Every year on April 20th, the air gets a little skunky, the community comes together, and the world pauses to celebrate cannabis. But before you come join us at the Elevated Roots 4/20 Fair, have you ever wondered how a simple three-digit number became the universal “bat-signal” for cannabis culture?
There are plenty of urban legends about the origins of 420. Some claim it was a police code for “marijuana smoking in progress” (it wasn’t). Others say it’s the number of chemical compounds in the plant (it’s actually over 500!). The truth is much more human. It’s a story about friendship, a hidden map, and a quest for green.
The Legend of the Waldos 
The year was 1971 in San Rafael, California. A group of five high school friends, nicknamed “The Waldos” because they liked to hang out by a specific wall, heard a rumor that an abandoned plot of cannabis was growing somewhere near the Point Reyes Coast Guard Station.
Armed with a hand-drawn treasure map and a healthy dose of teenage optimism, they agreed to meet at a statue of Louis Pasteur at 4:20 PM to start their search.
They’d pass each other in the hallways between classes and whisper, “420-Louis,” a secret code that meant, “See you at the statue.” They never actually found that hidden forest of cannabis, but they found something better: a phrase that allowed them to talk about their passion right under the noses of teachers and parents without anyone being the wiser.
How it Went Viral
The Waldos weren’t just random kids; they had connections. One of their brothers was a roadie for Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead. The term “420” leaked into the Deadhead community, traveling from show to show, city to city, and state to state.
By the time High Times magazine got hold of it in the early 90s, 420 had transformed from a high school inside joke into a global counterculture holiday. It became a way for people who had been pushed to the fringes of society to find one another. If you knew what 420 meant, you were part of the family.
Early 1970’s U.S. Postmarked letter. Waldo Dave wrote to Steve using ‘420’ in cannabis context. Furthermore, Waldo Dave refers to his/Waldos’ association with the Grateful Dead.
More Than Just a Number
Today, 420 has evolved far beyond a secret meeting time. It’s a day of advocacy, progress, and community. It’s a moment to look back at how far we’ve come: from the secret whispers in a 1971 high school hallway to the vibrant, legal, and safe community we’ve built here at Elevated Roots.
Join the Movement: The First Elevated Roots 4/20 Fair
We believe the best way to honor the history of 420 is to celebrate the people who make this community great. This year, we aren’t just offering “deals,” we’re throwing a three-store festival across the South Shore.
We’ve designed the 420 fair to be an interactive experience. We want you to shop, play, eat, and stay a while.
The Festival Rundown
- The Games: We’re bringing the energy of a summer boardwalk to the dispensary. Head outside to play carnival classics like Skee Ball and Shot Clock Basketball.
- Stackable Savings: This is the big one. We’re partnering with your favorite cannabis brands to host our game sections so that you’ll be playing for special savings and exclusive swag bags provided directly by the brands you love. These aren’t just “participation trophies,” you can bring them straight to a budtender to layer your savings on top of your purchase that same day.
- The Food Trucks: You bring the appetite; we’ve got the fuel. With every purchase, you’ll get a ticket for some munchies.
- The Rubin Brothers Live: We’re bringing in the incredible Rubin Brothers (as seen on American Idol!) to headline our festival. This isn’t your average acoustic set—expect a high-energy, vaudeville-inspired performance with upright bass, trumpet, and circus-style stunts.
- All-Day DJs: When the Rubin Brothers aren’t center stage, we’ve got live DJs at all three stores keeping the energy high and the music flowing from start to finish.
Full event details, schedule, and promotions to come soon. For now, you can RSVP early here: Eventbrite !
See you at the Fair!
