Boulder Celebrates 4/20

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I knew there was a reason I loved Boulder so much...in fact, there are tons of reasons. One of them just passed by, and I already can't wait till next year.

The University of Colorado, Boulder also has the unique distinction of being the reluctant home to the largest gathering of people IN THE WORLD who celebrate the many benefits and uses of marijuana on the infamous day of 4/20. The annual 4/20 event at the University of Colorado Boulder is highly heralded throughout the year.

April 20, at exactly 4:20 p.m., thousands of marijuana enthusiasts are expected to congregate on campus to smoke pot en masse. The years previously, the school had developed a bad rep among the students. The sprinklers would be turned on in the fields the students were gathered in. This may have dampened their ability to smoke, but not their spirits. Things got uglier when the University offered to pay any student $50 if they could identify any of the depraved students with the smoke coming out of their silly grinned mouths. The authorities had taken hundreds of pictures of the offenders. And the jaw dropping fact…kids ratted on other kids.

Last year the school and local police decided to chill out and they adopted a mellow approach. They were going to leave the crowd alone. It was pretty crazy to see a bunch of cops just standing around, smiling, talking to everyone, seeming to enjoy themselves. (Although, looking back, I'm sure with the contact high they were getting, I'm sure they were!!) No tickets were issued at the event.

We've gone from a huge snow / rain / hail storm over the weekend, to 70+ degrees today. The grounds are still a bit wet, but what a gorgeous day!!! It is amazing to look over the crowd of easily over 10,000 people, smashed together as far as one can see, everyone happy and enjoying themselves.

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