Sorry haters, D.C. is a pot town. And just like Quebec City gets pumped for winter or Salem, Massachusetts gets its cobwebs ready for Halloween, there are a ton of ways to celebrate what one D.C. delivery service owner calls “the Christmas of weed culture.” So without further adieu, here are some ways to ring in the holiday.
What you get when you order from Highspeed. (Photo by Rachel Sadon)
SCORE SOME BUD: It helps to start off by being able to celebrate in earnest with a toke or a dab of some kind. Don’t have a medical card? No worries. Here are some ways to get weed delivered to your doorstep if you live in the District. (Sorry Marylanders and Virginians—you’re out of luck.) — Rachel Kurzius
The set of East Coast Grow. (Photo by Rachel Kurzius)
WATCH SOME STONER TV: Don’t feel like leaving the house just yet? In addition to the bounty of streaming services, stay local and weedy with East Coast Grow, which we called one of the 10 D.C.-based web series you should watch. After showing what they’ve filmed so far at festivals and screenings, co-creators Amy Tasillo and Matt Doherty are releasing the episodes online, starting with a teaser on 4/20. You can also take a virtual tour of a D.C. pot dispensary via your computer. — Rachel Kurzius
(Photo by Richard Ricciardi)
ENJOY SOME NATURE: Oh, so now you want to be outside? Well, lucky for you, the region is full of excellent hikes and outdoor getaways. If you don’t have access to a car or can’t steal away too far, enjoy nature close to home with local spots to picnic or otherwise soak in your surroundings. (Warnings: the weather forecast looks like rain, so don’t forget your umbrella, and smoking in public remains illegal.) — Rachel Kurzius
Photo by KentonNgo.
EAT SOME FOOD: Yes, some weed advocates are calling for corporations who try and cash in on 4/20 to “grow up” and cut it out. But there’s a reason why “weed munchies” are a thing, and you can figure it out for yourself with this list of the best foods to eat in D.C. while stoned. — Rachel Kurzius
A scene from DCMJ’s protest outside the White House last year. (Photo by Benjamin Strahs)
DO SOME ACTIVISM: If you have some bud in your pocket and you’re pulled over in D.C., the consequences will be very different than if it happens in Maryland or Virginia (geography is not the only thing that may impact the outcome). Marijuana legalization advocates are seizing on the holiday as a way to raise awareness about a bevy of weed-related issues. Near Capitol Hill, local activists with DCMJ are handing out two joints apiece to Capitol Hill staffers and credentialed journalists on the afternoon of 4/20, and have planned some civil disobedience (aka smoking up on the Capitol steps) for the following Monday if their demands are not met. There’s also a Constitutional Cannabis March at the White House, starting at … you guessed it … 4:20 p.m. Plus, the second National Cannabis Festival, which has an educational component in addition to music and vendors, will be at the RFK Festival Grounds this Saturday. — Rachel Kurzius
(Photo by Jim Malone)
LISTEN TO SOME MUSIC: If music is one of stoners’ greatest pleasures, live music just doubles down. In addition to all the regular shows happening on Thursday night, there are at least five where you definitely won’t be alone in being on a higher plane. The Noon and Capitol Hemp are presenting a reggae show at the Fillmore in Silver Spring, featuring local artist Chronixx & Zincfence Redemption, along with Kelissa and Max Glazer (of Federation Sound). Your friendly local bluegrass band By and By is playing Mr. Henry’s on Capitol Hill from 8-10 p.m. (“Hope to see you on Thursday! Blurry eyes and all,” they write). Meanwhile, at Anacostia’s Uniontown Bar & Grill, Cruddy Rite Radio is hosting a “Cannabis Music Awareness Concert” to spread awareness of pot’s medicinal properties. “The date explains it all! Come and stimulate your mind and your tree cells with this get lifted music. No clouds in the building but the edibles are on deck along with some herbs and spices to drink to your hearts content,” they say. Gypsy Sally’s is very fittingly hosting a Grateful Dead cover band, Better Off Dead, for its second annual 4/20 show. If dubstep is more your speed, the GourmetBeats record label is taking over The DC Eagle for the evening. At the other end of the spectrum (and not specifically meant for the stoner crowd), there’s the promise of taking a musical “sound bath,” whatever exactly that might be, at D.C.’s new nap and meditation studio.— Rachel Sadon
One group is planning a Canna Crawl at four stops on U Street. (Photo by Clif Burns)
PARTY WITH DEDICATED STONERS: With decriminalization and the subsequent legalization of marijuana, people seem to have gotten far more open about their use and groups have gotten far more open about hosting pot-themed parties. For those who expect to feel ambulatory, there’s a twist on the traditional bar crawl, a Canna Crawl. Location details are a little muddled, but organizers promise “four unique environments” along U Street plus music, “cannabis-inspired cocktails,” vendors, hookah, and music. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door (BYOV: bring your own vape). Across town at Bliss Nightclub, High Society Events is promising an “epic” and “legal” party with “apparel, food, edibles, canna-businesses, vape, performing artists, and live art” and live music from Immortal Technique. General admission tickets are $20.— Rachel Sadon