The Annual Four-Twenty Gathering - 20th April 2023

[Lemming]

Thursday 20th April 2023 is Four-Twenty Day!
So the place to be is in 420 Café at 4.20pm

Here we go again then - the traditional 4/20 thread. As usual, there's already a perfectly good thread here 420/23 but tradition must be upheld.

Another tradition is that I copy and paste the next part of this post from the previous year and then add a bit to the end.

Why 4-20?

The origins of 4-20 are the stuff of legends and discussed elsewhere on this forum.
Suffice to say it's a time, 4:20, as in twenty past four, now firmly associated with marijuana, especially in America.
In American shorthand, the 20th of April (20/04/23 in Europe) is 04/20/23, so it's 4-20 Day!

(Wikipedia: 420, 4:20 or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) refers to consumption of cannabis and, by extension, a way to identify oneself with cannabis subculture.
The notable day is April 20.)

History of the 4-20 Gathering

2005
Soon after the ACD sprouted a forum in March 2005, Old Hippie Dave posted details of meets he'd arranged around 20th April 2005.
It seems that he and others on the Channels forum had been celebrating 420 day in Amsterdam for a few years.
After the event he posted this: Old Hippie Dave's video of 4/20 2005.

2006
In 2006 AzLaker helped to organise a band of ACDers to join the Channelites in de Kuil coffeeshop (420 cafe) on 20 April 2006.
The following day Old Hippie Dave held a "Vapo Party" in Amnesia.
Reports: Old Hippie Dave's video, OHD live report part 1 and part 2, Lafe live, Lemming, AzLaker part 1, part 2 and part 3, Zunkii, Bluelaru, BlueBerry.

2007
2007 was a big gathering with several forums represented. There's loads of pics in circulation of some of those epic sessions.
Travelogues: Lemming part 1, part 2, part 3, Twitch part 1, part 2, cattales1960, Mazdog, back2thedam (Haarlem crawl), Islandgurl part 1, part 2.

2008
Planning for the 2008 gathering was, at least as far as this forum was concerned, interrupted by it being off-air for months.
Fortunately Channels was still there and, especially, VDF stepped in and kept everyone in touch.
Travelogues: Lemming, Twitch, Bhang Buddie, SilentlyScreaming.

2009
By far our biggest gathering yet. We pretty much took over the 420 coffeeshop for half an hour or so.
Live reports were posted in Travelogues by AzLaker, Cattales1960, Couch, Fishinbob, Hestia, Lemming, WolfDangler and Worsall.
Followed by reports from Boner, Chilly1952, Couch, FenixNYC, Gapie, Hestia’s epic account days 1-8, days 9 & 10, day 11, day 12, day 13, day 14 (20th April) and day 15, Kermit, Lampshade, Lemming, LiquidSwords, PirateRaff, SoulRider and Twichaldinho.

2010
Some Icelandic volcano with an utterly unpronounceable name blew up and grounded all air traffic in Europe just before 4-20.
Nevertheless, a hard core of ACD members hit town in style.

Some members from the USA arrived just before the volcano went off and some determined people from the UK managed to get there by road, rail and ferry.
They were joined by Amsterdam resident members and, between them, they even managed to bring about the first ever ACD competition for best coffeeshop.

All of the members of the forum chose a shortlist of coffeeshops for our intrepid reporters to check out and give a rating to.
All of those members who made it then toured the shops and chose a winner.
We named our accolade the "Hestia" (well, if the American academy of movies can call theirs "Oscar" then why not?).
You can read all about it in the accounts below but I can tell you that Green Place won.

Travelogues: Hestia 420 Trip Hestia, Combined, 420 Trip Hestia First Installment, 420 Trip Hestia 2nd Installment, 420 Trip Hestia 3rd Installment and 420 Trip Hestia; Islandgurl 4/20 Begins... the Eruption.; Gapie Live in NES 420; Valo Day 1 - Monday 19th April 2010 and Day 2 - Tuesday 20th April 2010; Angry Pirate Obscurerd by clouds, a latecomers tale...; Treetop Treetop's 420 boat infested trip so far...; Lem's 4-20 Verdict; Cisco Ciscos Volcano Vacation; Ed the Head Ed the Head's 2010 Hajj.

2011
Of banners and boats, cups and cakes. Volcanoes went off all over Amsterdam but, fortunately, not in Iceland.
The Cup went to Basjoe and a good time was had by all. See these accounts:

08-420 08-420s 420 in Amsterdam; Arsonist What? You left BEFORE 420?!; AzLaker Finally......a trip report; Camman Nine days of smoke . . .
Chillers2 chillers 2's LATE 420 trip...; Cisco Cisco's S Sour Dude !!?! 420 Report; Colina ACD 420 boat trip 2011; FlyByNite And so the adventure begins.; Ftcarer 18-22/4/11
Gapie live @ nes at 18 april 2011; Hestia Hestia; Hulldj Where did the last 12 weeks go?? my 420 trip; Kermit Froggie style; Lafe Quick 420 report; Lemming 4-20 Lem Live; Lemming Lemming's 4-20 Recollections and Pictures; MK101 My 420; Philly-Rich Philly's 420 recap.; Rasa Rasa's "Burning Down the Dam!"; Steven 420 here I come....; Stuart1976 18th -21st april..; Trad Trad's April Visit; Uncle Ron The Annual 4-20 Gathering - 20th April 2011.

