April 20, or 4/20, is an unofficial marijuana holiday across the country, and Denver's yearly gathering at Civic Center Park has become one of the biggest unsanctioned smokeouts in the nation. In 2023, though, it will have a new organizer: Michigan-based dispensary chain JARS Cannabis, which late last year purchased Euflora, a Colorado dispensary chain, and got the Mile High 4/20 Fest in the process.
In an Instagram announcement posted last weekend, Mile High 4/20 Fest noted that 2023's version will be an adults-only event, and readers were quick to share their thoughts on the Westword Facebook post of the news. Says Laser:
Age limit, you say? So...how old is too old?Responds Mickey:
Nobody over thirty, please.Comments Jackie:
Thank God, because the amount of young kids I saw there last year was ridiculous. Their parents should've honestly gotten Denver Child Protective Services involvement for bringing them to an event like this.Replies Candace:
Kids are gonna be around weed at some point. It’s Colorado and it’s not much different than drinking. When they’re old enough, they will experiment on their own — so it’s better to teach them how to be safe than shelter them from it completely. I agree this isn’t an event for children, but that is the least of DCPS's problems. A child being around cannabis is not grounds for getting them involved. If you don’t agree with the parents who did it, then don’t parent that way. But everyone views cannabis differently.Notes Ciara:
I’m 26 now and used to go when I was fifteen (before it was legalized) and sadly I stopped going to 4/20 after I turned 21 because it’s not the same anymore. It’s way too crowded and you can’t even find a spot to sit down and roll a blunt. When I was fifteen, it was so peaceful and people would sit in stoner circles, smoke together. But in my honest opinion, it should’ve always been an 18+ event at least.Recalls Tammy:
One year, I attended to pass out small fliers for a festival; Stephen Marley was on the lineup. All the kids between fifteen and nineteen had no idea who that was, but they knew his father, Bob.Adds Stacey:
Definitely miss the days when Ken Gorman was alive. These 4/20 rallies will never be as amazing as the last Saturday of every month, smoking on the Capitol steps and listening to live bands. Not a fan of these new rallies.Concludes Danielle:
Can enter the military to die at eighteen, but can't smoke marijuana in public at an event. Make way for fake IDs.Have you gone to the 4/20 fest? What do you think of the changes over the years? Post a comment or share your thoughts at [email protected].
