Dabney: This 420 is going to be lit

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I’ve hosted my fair share of 420 gatherings over the years.

Some were big backyard events with music and infused snacks; others were as simple as lighting a joint with friends on the porch and watching the sun go down.

No matter the setting, what I remember most is the feeling — the ease, the openness, the sense that for just one day, we could exist without judgment. That we could celebrate the plant that brought us together and the community it continues to grow.

As a cannabis scientist and owner of a local cannabis company, 420 holds special meaning for me not only as a cultural holiday, but as a moment to commemorate the intersection of cannabis science, advocacy and community.

This year, there is an extra level of excitement and optimism among Minnesota’s cannabis community about April 20, or 420 — sometimes also referred to as 4/20 or 4:20 — as the state is on the brink of launching its recreational cannabis market.

To be sure, there have been plenty of ups and downs during the regulatory process of setting up the legalized market. But this spring, the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) finally closed its first round of business license applications. And over 3,500 entrepreneurs across the state are now awaiting word on whether they can open for business. The first state-licensed pot businesses could be up and running in a matter of weeks.

There are various theories behind the origins of 420, but the most plausible dates back to 1971 in San Rafael, Calif., where a group of high school friends known as the “Waldos” coined the term as a code for their after-school meetups at 4:20 p.m. by a statue of chemist Louis Pasteur to search for a rumored hidden cannabis crop. Though they never discovered the plants, “420” became their shorthand for smoking cannabis — and the slang stuck.

Thanks to the group’s connection to members of the Grateful Dead, the term spread throughout the band’s fan base and eventually took root in cannabis culture nationwide. Over time, 420 became synonymous with cannabis itself, evolving into a symbol of celebration and protest.

As legalization efforts grew, April 20 emerged as the unofficial holiday of cannabis, with people around the world gathering publicly at 4:20 p.m. on that day to light up in a peaceful act of unity and civil disobedience.

Today, 420 is the Thanksgiving and Christmas of cannabis culture — a day defined by togetherness, sharing and gratitude. Friends pass joints the way others pass mashed potatoes. Music plays. People gather. There’s laughter, generosity and a shared sense of purpose. It’s a holiday not just about getting high, but about being seen, accepted and connected.

“420 is about connection … it’s about getting together,” said Cody Dornbusch, general manager of Hemp House, a new dispensary in northeast Minneapolis that is hosting a 420-themed block party on Saturday with an art show, vendor tastings, live music and food trucks. “We want to welcome our neighbors, show them what we’re building here and celebrate the future of cannabis in Minnesota.”

This weekend, I’ll be bouncing around to several 420 events around the Twin Cities where my cannabis company, Doctor Dabs, will have a presence. At some of those stops, I’ll be hosting “nostalgic hotboxes” where the childhood game of playing with a parachute is reimagined and transformed through swirling clouds of cannabis smoke beneath vibrant fabric canopies. Using everyday tools like repurposed leaf blowers to fill the air with smoke, the experience taps into a deep sense of shared nostalgia, playfulness and community connection.

Because of the quirk of the calendar with 420 falling on Easter Sunday this year, some 420 events are taking place on the day before, on Saturday, including Surly Brewing’s annual Gourmet Munchies event featuring a full day of cannabis-themed activities, food and beverages.

Also on Saturday, Modist Brewing Co. in the North Loop will celebrate its nine-year anniversary with a full-on 420 festival: Cloud 9. Known for pushing boundaries with both beer and THC beverages, Modist is leaning in with live music, a joint-rolling competition, glassblowing demos, a hemp-friendly vendor marketplace and a dedicated outdoor smoking area featuring growers, brands and cannabis entrepreneurs from across Minnesota.

“It’s a celebration of community, creativity and cannabis,” said Andy Herzog, Modist’s director of cannabis business development. “We’re proud to be part of the next chapter of cannabis culture in Minnesota. From the music to the low-dose products to the sesh tents outside, we’re creating space for people to connect, learn and celebrate together.”

On Sunday, the actual 4/20, the festivities will continue. Over in the Powderhorn neighborhood of Minneapolis, a 4:20 bike event will challenge riders to complete as many loops and bonus checkpoints as possible in a 4 hour and 20 minute race around the neighborhood.

At the Hook and Ladder Theater in Minneapolis, Executive Director Chris Mozena is bringing back The Big Zen 20 — a vibrant celebration of art, creativity and community. This delightfully eccentric event features stoner bingo, an adult Easter egg hunt, a bong showcase, a fashion show and live art installations. “We wanted to do something fun, weird and creative that brings people together and celebrates all forms of artistic expression,” Mozena said.

Those are just a few of the many 420 events happening around the Twin Cities this weekend. There’s also a 420-themed sauna session, skateboard competition, comedy show and much more.

Outside the metro, communities across greater Minnesota are lighting up the celebration in their own unique ways — from Off The Path Dispensary’s 420 party in Morton, Minn., to a 420 Hip Hop Bash at Keller Bar in St. Cloud and a Reggae 420 Party at Thesis Beer Project in Rochester. Red Lake’s Native Care also has a week of festivities planned.

Whether it’s through community events, blazing with friends or supporting local makers, 420 in Minnesota this year is about more than cannabis — it’s about connection. It’s about honoring how far we’ve come, and imagining what’s possible when we come together to build something better, greener and more inclusive.