Now that we have had some time to settle after the long weekend, we have had some time to reflect on how amazing and successful the First Legal 420 celebration turned out to be! April 20th, 2019 marks the first gatherings of the cannabis community in post-prohibition Canada. Though legalization has been declared, we know the work is not over for cannabis activists. Gatherings such as these provide opportunities to elevate the voices of patients and local stakeholders while celebrating the victories we have gained so far.
We would like to take this opportunity to formally thank all the contributors to this event whose many hands made this event an absolute success! We have also shared some of the images we have collected as momentos of this epic gathering we won’t soon forget.
First and foremost, thank you Rose Henry for welcoming us to the land and making a territory acknowledgement of the event which took place on the unceded Coast Salish Territory of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ nations.
Thank you to all of our sponsors who provided the resources necessary to orchestrate this free and public event. Thank you BC Smoke Shop, Euphoria Edibles, Mr. T. Fertilizer, Viridesco, Green Haired Freak Super Treats, Absolute Medicinals, Bearlo, Shaman Headquarters, Dope Soap, Potent Industries and Living Leaf Remedies. We are so appreciative of your contributions, donations, tables at the event, your time and energy.
A huge love filled thank you to Submersive Studios Tribe for bringing the sound system and music that kicked this party to a 10! Also high five for setting up in under 50 minutes! The bass, powered by PK Sound, made our event such an immersive and fun place to be and it would not have been the same without your team and energy. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
We have to give a shout out to The Three Gringos Mexican Grill for donating fresh chips and seven layer dip! It was such a treat to be munching on some chips, dancing to good tunes, and toking with our friends all afternoon. Double high fives to Empire Donuts for surprising us with a Donut Bomb at 4:30pm! Is there anything better than fresh and sinfully delicious donuts just after a sesh?! Thank you so much.
Much love and respect to the flow arts community for sharing their dance and art with us. Your creativity and passion shines through and we are so appreciative that you all shared it with us. Thank you Dave Johnson for your massive bubbles! They brought so many smiles and joy to all of us in the simple and blissful way that only a massive bubble can.
Thank you to the security team who volunteered to keep an eye on the event and throw in a helping hand whenever we needed it. Deep bows of love and respect to the Green Team who voluteered their time to clean up the BC Legislature lawn and Centennial Square. The cleanup post-420 is what makes or breaks these events and we did an amazing job of upholding the integrity and civic responsibility of the cannabis community.
Thank you Julie Cole for lending a hand and assisting with all the little details. We see you, we value you, we appreciate you. Thank you Ric Houle for postering the entire city! Without your work we would not have been able to reach as many people as we did. Thank you for boosting our event’s visibility.
A huge round of applause to Nikki Jackson for being a major organizer and back bone of this event. Her tireless work, networking, organizing, and list making was the oil that made the gears of this machine churn. We are so thankful for your leadership in putting this whole thing together.
Bless ups to Jacq Kittel for her organizinig prowess, her tireless contributions, and her love for this community. Also, high five for the amazing image captured of you toking a giant doobie that ended up on the cover of the news! Your work is valued and we wouldn’t be the same organization without you.
Last but certainly not least, thank you Ted Smith and the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club. Ted is the root and grounding source behind this whole operation. Without his tireless commitment to cannabis activism and patients, we would not have had a 420 at all. Thank you Ted for everything you do. Thank you Julia, Clea, Bones, Stephen, and all the staff and members of the VCBC. You all fill our cups and give us the motivation and support we needed to organize this event.
With all the success of this year’s 420, we are getting really excited to plan an even bigger and better one next year! Thank you again to everyone that made this event as magical as it was, we couldn’t be more proud.
Until next year, toke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em!
