As soon as New York legalized recreational cannabis in 2021, all of New York City started to smell like weed. New Yorkers were lighting up from Times Square to just outside of JFK Airport, even though complicated licensing requirements and legal challenges meant it took almost three years for licensed adult-use dispensaries to open across the state. 

The gray market flourished; before walking into a legal recreational dispensary, you could buy a joint in a bodega or pick up some edibles from an entrepreneur with a card table in Washington Square Park. Though the initial rollout was slow, there are now 42 licensed recreational dispensaries throughout the city. One good way to celebrate 4/20 is to hop from borough to borough, sampling the goods and honoring the cannabis entrepreneurs who now operate fully legal dispensaries.

What to know about smoking weed in NYC

New York is a recreational-legal state where adults 21 and over can possess up to three ounces of flower or 24 grams of concentrated cannabis. Medical cannabis has been in effect since 2014, and New York residents may be issued a medical cannabis card if eligible through their state-registered healthcare provider. It is illegal to cross state lines with any amount of cannabis since the plant is still illegal on the federal level. 

Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

That said, NYC is usually covered in a cloud of smoke on 4/20, but the same rules that apply to smoking tobacco apply to smoking cannabis. The Smoke-Free Air Act bans smoking and vaping in most workplaces and public spaces, including parks and beaches. You can’t smoke in motor vehicles, even if they’re parked, but it’s perfectly legal to light up on the sidewalk as long as you’re not near a hospital or school entrance.

420 events in NYC

Part of the fun of 4/20 is getting baked and heading out for some people-watching, and NYC’s parks are the places to do it. Washington Square Park is a bit of a pot-smoking hub in the city, and you’ll find plenty of celebration there. In 2023, a cannabis enthusiast with a “cloud cannon” walked around shooting plumes of smoke into a willing crowd, and vendors sold everything from edibles to clones.

But if you’re looking for something more structured, check out one of the city’s many sponsored events.

Housing Works Cannabis Company

Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Stock up on your favorite products and start the party early by heading to New York’s first legal, recreational cannabis dispensary. Women- and BIPOC-owned Housing Works Cannabis Co is a non-profit, so by purchasing your cannabis there, you’re supporting the City’s unhoused population.

Weedmaps will also be present and handing out merchandise at Housing Works from 4:00 – 7:00 pm on April 15 as part of our RAD Tour.

• Address: Housing Works Cannabis Company — 750 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
• Hours: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday | 10:00 am – 9:00 pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday | 10:00 am – 7:00 pm Sunday
• Price: Free

The Bud Drop with Method Man and Redman

Make your way to Terminal 5, a music venue in Hell’s Kitchen, on the evening of April 19 to start celebrating early. This New Year’s Eve-style event, headlined by Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man and Redman, features a midnight Bud Drop — an homage to the annual ball drop in Times Square — and an opening performance by Styles P.

The event is sponsored by Empire Cannabis Club, and Sei Less will provide Asian fusion cuisine. Tickets are currently on sale — $141.50 buys you a VIP pass and a goodie bag. 

• Address: Terminal 5 — 610 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019
• Time: Doors open at 9:00 pm, show starts at 10:30 pm
• Price: $101.27 – $165.93

The Grass Is Greener Gathering Presents The Roll Up

Photo by: Courtesy of The Grass is Greener

If the outer boroughs are more your speed, check out The Roll Up NYC at Amazura Concert Hall in Jamaica, Queens, featuring The Lox: Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P (a busy man that night). 

The event, hosted by The Natures, Euro V, and Jonathan Torres, will feature more than a dozen acts and a wide range of vendors — it’s a great opportunity to network with cannabis influencers and others in the industry. VIP tickets include a t-shirt and goodie bag, plus line-hopping privileges.

• Address: Amazura Concert Hall — 91-12 144th Pl, Jamaica, Queens 11435
• Time: April 19, 2:00 pm – 12:00 am
• Price: $60 – $100

Pirates Vs. Aliens 420 Blastoff

In Bushwick, Brooklyn, DJs start spinning house, tech house, and techno bass house at the Pirates vs Aliens 420 Blast Off. Billing itself as “an amazing event where disco space pirates dance their pants off to defend the planet against groovy aliens,” the Blast Off is the place to be if you like to get stoned and dance.

Besides DJs, there will be circus performers, skaters and skateboarders, body painters, and go-go dancers. This immersive, interactive event invites you to participate: wear your most outrageous outfit for the costume contest and a chance to win a prize. Tickets are selling out fast. 

• Address: 110 Studios — 110 Troutman Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206
• Time: April 20, 4:20 pm – 4:20 am
• Price: $23.17

NYC Cannabis Parade (post-4/20)

Photo by: Courtesy of NYC Cannabis Parade

The New York City Cannabis Parade and Rally began In 1973 when the Yippies held a “Smoke-In” in Washington Square Park. It became one of the best-known cannabis legalization events in the world. The Parade isn’t until May 4, but if you’re celebrating on 4/20, join the parade and rally to honor the New Yorkers who fought tirelessly for their rights and yours to partake legally.

Participants assemble at 11:00 am on the East side of Broadway between 32^nd and 33^rd Streets. Speakers present as the parade contingent gathers, and then everybody marches to Union Square Park together. Afterward, there will be a street fair, rally, and a countdown to 4:20.

• Address: Union Square Park — New York, NY 10003
• Time: May 4, Parade — 11:00 am – 1:00 pm | Rally/Street Fair — 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm | After-party — 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm 
• Price: Free

420 Tips from an NYC local

Wherever you are in the city and whatever you’re doing, there will be lots of people around you. If you plan to start celebrating on Friday, be aware that other people are just trying to go to work and live their lives, and don’t block the sidewalks for a sesh.

“The best thing about 4/20 in New York is that you can smoke weed anywhere, even right in front of the police,” said Tess Hall Rodriguez, a native New Yorker and longtime cannabis enthusiast. “But truly, the best thing to do would be to park yourself on a bench and people-watch for hours. That’s what I do.” Try a sativa-dominant strain early in the day; the classic NYC Diesel is always reliable. If this is your first 4/20 in NYC, stay aware of your surroundings, and don’t get too high too fast. 

Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

There are bodegas on practically every corner, so snacks and water are always nearby. Bathrooms can be more challenging to find; making a small purchase at a coffee or fast-food chain usually provides the fastest, most accessible access if you’re out and about and need to go. 

You can get anywhere on the subway, which you can ride by tapping your debit card on the screen on the turnstile. Plan your route beforehand and know how to get back to your home base. Should the cannabis get the best of you, New Yorkers tend to be a helpful bunch. As long as you’re not blocking their path or holding them up too long, they’re generally happy to give you directions.

Article written by Stacy Pershall | Featured image by Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

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