San Francisco's 4/20 festival is off for the 2nd year in a row

4/20 festival off for second year

4/20 festivities in SF have been replaced by sporting and family fun in Golden Gate Park

SAN FRANCISCO - For a second year, the massive cannabis celebrations that we saw in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on April 20th are off.

The backstory:

In years past, 4/20 saw massive celebrations filling Robin Williams Meadow and spilling over to Hippie Hill in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

Now, for a second year, that festival has failed to materialize.

Focus on sports

San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department said it will be replaced by a smaller festival in the same place focused on outdoor sports and fun.

"This is the second annual Peace Love and Polo Field Day," said Daniel Montes from San Francisco's Recreation and Parks Department. "So, yeah, it's a day filled with sports like kickball, volleyball, cornhole, spikeball. There'll be food trucks. A big day with fun. It is different than traditional years."

Evolving cannabis industry

Cannabis industry experts said, for a second year, the organizers of the 4/20 festivities were unable to find a sponsor to underwrite the cost of hosting a free event that in the past hosted as many as 20,000 people and featured food, cannabis booths and a stage with big-name musical acts.

Patrick Goggin is an attorney working in the cannabis space and said the industry is maturing and facing some serious issues, including, he said, over regulation, over taxation, and bigger operators moving in and edging out smaller competitors.

"They have control of the market, and they've got what they need, and they don't need to sponsor it," Goggin said. "The consumers are there. The industry is going to remain. The multi-billion dollar industry is going to continue to grow."

The official event was called off last year as well, but that didn't stop some cannabis fans from showing up to the area to light up at 4:20 in the afternoon.

Organizers behind the Peace Love and Volo Field Day said, although the event isn't focused on cannabis, it doesn't mean that those who wish to indulge aren't welcome.

"People are welcome to celebrate however they want to celebrate on Sunday and whatever holiday they want to celebrate," Montes said. "We just ask that people be safe."

Competition on a big Sunday

There is also a lot of competition for attention on Sunday.

It's also Easter Sunday, so there will be religious celebrations underway throughout the city, as well as organized events at Dolores Park to celebrate the holiday. So, there are a lot of options competing for attention on this 4/20.

No word at this point if 4/20 organizers are going to try to revive the festival next year.

Featured