The calling off of this year’s 4/20 was a 4/gone conclusion, but Mayor Breed and Rec and Parks announced today that Hippie Hill will be thoroughly fenced and rangers will be ready to bust any crashers.
Dude, abide by Tuesday’s announcement to not show up at Golden Gate Park’s Hippie Hill for the annual 4/20 celebration. A joint press conference with Mayor Breed, DPH director Dr. Colfax, and representatives of the SFPD, the SF Office of Cannabis, and the organizers of the 420 Hippie Hill today vowed that just like last year, Hippie Hill will be completely fenced off with rangers and police ready to bounce anyone who comes close to the area.
“Anyone traveling to Golden Gate Park or Hippie Hill looking for a party will be disappointed," Mayor Breed said Tuesday, in news that surely will be welcomed by those who live near the park, and anyone with an interest in eradicating the COVID-19 menace.
Let’s be blunt: While SF is now in the orange tier, large gatherings still aren’t safe or legal. Roger Williams Meadow/Hippie Hill will be closed on 4/20. You can still celebrate the virtual livestream event from the comfort of your own home here: https://t.co/vzhW2H00bf pic.twitter.com/m2tiofYyTG
— San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (@RecParkSF) April 13, 2021
“We are very concerned about the surges we are seeing in other parts of the country and in Europe that are being fueled by variants,” Dr. Colfax added. “We need to take the possibility of a fourth surge seriously and do everything we know works—masking, physical distancing, avoiding non-essential travel and limiting gatherings with people from outside your household—to stop the spread of COVID-19. We hope that all 420 enthusiasts will do the right thing and enjoy this day from home.”
San Francisco will presumably be in the ‘Yellow’ tier (fingers crossed) on Tuesday, April 20, but even that minimal restriction level only allows for 100 people at an outdoor gathering. The last “normal” 4/20 in 2019 drew an estimated 19,000 happy hippies.
Other stoner puns were rolled into the announcement, like Rec and Park manager Phil Ginsburg saying, “Law enforcement will be patrolling the area. It will be a serious buzzkill,” and a press release line saying ”Police officers and rangers will disperse any large gatherings and send budding entrepreneurs and other unpermitted vendors on their way.”
Here’s a first! Sprinklers going at full blast on Hippie Hill as 4:20 fast approaches #StayAtHome #420HippieHill pic.twitter.com/Z20LJNJV3f
— J😷e Kukura (@ExercisingDrunk) April 20, 2020
Last year’s preventative measures included the fencing all around the hill, a heavy presence of park rangers on ATVs who were more geared up than usual, and quite cleverly, sprinklers going in Hippie Hill.
As noted on the official 420 Hippie Hill website, there's a phat sack of celebrity livestreams including Berner’s Couch Locked 420 Comedy Special with Bob Saget and Paul Rodriguez ($25, though), Weedmaps 4/20 livestream with Snoop Dogg and A$AP Rocky, (Free), and the Great American Sesh-In with DJ Shortkut and Rob Garza (Free.)
So stay the heck home for 4/20, as you can just dial up one of the local cannabis delivery services who all know what time it is.
Image: Joe Kukura, SFist
