If the 420 Vancouver festival could be described by one adjective, that would be weed fest. You will be challenged hard to find a better celebration of pot culture and cannabis than the 420 Vancouver. Although the exact date for this festival can vary every year, it is usually celebrated on the 20th of April. The fact that this event was first organized as a protest still comes as a bit of a surprise to newbies. But it is the absolute truth. Ever since cannabis has been legalized in Canada, 420 Vancouver is now anticipated by many all year. The cannabis community in Canada waits for this event every year with great enthusiasm!

What is 420?

Today, 420 Vancouver is known by a rather elegant title. It is called 420 Vancouver Protest and Farmers Market. This celebration of cannabis has taken a little hit in recent years, courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival planned on the 20th of April in 2020 was cancelled, and then the ones planned in 2021 and 2022 were also not given the green light because of the contagion that has disturbed the entire world. However, the organizers are optimistic that the 2023 event will happen on time and be a hit. It is pertinent to mention that 420 Vancouver is only one of the many festivals that occur across Canada annually. While some of these events are dubbed formal protests, the Vancouver event is one of the longest-running events, not just in Canada but across the entire globe.

How Did It Start?

420. 420. 420. We have mentioned it a few times, but what does 420 mean? Well, it is 4/20, which means the fourth month, i.e., April, and the 20th is the date. What’s the significance of this date? Well, we have already mentioned that the event usually takes place around the 20th of April of every year, and that’s where it gets its name from. The Vancouver 420 is a part of the global movement that began in California in the 1970s. A small group of friends first organized this pot-smoking social event. One thing led to another, and the small gathering of friends became a massive movement. This movement was against the laws that criminalized the use of marijuana. The Vancouver chapter is one of the many 420 events in Northern America. They have been taking place since 1995 at Victory Square. Today, the venue has been changed, but the spirit of the first-ever Vancouver 420 lives on.

Events in Vancouver 420

Now, let us talk about what you can expect at the 420 Vancouver event. Well, plenty of things, that is for sure. But first, please note that there will be a crowd at the event if you plan to attend it this year. Thousands flock from different parts of the world to celebrate the cannabis culture. And when thousands turn up. It is a proper crowd. Hundreds of temporary shops and stalls are set up to entertain these massive numbers. These stalls are dedicated to selling marijuana selling products, paraphernalia, and certain souvenirs. It is a world of cannabis merchandise! For example, if you want t-shirts featuring cool cannabis logos, you can purchase them here easily. Once you are done shopping, you can enjoy the melodies that different bands are playing. Oh yes, there is music too! Apart from watching people do big joints and all the cannabis stuff, there are some enjoyable moments to enjoy at this festival.

Who Is Vancouver 420 For?

Pot culture. That’s the theme of the Vancouver 420 event. Most participants who travel to Canada for this event attend it for this sole reason. As we said, the cannabis community doesn’t have a lot of happy moments to rejoice. This one makes that list of very few reasons. For some, the Vancouver 420 event offers a great historical perspective. There are many admirers of the event’s history and the people who raised their voices against the criminalization of cannabis laws.

Of course, there are other reasons for celebrating and attending the Vancouver 420. Some folks who take a trip to the event do so to refuel their marijuana supplies. After smoking all year, it makes sense if you are running out of supplies close to April. So, if you feel like refilling at a mega cannabis-themed party, Vancouver 420 is where you need to be this April. But at the same time, please note that not everyone at the Vancouver 420 is a pothead. Believe us or not, you might come across some folks who have never tried pot in their entire life. So, most certainly, you can go to this event with your friends and family and have a good time there!

Why Is It Controversial?

Multiple reasons make the Vancouver 420 event controversial. The first of these reasons is the nature and the theme of the event itself. You see, cannabis is one of the most controversial topics worldwide. And the fact that cannabis wasn’t legalized in Canada till 2018 tells a story itself. So, when the cannabis circus is set up in a certain city at a certain place everywhere, it does lead to raising some eyebrows. Another reason the Vancouver 420 is considered a little controversial is that it leads to damage in the city. Sounds a little odd, right? Well, it is still true. You see, certain municipal laws are bypassed when the Vancouver 420 is organized. The park lawns get damaged to a great degree when hundreds of people walk on these lawns. As a consequence, thousands of dollars are spent every year on the maintenance of these parks. The taxpayers in Vancouver don’t show a lot of love to the attendees of the Vancouver 420 because the damages aren’t compensated by the participants of the 420 Vancouver festival. Sunset Beach is a wonderful spot for enjoying a lovely evening. However, the Vancouver festival kind of ruins that. Smoking isn’t one of the best ways to enjoy an evening, is it? Pitch in the fact that there are hundreds of cannabis smokers in the park, and you can get an idea why this event is a little controversial.

Tips and Advice

And now, the part that some of you have been waiting for since the beginning of this brief! Here are some tips that can make your 420 Vancouver experience even more fun. Jot down these pearls of wisdom somewhere on a little piece of paper.

1- Our first tip for you is that if you are planning to smoke cannabis, it is best to have someone in your company who can drive you back home after the festival. So, it is best to plan how you are going to return home.

2- Another tip about the transit, it is best not to take your car to the 420 events. There are thousands of people coming; you will find parking your car extremely difficult. Hence, it is best to use public transit.  

3- If you are someone who doesn’t smoke cannabis often, well, it is best to take a mask with you as well. The fumes can make you feel a little funny if you aren’t accustomed to them!

4- Not all the products you see on display at the Vancouver event are for sale. So please, be very careful when you shop for any cannabis or cannabis-derived products. And if you are thinking that the police aren’t going to be in the town, you can kiss goodbye to that thought as well. They are in the town, around the event, all the time.

5- Whether they are legal or not, it is essential to ensure that the cannabis products you are purchasing are safe. Your life is extremely important; please don’t ruin it for the sake of some cheap thrills. If you are going to have fun, please have a safe kind of fun. Even authorized dealers are going to tell you that cannabis isn’t going to do a lot of harm to you. Of course, cannabis isn’t. It is the added ingredients and stuff like that which will make you feel dangerously lightheaded.

6- If you are planning on attending an official meeting or family gathering soon after this event, our advice will be to postpone one of these things. Not a nice look when you turn up smelling of pot, is it?

Final Thoughts

Well, folks, that would be all from this brief. We hope that you learned plenty from this brief about a cannabis celebration that is making more and more headlines with every year passing. There are so many cultural and social aspects of this event that we cannot cover in this limited time and space. Nevertheless, we feel that if you were an absolute novice to the topic at the beginning, that’s not the case now. For the cannabis community, the reasons to celebrate have not been a lot. 420 Vancouver is helping them rewrite their story, that’s for sure!

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