San Francisco's 4/20 Hippie Hill event at Golden Gate Park has been canceled, according to organizers.
According to a message on the event's official website, citywide budget cutbacks, the climate of the cannabis industry and the economy are reasons organizers are unable to secure enough financial backing for a safe, clean event.
"It was pretty difficult to find sponsorships this year, and for the rec and park department, the city's in a budget crunch, so we just couldn't supply the level of staffing and overtime needed for cleanup and security,” said Tamara Barak Aparton of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.
The event held on April 20, celebrating marijuana in all its forms, typically draws tens of thousands of people and vendors for the festival.
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At Purple Lotus, a dispensary in San Jose, business is strong. But they'll miss spreading the word on Hippie Hill.
"That's one of the biggest places to do it every year," said George Ricci of Purple Lotus.
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Where vendors, including boxer Mike Tyson, attracted thousands of customers to the industry.
"We'd have booths, we used to pay for airplanes to fly over with our logo, we did a lot of collaborations with companies, printed out T-shirts," said Ricci.
All involved say they hope to bring the big day back next year.
"It's something that people enjoy going to, and having the option for that is really beneficial for some,” said a San Francisco resident.
Organizers said the event would be back in 2025.
