The top 420 events in Florida [2024]

By Main Hemp Patriot on April 13, 2024 No Comments / 7 views

Florida is an emerging market for legal cannabis, and while it only allows medical cannabis (for now), the spirit of recreational cannabis is alive and well. As many as two-thirds of Floridians support adult-use weed, and voters will have the chance to legalize it on the 2024 ballot in November.

In the meantime, stoners can still find and purchase cannabis products in legal brick-and-mortar stores as far north as the Florida panhandle and as far south as Miami and Key West.

What to know about Florida’s cannabis laws

Recreational cannabis isn’t officially legal in Florida yet. Still, it’s incredibly easy to obtain, albeit in slightly different types of stores than where people in rec-legal states can find it. Businesses with “Vape Store,” “Smoke Shop,” or “CBD” in the title are fantastic places to start.

Once known only for selling products with infused Delta-8 THC, or “weed-light,” the majority of these stores now sell the regular Delta-9 THC products — the same ones you’d find in legal dispensaries — including flower, edibles, and concentrates. An increasing number of these stores also sell cannabis seeds. How? These stores operate in a legal gray area, to put it mildly. More accurately, the state and local governments have mostly let “Vape Store” weed sales slide since more of these shops began popping up over the past few years.

Rules for medical patients are more straightforward. Florida has over 500 licensed dispensaries across the state, including recognizable names such as Curaleaf, Trulieve, and Cookies, where residents with a state-issued Medical Marijuana ID Card can buy up to four ounces of flower or up to 24.5 grams of concentrated THC every 70 days.

Getting a medical card in Florida requires a diagnosis from a licensed physician and costs $75, but it is only available to people who live in the state. Unfortunately, Florida dispensaries don’t accept medical cannabis cards from other states.

The top 420 events in Florida

A place where millions can enjoy sunny weather, plenty of beaches, robust hiking, and one-of-a-kind wildlife scenes, Florida’s an excellent venue for all things cannabis – especially around April 20th.

Florida Groves

Weedmaps ashtray with blunt on turntable

The premier outdoor spring music festival in Orlando features 23 live music acts to kick off the week leading up to 4/20. Based on the three pillars of music, art, and freedom, the annual Florida Groves celebration invites diverse musicians and artists to showcase the brilliance of artistic expression and innovation, all while championing the essence of freedom “in all of its forms.” Translation: it’s a great event to enjoy incredible vibes and find creative inspiration.

Florida Groves also features a “Cannabis Village,” where Weedmaps will have a booth and all the cannabis resources you’ll need for your time in Florida. Download the Weedmaps app, favorite Curaleaf and your other top brands, and score free Weedmaps merch while supplies last.

Address: Central Florida Fairgrounds — 4603 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808
Time: April 13 and 14, 1:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Price: $80 – $120

Cannabash: The 420 Experience

Cannabis and Bob Marley go hand-in-hand, so Jacksonville’s Havana Jax Cafe plans to celebrate North Florida’s premier 420 bash with a trio of Marley tribute artists. The six-hour live outdoor music fest features reggae rhythms, positive vibes, swag giveaways, food, and a tip of the cap to the 420 icon’s legacy.

Steelpan ensemble Ravon Rhoden & the Steely Experience will kick off Cannabash with soulful Bob Marley renditions that will transport visitors to the sun-soaked beaches of Jamaica. Soloist Kevin Romans will follow with unique twists on Marley covers embodying the Caribbean spirit, and DJ Dr. Doom will finish the night with some contemporary hits mixed in with other 420 classics.

Address: Havana Jax Cafe — 2578 Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 33207
Time: April 20, 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Price: $10 – 15

Freakin’ 420 Warehouse Party

Those in the Tampa Bay area can liven up the night of 4/20 with a transcendent, one-of-a-kind celebration in St. Petersburg put on by the Divine Freak Collective. This enchanted forest-themed event requires attire that fits the scene — think fairies, elves, trees, and mythical creatures — and promises pulsating beats, mesmerizing visuals, and ethereal performances.

The Freakin’ 420 Warehouse party starts with a yoga session in an outdoor garden, then dives immediately into house, techno, and psytrance music. Cannabis industry vendors will be in booths around the venue, and local artists will be on-site painting throughout the night.

Address: The Factory at St. Pete — 2622 Fairfield Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712
Time: April 20, 7:30 pm – April 21, 3:00 am
Price: $25 – $75

420 Wonder Land and Cannacasino

What happens when a family of neurologists team up to focus on alternative medicine and a holistic approach to treating their patients? In the case of this Tampa-based group of doctors, it has led to a one-of-a-kind hemp shop selling everything from flower to mushroom-infused edibles, THC-vapes, and CBD-infused coffee powder.

On 4/20, the centrally located Bliss Wellness Market will transform its Tampa store into a “canna-casino,” complete with Texas Hold’em, Blackjack, and Roulette gaming tables. There’s no charge, only the chance to win swag giveaways, munchie samples, and other prizes. The event will also feature live music and tarot card readers.

Address: Bliss Wellness Market — 13721 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33618
Time: April 20, 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Price: Free

420 celebration at CHēBA Hut

Arizona’s finest cannabis-themed sandwich shop is alive and well in Florida, and it’s bringing its A-Game for 4/20 in one of the state’s most historic towns.

Cheba Hut‘s restaurant in St. Augustine will host a full day of outdoor games like cornhole, horseshoes, and Jenga, with free 4-inch sub and frisbee giveaways. Local folk rock duo Bad Dog Mama, cover band Chillula, and EDM artist Kelp will perform live throughout the day. A raffle will take place at, of course, 4:20 pm.

Address: Cheba Hut — 604 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080
Time: April 20, 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Price: Free

Other pre- and post-420 events in Florida

These events don’t take place on 4/20, but they’re still worth attending when traveling in Florida during other times of the year.

Florida Cannabis Festival

This annual party transforms a massive flea market near Orlando into a stoner’s paradise for two days — usually the first weekend in November — every year. The 2024 edition will feature an awards show for the state’s top weed products, along with expert discussion panels, over 200 vendors, dozens of food trucks, art expos, and live music emanating from two stages.

Organizers say the festival is as educational and informative as a party. Conveniently, it welcomes people of all ages and leashed pets.

Address: Renninger’s Flea Market & Antique Center — 20651 US-441, Mt. Dora 32757
Time: November 2 and 3, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Price: $15 – $20

Cannadelic Miami

Postponed in 2024, this annual cannabis and psychedelic event typically attracts more than 8,000 people. The vast majority come from the legal weed space, but the event is unique in its embrace of the burgeoning mushroom and psychedelic industries. It’s Florida’s only event that combines the two industries, and it featured over 80 speakers during its last rendition in 2023.

The host, Florida Cannabis Coalition, has yet to set a new date for this year, but they suggested Cannadelic Miami will return no later than January 2025.