Alternative 420 Guide: How to have the best 420 in Denver

It’s no secret that Denver has the best 420 celebration, people come from miles around every year just to take part in the festivities. We’ve got the cannabis cup, fully legal recreational cannabis, the famed cannabis tours and plenty of other awesome attractions for interested cannatourists. But to the locals who get to enjoy Denver’s green bounty year-round, it seems extraneous to drop hundreds of dollars on tickets just for smoking cannabis, yet we still want to celebrate this awesome holiday. Here are some of the things that Denverites and transplants will be doing to keep in the spirit of things. If you want to have an authentic Denver 420 experience, or just try something new this time around, then check out these suggestions.

Denver is an amazing place for music any time of the year, and if you are looking for some shows that pair perfectly with the cannabis experience, then look no further. For those who like their music heavy and unforgiving, the almighty “stoner” doom band Sleep is headlining a show on Sunday, April 19th with Primitive Man opening the bill. That way, the second it turns 420, you can start celebrating.

Sound

Saturday, April 18th features a fuzzed-out performance from Wish You Were Floyd, the Pink Floyd tribute band, at The Gothic Theater celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Wish You Were Here album by performing the record in its entirety.

And on April 25th, directly following all the 420 festivities, Denver will be treated to a performance by Acid Mother’s Temple, the godfathers of psych rock, at the Hi-Dive, for only $12 a head.If hip-hop is more your style, a show with a similar idea in mind is happening at Aggie Theater headlined by rapper and advocate Collie Budz. For 420 itself, check out 420 In The Streets at Cervante’s Masterpiece Ballroom featuring Method Man and Redman, Cyprus Hill, Collie Budz, Flatbush Zombies and more.

For those who would rather enjoy some recreational cannabis and then gaze at pretty pictures, there are plenty of art-centric events going on in Denver around this time as well. The “Through a Different Lens” exhibit at Niza Knoll Gallery on Santa Fe will have you transfixed by amazing photography. Peter Allan York will be showcasing his surreal photos of trees, while Niza Knoll herself shows off some fine scanner work. The show’s final day is April 18th. 

Nothing says 420 like pizza and booze, and that is exactly what is being offered up at the “Pancakes and Booze Underground Art Show” taking place at City Hall on the evening of April 18th. In addition to the free carbs and alcohol, the show will feature art, live music and even body painting.

Vision

For a psychedelic feast of the eyes, check out the “Exhibition of Denver Rock Posters (1967-68)” on April 20th at Byers-Evans House.  This special display will feature posters from a concert venue opened by Chet Helms and the Family Dog Hippie Collective, and the art for these posters was done by awesome ’60s psych artists like Rick Griffin and Stanley Mouse. This is black-light, crazy-colors-and-skulls art at its finest.

If you’d like something a little less esoteric and more along the lines of “munchies and a goofy flick,” check out movie night at the Walnut Room on 420 for an exclusive screening of Caddy Shack, everyone’s favorite so-bad-it’s-good golf comedy. Sure, you’ve seen it before, but you know it’ll be funnier on this special day in good company. 

Taste

Let’s face it; the best part of having some time off and enjoying quality cannabis is getting to indulge in some delicious cuisine afterword, and what better place to do that then Denver, land of the delicious eateries? If delicious sandwiches with a cannabis theme sound like a dream come true, check out Cheba Hut on Champa Street. Their sandwich sizes are “nug,” “pinner” and “blunt,” and they call their beverages “cotton mouth cures.” They also usually offer a meal deal on 420 where $4.20 gets you a sandwich, side and drink.

Mary Jane’s Pizza at 32nd and Tejon has cannabis leaves all over their sign and their motto is “we’re smokin’!” They also have delicious pizza and deliver from 11:00 p.m. until 4:20 a.m. Check them out if you get the 420 late-night munchies sometime during the festivities.As far as the inevitable deserts go, Voodoo Doughnut on Colfax is by far the best place to try. They have an obscene array of delicious baked goods, some of which are named things like the “Maple Blazer Blunt,” and they aren’t afraid to top their doughnuts with cereal, Kool-Aid and all kinds of strange additives. Sweet Action ice cream on South Broadway is another good one to try; they always have all kinds of creative flavors to satisfy any odd and sudden craving. 

As is evident from this list, you don’t have to break the bank, stand outside all day or check out monumentally packed concerts in order to have a good time in Denver for 420. There are tons of fun, creative and exciting things to do during this week-long celebration that are affordable and under the radar.