt it was time we took a day to raise awareness of the healing properties of CBD and all it has done for many people facing mental and physical health challenges. Now, manufacturers are offering discounts and using the hashtag #NationalCBDDay to promote their brands every August, and the concept seems to be gaining traction.

Lastly, capitalize on federal holidays and weekends. Your customers will be off work and looking for something to do. Labor Day weekend, for instance, brings in some of the most multi-day cannabis sales each year for the cannabis business, right behind the week of 4/20, and the holiday season is highly lucrative for the cannabis industry as well.