4/20 events around Fresno. Annual weed culture celebration is Black Friday of cannabis

If history holds, April 20 should be a stellar day at the Artist Tree.

“It outsells every day of the year,” says Lauren Fontein, co-founder of the cannabis dispensary that operates seven California locations, including one in north Fresno.

April 18 and 19 aren’t far behind.

“People are stocking up,” Fontein says.

That’s because April 20 serves as a kind of holiday for marijuana users, thanks to the numerical association of the date.

420 has been shorthand code for marijuana since the 1970s, infiltrating the pop culture lexicon thanks to a group of Marin County high school students, the Grateful Dead (and its devoted followers) and the seminal marijuana magazine High Times.

That’s according to the most credible story, at least.

Cannabis users have been celebrating on 4/20 for as along has Fontein has been in the business, even before medical dispensaries were a thing.

“That hasn’t changed,” she says.

What has changed is that retailers, promoters and marketers have taken note.

4/20 has become the Black Friday of cannabis, Fontein says, or maybe Christmas, with retailers offering door-buster deals and special discounts for the day.

The Artist Tree started gearing up Saturday with 420 Penny Gift Bundles that include premium items for one cent. There’s also a Buy One Get One 50% Off deal running through Wednesday.

A proper celebration happens on Thursday, with a parking-lot party that includes free food from restaurants in the Park Place Shopping Center, DJs from Teezzy Radio spinning music and multiple cannabis brands on site giving out free swag.

Fontein expects a big turnout for the event, given this is the first 4/20 in Fresno since the city legalized retail cannabis.

One should expect a long wait time to get in, but “it’s OK, because that’s kind of like the point of it,” she says.

“It’s all just a good vibe.”

Embarc Fresno’s 420 celebration

Fresno’s other dispensary, Embarc, will also be celebrating 4/20 at its location on Blackstone Avenue at Gettysburg.

It will offer door-buster giveaways to its first 420 customers and have Buy One Get One for a $1 and other deals running all day. Grill Masters BBQ will have free food for customers who spend $100 or more from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

There will be a DJ and two sets from comedian Chris Cruz (at 12:30 and 3:45 p.m.).

There will also be a consumption bus on sight for customers over 21 who spend more than $150.

The Fresno Smokeout

Of course, it’s not just cannabis dispensaries celebrating the day.

Promoter Brad Jaurique is hosting the so-called Fresno Smokeout Friday night at Chukchansi Park with rappers Tech N9ne, E-40, Baby Bash and Paul Wall.

While the event isn’t obviously on 4/20, its tie to the high holiday (pun intended) is right in the title and lineup. Baby Bash in particular has been a long-time advocate for the cannabis industry and has a song called “Marijuana Love,” if there is any doubt.

Used to be, booking acts that promoted cannabis use was a hard sell, Juarique says.

Juarique booked his first 4/20 concert at Woodward Park in 2014 with Bay Area rapper Berner and “it got a lot of negativity,” he says, including calls for the show to be canceled.

“It’s been tough until recently. Venues haven’t been interested.”

But since then, Berner has become a respected cannabis entrepreneur with his own branded product and a chain of retail dispensaries called Cookies. A Fresno location is currently in the works.

Marijuana in general has become a more accepted part of pop culture, Juarique says.

“It will continue to grow.”

He hopes to make the Fresno Smokeout an annual event that’s more than a concert, something similar to what’s being done with the Tequila Festival that’s happening May 20 at Chukchansi Park.

“That’s where we’re going.”