Denver, also called the Mile-High City, is ground zero for recreational weed in the United States. The capital city of Colorado is the only metropolis in the country to have 10 years of adult-use sales under its belt. It remains one of cannabis culture's most robust and celebrated pot scenes.
Known for its 420 celebrations and festivals, Denver continues to expand its weed offerings, making it an ideal city to celebrate the greatest holiday on the stoner calendar.
What to know about smoking weed in Denver
Colorado voters legalized adult-use marijuana back in November 2012. On the first day of 2014, the state became the first in the country to start selling recreational cannabis. Colorado law allows adults 21 and older to buy up to one ounce of flower or up to eight grams of concentrated THC at a time. But you're allowed to possess up to two ounces of flower, thanks to a 2021 update passed by Colorado's legislature.
Denver is home to about 250 dispensaries, and more than 1,000 licensed weed stores operate across the state. Buying recreational weed at the dispensaries is simple, requiring only a government-issued ID, like a driver's license or passport, to prove that you're 21 or older.
Photo by: Gina Coleman/WeedmapsImage lightbox
Medical cardholders have similar limits as adult-use buyers in Denver — they can buy up to two ounces of weed or up to 20 grams of concentrated THC but can't possess any more than that without proof from a doctor that more weed is medically necessary. Colorado doesn't accept out-of-state medical marijuana cards, but the adult-use limits are high enough to also serve patients.
Finding a comfortable place to use the plant legally is challenging. State law bans using any form of marijuana in public areas, including parks, sidewalks, restaurants, cafes, bars, and ski resorts. Local laws in Denver apply the same restrictions on weed use as drinking alcohol in public. But it's getting easier: at least five weed consumption lounges have opened in the city, and it's generally understood that police won't interfere with public use at certain 420 events.
If you're visiting Denver from outside Colorado, only buy enough weed to consume here. Bringing the plant across state borders is illegal, even if you're going home to a nearby state that allows adult-use cannabis, including New Mexico or Arizona.
420 events in Denver
On 4/20, festivals, parties, and the chance to win free gear will occur all over Denver. Check out these events and find your favorite way to celebrate cannabis this year.
Mile High 420 Festival
Right outside the Colorado State Capitol building will be the Mile High 420 Festival, where stoners and revelers can party with some of the biggest names in music. This free event, hosted by JARS Cannabis, welcomes over 35,000 partiers each year and features live performances from the early afternoon through midnight. While police issued plenty of citations for public smoking during the festival's early years, they've stopped in recent years and instead require a 21+ age limit on the event.
This year's lineup includes hip-hop legend Gucci Mane, stoner favorite Afroman, and rappers Tommy Genesis, Murs, Ohgeesy, and more. Plenty of cannabis vendors will have tents set up in Denver's Civic Center Park, and about two dozen food trucks will offer a variety of munchies.
You can get in faster by downloading the Weedmaps app, as the Express General Admission and Express VIP lines will be available only to attendees with the WM app on their devices. Weedmaps will also sponsor a VIP lounge at the festival, so come see us and say “high!”
- Address: Civic Center Park — 101 14th Ave, Denver, CO 80204
- Time: April 20, 1:00 pm – April 21, 1:00 am
- Price: Free (or $175 for VIP tickets)
420 on the Rocks
Photo by: Photo by Padraig O'Flannery on Unsplash Image lightbox
City of Denver's official website advertises 420 on the Rocks, with Wiz Khalifa and hip-hop group Flatbush Zombies headlining the annual bash at the legendary Red Rock Amphitheater. This year marks the 12th edition of the event since Khalifa co-founded it with Snoop Dogg back in 2012 (the pandemic canceled the 2020 show).
420 on the Rocks has drawn a full-capacity crowd of nearly 10,000 people for the past two years. Get your tickets now — we wouldn't be surprised if the popular concert sells out again this year.
- Address: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre — 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy, Morrison, CO 80465
- Time: April 20, 6:00 pm (doors open at 5:00 pm)
- Price: $67 - $160
Sensi Night Colorado
Celebrate 4/20 by networking with some of the biggest movers and shakers in Colorado's legal weed industry. Over 30 companies will be represented at this eighth-anniversary bash honoring Denver's first Sensi night. Count on plenty of free gifts, swag, and a full bar and live entertainment at the brand-new Dahlia event center.
- Address: The Dahlia — 119 S Broadway Denver, CO 80205
- Time: April 19, 7:30 pm – 12:00 am
- Price: $4.20
Dank Grass Fest
Photo by: Courtesy of Oskar Blues BreweryImage lightbox
Thanks to Oskar Blues Brewery and the second annual Dank Grass Fest, you can celebrate 420 with bluegrass music and IPAs. This free event invites partiers to the northern Denver suburb of Longmont, where four bluegrass artists — Clay Street Unit, Pixie & The Partygrass Boys, Arkansauce, and Ghost Town Drifters — will commemorate the special holiday with live performances.
The brewery's special “Shakedown Street” will also include new “dank” beer releases, munchies from food trucks, product samples from cannabis vendors, and live art displays from local artists.
- Address: Oskar Blues Brewery — 1800 Pike Rd, Longmont, CO 8050
- Time: April 20, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Price: Free
Weedmaps' pop-up events
Make the most of your 420 with us at several awesome events happening throughout the week of 4/20. In addition to our VIP booth at the Mile High 420 Festival mentioned above, Weedmaps will also be hosting pop-up events at:
- Starbuds on 4/16
- Cookies Broadway on 4/17
- JARS on 4/18
Tips from Denver locals
Neil Demers, a longtime cannabis CEO in Denver, admits the city's legal weed market has fallen from its peak in 2020 and 2021. But Demers, who helped launch Denver's Diego Pellicer dispensary and led the rebrand to its current name Frost Exotic Cannabis, said 420 celebrations are still “lit as ever,” adding, “The Mile High (420) Festival and 420 on the Rocks are probably the most popular. But you'll see plenty of other events going on throughout the week and on the day itself.”
Photo by: Gina Coleman/WeedmapsImage lightbox
Local cannabis enthusiast, Michael Kemper prefers to celebrate the holiday away from the huge crowds. He said a stoned walk through Denver's Botanic Gardens or the city's local art museums with friends is the perfect way to enjoy the day without being overwhelmed by partygoers at concerts.
April temperatures in Denver can reach the mid-60s but regularly dip into the 30s on cold nights. Kemper recommended bringing a jacket but also having some warm-weather clothes handy, just in case. He also suggested taking rideshares to get around and avoiding driving on your own because traffic will be heavy and parking tough to find.
Written by Chris Kudialis | Featured image by Logan Bonjean on Unsplash
