April 20. Cannabis Christmas. The Stoner’s Sabbath. Hemp Hanukkah. Marijuana Mardi Gras. Call it what you will, 4/20 is the High Holy Day for weed smokers. This year, Seattle’s chronic community is treating the city to a massive selection of elevated events, all dialed in to educate, illuminate, and celebrate this amazing plant.
THURSDAY Kicking things off is 420 Fest, Hempfest’s annual all-day fundraiser and membership drive. This is a members-only event, but membership is worth it, getting you entry into the event as well as other cool schwag throughout the year. Feel free to get loose while shaking it to hip-hop, reggae, rap, and house music.
If you like your weed with a side of “woke,” the world-class Dead Prez will be live at Nectar Lounge. You know the smoking section is gonna be packed at this one. In lovely Columbia City, have a night of weed-inspired jazz by stopping into 4/20 Madness! at the Royal Room, just minutes from the light-rail station for safe partying. Get down on a speakeasy vibe with some of Seattle’s deep cutters, Washboard Cutups and Good Herb Jazz Band. Or slide downtown to the Rendezvous for the ultra-sexy burlesque show Bongs & Thongs. Nine curvaceous performers will jiggle and swing their nugs and bushes for your stoned delight. Hosted by Seattle’s Hairiest MC, Quazie.
Looking for a laugh? The granddaddy of pot-comedy shows is taking over the Broadway Performance Hall: The Gateway Show: 4/20 Edition. The format is simple: Four comedians perform their sets, then at intermission sneak off, get baked out of their minds, and come back and attempt to perform again. This crew has been keeping Seattle stoners in stitches for years, and you can bet their 4/20 show will be one for the books.
FRIDAY Join the folks at Trichome in the International District for a very special only-happens-so-often Elevated Coffee Experience. In addition to combining two of Seattle’s favorite vices with cannabis-infused coffee, organizers will also provide excellent beats by DJ Bgeezy. Make sure you register in advance. All proceeds go to Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, a group working to clean up local waterways and beaches. And make sure to check out Warp Theater’s presentation of 4TWENTY, a collection of short plays, stories, and musicals about the long, strange journey cannabis has been on.
SATURDAY Bright and early, join NORML Women of Washington’s Green Team on a three-mile walk around Greenlake for the 13th annual Dragonslayer Walk to raise awareness for the Northwest Sarcoma Foundation. Your lungs will thank you for the fresh air. Later that night out at Substation, the Herban Assassins are hosting Cannabass! with Aphrodite from the UK. Guaranteed, this will be an all-night rump-shakah.
SUNDAY Entry to the 6th Annual DOPE Cup Washington at Hashtag Fremont is free to those over 21, but RSVP to make sure you get in, as they are expecting more than 3,000 stoners to show up to this video-game-themed event. And if the latest in VR games and excellent bud isn’t enough to entice you, your headliner this year is Talib Kweli. OK, Seattle, ready, set, smoke!!
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