How San Franciscans are enjoying 4/20, the unofficial holiday celebrating cannabis culture

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Sales were ringing up at Moe Greens Dispensary on Market Street in San Francisco as cannabis customers geared up 4/20, the unofficial holiday where many people celebrate cannabis culture.

"It's fun to come together and smoke," said Lexi Figueroa, a Bay Area resident shopping at the dispensary. "It's cool to have a community where you can come together and have fun."

The annual 4/20 gathering at Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park used to be a city-sanctioned event, but San Francisco Recreation and Parks is not hosting it due to reported budget cuts.

Running the city-sponsored celebration has come at a high cost, according to organizers involved in past events.

RELATED: SF's popular 4/20 Hippie Hill cannabis event scrapped for 3rd year in a row

"Running fencing around there and hiring security guards, I have seen it reported, ran north of $400,000 a year," said David Downs, an organizer of SF Spacewalk.

Even without an official event, people still turned out across the city to celebrate.

"Yeah, it gets packed. packed at the parks," Figueroa said.

Some residents questioned whether an organized 4/20 event is still necessary as cannabis has become more mainstream.

"I don't know if having this special event is necessarily justified. In some ways, the whole town is 4/20 or at least my neighborhood it is," said Joe Christiano, a San Francisco resident.

Downs said education and culture remain central to the holiday. He organized SF Spacewalk, a weeklong series of social and educational events leading up to 4/20.

"Counterculture is a big part of San Francisco tourism. and tourism is the number one industry of the city," Downs said. "Just like SF Beer Week, we have CA's best cannabis growers appearing in California's nicest cannabis lounges for seven consecutive nights."

On Sunday night, organizers hosted a film screening on 13th Street in San Francisco focused on cannabis history.

"We are going to be screening a movie about Dennis Peron. Peron was a pioneer who was really the godfather of medical cannabis," said Bram Goodwin with SF Spacewalk.

More events were scheduled for Monday, including gatherings at the Basa dispensary on Divisadero Street.

"We will again will be hosting one of the best growers in the state named Woodwide," Goodwin said.

For many residents, the meaning of 4/20 continues to evolve.

"I think it would be really cool to keep it alive, especially in San Francisco, where it is part of the identity. Love it or hate it. It is part of living here," said Chris Sheehan, a Bay Area resident.