The History of 4/20 and How to Celebrate in Highland Park, NJ

Long before there were licensed dispensaries across the states, before industry promotions and public festivals, there was a group of five teenagers meeting after school near a statue in California. The story behind 4/20 is more human than most people expect. 

And following that thread forward to today reveals a remarkable shift in how cannabis is understood, celebrated, and shared. If you’re planning to mark the holiday in Highland Park this year, here’s the full picture.

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Tracing the History of 420: The Waldos & the Meeting Time

It started in 1971 in San Rafael, California. A group of five high school students (Steve Capper, David Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich), who called themselves the “Waldos,” agreed to meet at 4:20 p.m. near the Louis Pasteur statue at their school. They had a hand-drawn map, a rumor about an abandoned cannabis crop somewhere near Point Reyes, and enough curiosity to go looking.

They never found the crop. But the phrase “420 Louis” stuck. Shortened to “420” over time, it became a private shorthand the group could use.

What none of them could have anticipated was what happened next. Through connections to the American rock band, the Grateful Dead, where shared rituals and informal slang traveled fast among fans known as Deadheads, “420” spread outward through concert circuits, college campuses, and activist networks. 

By 1990, a flyer at a Grateful Dead concert was inviting attendees to gather at 4:20 p.m. on April 20. When that flyer reached High Times magazine in the early 1990s, the number became a date, and the date became a holiday.

Today, 4/20 carries both celebration and advocacy. Annual gatherings in cities like Denver and San Fransico have drawn thousands. In states where recreational cannabis is now legal, the holiday increasingly includes organized festivals, licensed industry promotions, and conversations about social equity and policy reform. What started as five teenagers looking for an abandoned field has become one of the most recognized cultural dates on the calendar.

How to Celebrate 4/20 in Highland Park, NJ

In New Jersey, adults 21 and older can now legally purchase cannabis from licensed retailers. The act of buying from a dispensary like Main Street Dispensary that’s tested, labeled, and regulated is itself part of what 4/20 has grown into: a celebration that belongs to a legal, responsible, community-centered culture.

How to celebrate 4/20 in Highland Park starts at 311 Raritan Avenue. Main Street Dispensary sits in the downtown district, within walking distance of restaurants, parks, and the kind of unhurried neighborhood energy that makes a day worth spending well.

La Casita Restaurant serves tacos, mole poblano, and homemade tortillas. A few blocks away, Dish Cafe is a local favorite for brunch sandwiches and global lunch fare.

For time outdoors, Donaldson Park offers more than 80 acres of riverfront trails, picnic groves, a dog park, and open sports fields along the Raritan River. It’s three minutes from the dispensary by car and a pleasant walk when the weather holds. 

The Highland Park Native Plant Sanctuary is a quieter three-acre spot along the Raritan. Meadow paths, woodland habitats, and native plantings make for a genuinely grounding afternoon. Just across the river, Johnson Park in Piscataway spans 473 acres and includes East Jersey Old Town Village, a recreated 18th- and 19th-century settlement worth an hour of exploration.

If the day calls for staying in, an at-home celebration is equally meaningful. A 4/20 movie night with Half Baked, Pineapple Express, or a cannabis-focused documentary is a classic. 

A curated snack board featuring cheeses, fresh fruit, and savory bites, paired with edibles like candy, chocolates, drinks, and gummies, makes for a relaxed evening. Creative hobbies like painting, journaling, or gardening are a natural fit for a slower, more intentional kind of celebration.

Celebrating Responsibly: What New Jersey Law Requires

Public consumption is prohibited; cannabis should be enjoyed in private settings where it is legally permitted. Driving under the influence is illegal regardless of the substance. Plan transportation in advance, like a designated driver or a rideshare. Products should be stored securely, away from children and pets.

Main Street Dispensary operates as a state-licensed retailer, meaning every product on the menu has been tested for potency, contaminants, and labeling accuracy. That accountability is what separates a licensed dispensary from unregulated sources, and it matters more on a high-traffic holiday than on any other day of the year.

For additional guidance, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission provides consumer safety information and purchasing guidelines.

Shop at Main Street Dispensary for 4/20 Celebrations

Main Street Dispensary is located at 311 Raritan Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904.

The history of 420 is a story of community: people passing language between themselves across decades until it became something shared by millions. That same impulse is alive in Highland Park. Come celebrate it with people who care about doing it right.

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