2012
A few travelogues from 2012

Lemming 4-20 Gathering 2012 in pictures and 4-20 2012 LIVE!
FlyByNite Amsterdam Adventure 2012 Trip Report
Smirks Passengers on flight 420 to Amsterdam, proceed to gate G13

2013

Lemming: "Pics 17th April", "Pics 18th April", "Pics 19th April", "Pics 20th April", "Pics 21st April", "Pics 22nd April", "4-20 Live!", "4-20 Menus"
Treetop: "4/20 2013 Treetop style"
Willjay: "willjay & Robyn's 420 adventure"
Ftcarer: "ft & Wifeys 420"
Jimi62471: "My trip was awesome!!!"
Stuart1976: "2013..420"
Nimrod: "Live report buried within a long thread"
Jwall162: "My return to the 'Dam 19th-28th April. 2013"
Bigguy: "Lost not the first"
Hasj: "204"

2014

Lemming: "Lemming's Traditional Pictorial Travelogue of 4-20 2014" and "420 Live"
Banshee Beat: "Banshee Beat trip report #2: 18/04 - 22/04"
FtCarer: "ft n 1st born's 420"
DRA: "Going For the Green in 2014: The Progress"
Jack Ganja: "What I Can Remember of April"

2015

Lemming: "ACD Four Twenty 2015"
Papi: "Papi's first 420 in Dam-ACD style, 17-22.04"
ftcarer: "Ft & 1st born's 2015 420"
fraidofspiders: "Fraidofspiders - first trip to Amsterdam"
madmaxxx: "420 haarlem/dam and the ACD crawls"
Occasional Bowl: "420 2015 Live"
Smirks: "Passengers on flight 420 to Amsterdam, proceed to gate G" (link to correct page)
bleak: "bleak's stoner photos thread" (video)

2016

Lemming: ACD Four Twenty 2016
Choppermike: Day Trip 420
Drugsbunny: My little trippy wippy
AndieFRANKBarlow: A bit late but.... 4.20.2016
DeLekkersteNUGS16: De Leukste Nug's 4/20 Week Live Report - The Life & Times of an Amsterdammer
Ftcarer: ft's 422 daytrip or "dad I need help i've lost my fucking passport"
OneHighMofo: Episode 4/20 - The Crispy Menace
The Pot Doctor: TPD's first travel report.... 420
Macky: Live 420 ,so it begins
Papi: Roll on 420 live report

2017

Our biggest Gathering for many years and our biggest boat trip ever.

Macky and all of us: Time to go live for 420
Lemming: ACD's 4/20 Gathering 2017
OneHighMofo: Episode VIII - more 420 madness
CopenhagenCouple: Mokum, magic, madness – CC does 420
DeLekkersteNUGS16: Nug's Live & Local: 4/20 The Gathering vol. 2, 2017 ("Roll on 420")
LLMReb: LLMReb's XI Trip - April 2017 King's Day (now w/ photos!) and Bat Cave

2018

More fantastic weather and a great crop of travelogues:

CopenhagenCouple and all of us: ACD 420 2018 Live Thread
Lemming: ACD's 4/20 Gathering 2018
Kenshiro: Kenshiro-san's 420 Sho dan (deleted?)
Kermit: 420 Respect Tour 2018
OneHighMofo: Episode XV - 420 mayhem volume III
CopenhagenCouple: CC’s 420 2018 – in varying degrees of accuracy and detail
Pierre von Mondragon: Life Report-420 week special
Madmaxxx: Madmaxxx 420 2018
RoMoney: My ACD 420 Induction
Macky: My420highlights
Devore: Out of my mind @ 420
ed the head: 420 Musings: Why we have 5 fingers - Lami
Smirks: Passengers on flight 420 to Amsterdam, proceed to gate G13

2019

Incredible weather again over an amazing week. Strangely not so many travelogues. Maybe nobody can remember anything! Here's what we got:

Macky and all of us: Live 420 2019
Lemming: ACD's 4/20 Gathering 2019
Hestia: What a Trip !!! 420
Cool_Chillum: First Amsterdam adventures

2020

Plague stops play. We were building up to a good one. Then, just like the Icelandic Volcano in 2010, everything stopped. The best we could manage was this Zoom meeting.

2021

Scuppered by the Lurgy again! Another Zoom call.

