Are you in Amsterdam for a few days or do you live here and you don’t know what to do for April 20th? This article is for you! The Dekroon team has put together several ideas to help you enjoy this special day to the fullest.

What is 420?

World-renowned as the most fitting time of day to smoke a joint, the history of 420 dates back to the 1970s. There are many legends surrounding its origins, such as the notion that it came from a Bob Dylan song or even more bizarrely, Adolf Hitler’s birthday. None of these are true.

The original story dates back to 1971 when a group of students from San Rafael High School, known as the “Waldos,” would specifically meet at 4:20 PM by the Louis Pasteur statue at their school to embark on an interesting quest: to find a Coast Guard member’s abandoned cannabis crop. Armed with their treasure map and a few joints to enjoy the afternoon, the Waldos would undertake their expedition every day at 4:20 PM without fail. Although the cannabis crop was never found, the symbol of 420 remains intact! Subsequently, the Waldos grew up, and some of them entered the music industry.

They continued to use the term “420” to refer to someone smoking a joint or as a code for suggesting to go smoke one. The term spread further among their friend group and within the hippie community. In 1990, Steven Bloom, a journalist for High Times Magazine, was handed a flyer that read: “Meet at 4:20 PM on April 20th for 420 hours in Marin County at the Sunset on Bolinas Ridge on Mount Tamalpais.” The flyer recounted the origin of 420, and Steven Bloom decided to share it with High Times, which dedicated an article to the Waldos and 420, contributing to the word’s global spread.

The 420 and Amsterdam

With more relaxed regulations than most European countries, Amsterdam is among the cities most associated with cannabis in the world, making 420 a significant event in this city. For many years, numerous stoners, activists, and enthusiasts would gather at Flevopark at 4:20 PM to fully enjoy 420. With over 160 coffee shops in Amsterdam, many of them organize various events for this special date, such as Tyson 2.0 and Green House Effect, although the majority of them typically host events.

Our ideas for the 420

But what exactly to do for this April 20, 2024? The Dekroon_Amsterdam team has prepared a little guide for you to give you the best ideas for enjoying this memorable date in a memorable city: Firstly, come visit us at the Dekroon_Amsterdam (Oudebrugsteeg 26, 1012 JP Amsterdam), where we provide complimentary use of vaporization devices like the GravityBong by Studenglass or the Volcano by STORZ & BICKEL. Come enjoy the terrace, good music, and great atmosphere in-store. We’ve also launched a contest: GIVE AWAY 420 on our social media channels. Try your luck to win a goodie bag! The contest ends on April 19th, so you only have a little time left to participate. Good luck to everyone!

On Saturday, April 20th, a major event will also take place near Amsterdam, close to Keukenhof: The Spring Flower Parade! The spring flower parade in Holland is truly one-of-a-kind. It stands out as the sole flower parade featuring spring blooms such as tulips and hyacinths. Over a million visitors from around the globe revel in the parade as it winds its way along the route of these magnificent creations. This remarkable event owes its success to the dedication of numerous volunteers. We invite you to read our article Cannabis and Keukenhof – The best 420 guide explaining how to make the most of your stay at Keukenhof with cannabis.

In conclusion, there are always things to do and see in Amsterdam on April 20th. Coffee shops organize numerous events, so come visit us in-store for this occasion and enjoy the vaporizers and the Gravity bong. Hopefully, this article has given you more ideas to fully enjoy this important day for the entire cannabis community.

HAVE A NICE 420 EVERYONE