2022

Finally we got back! Some of the best travelogues ever posted were written about this:

AzLaker: Day 1-3 of 420/2022, Day 4
CopenhagenCouple: Mr. CC's solo 420 2022
ed the head: 2022 Hajj to Mijn Mekka - Week of 420
Gapie and everyone: 420 Live! 2022
Ghost: Ghost + Buddy 420 2022 Day 1 added pics, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5
Lemming: ACD Forum's 4/20 Gathering 2022

2023

We'll be there. Will you?
If so, please reply to this topic and post your dates here.

On the subject of history, there's also this list of 420 Veterans. It would be great to add more names to that - so come and join us!

See you there!

[Lemming]

__________________________

People
__________________________

Members who've said they will be around during 4-20 week so far (in alphabetical order):

Bedge "18th -25th April" posted: 28th Dec 2022

Gapie " etc." posted: 2nd Nov 2022

Ghost + Mike + ? "16th to 21st April" posted: 5th Jan 2023

Igraine Sunday 16th to Saturday 22nd

Lemming Sunday 16th to Saturday 22nd

Matty223 "April 17-25" posted: 9th Dec 2022

Trad + friend "18th-22nd/2023" posted: 28th Aug 2022

Worsall "18th - 22nd April" posted: 4th Dec 2022


Everyone welcome. Please post here if you'd like to join us.

__________________________

Events proposed so far
__________________________

*All events and times provisional and subject to stoners in Amsterdam.
Time is, after all, an illusion - it's always 4:20 really!
________________________________________

Sunday 16th April 2023

22:00 (10pm) First night sesh somewhere, proposed by Lemming
________________________________________

Tuesday 18th April 2023

08:00 (8am) 1e Hulp proposed by Trad
_______________________________________

Thursday 20th April 2023

15:00 (3pm) 420 Cafe for 4.20, proposed by Tradition
________________________________________

+ sometime

Boat trip of some kind, proposed by Ghost
some tnts these days, proposed by Gapie

+ throughout

Ghost Hunt, proposed by Ghost
________________________________________
(the links on proposer's names lead to the event announcements and details)

[Lemming]

It feels a bit weird posting 420 plans without including links to Who's in Town. I did consider putting them in anyway as a memorial to FBN but I assume nobody will be updating it so it will remain forever showing 5 names and one t'n't. It looks like we're going to have to rely on the lists in this thread alone.

Talking of remembering FBN, how does everyone feel about holding a smoke up for him somewhere sometime? I think a favourite of his was Birdy in Haarlem but open to all suggestions.

A few more thoughts for discussion:

I agree with Ghost that it would be good to hire an entire boat rather than taking a public sailing this year, if possible. Much depends on numbers but at least we have a bit longer to organise this year. Maybe we can assemble a list of options and then decide a bit nearer the time when we know how many people we're expecting.

I will, of course, be contacting Ballonnetje to see whether they'd like to host us again.

I'd quite like to at least take a quick look at some of the places that have changed hands in the past few years such as Plug XXX, Plug West, Green Place 2, Greenhouse Effect 2, Easy Times 2, Terps Army 2, Balboa Family and any others I've forgotten.

An out of town daytrip is always fun. Maybe to somewhere none of us have visited before or a favourite place we'd like to return to. Cities we've visited before include Alkmaar, Amersfoort, Breda, Delft, Groningen, Haarlem, The Hague, Leeuwarden, Leiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zandvoort.

How about another ride on the free ferries? We can go from Centraal station to NDSM, with a potential stop at Funny People, then across to Pontsteiger for Baba.

Any thoughts on any of the above or other suggestions?

[Ghost]

@Lemming great to see this years 420 thread up and running will we be getting the 420 countdown clock a little nearer the time always adds a little extra excitement for me personally as the time gets closer.

I like the idea of remembering FBN with a smoke up during the week at one of his favourite shops and Birdy's is a good choice, I like the shop myself personally and don't mind heading there for a blaze up in FBN name and there is also the option of visiting another shop while down there, if everyone else fancies it.

I have had a quick scout on the private hire boats and there are a few out there to choose from. This one didn't seem to bad www.boaty.nl and they seem to have a few choices on boat size, number of people and if you sail it yourselves or have a skipper. Not sure on the smoking situ but would guess if we sailing it it shouldn't matter as long as we don't burn it down will add a few more sites to check out also.

Would be great if Ballonnetje give us that super hospitality again that was a fantastic day all round but that was the topping on the cake that day my fingers are crossed on that and I also had a couple of Ballonnetje bags made up on their own for that occasion

Expect Mike and myself will be up for having a mini crawl around the shops you have mentioned and we are also thinking of getting out of town somewhere - yet undecided but I personally like the idea of Rotterdam but again am happy to go to most places as long as there is 1 really good coffeeshop

The free ferries we are also up for, the area especially where the Botel is docked was having a vast amount of work and the area was being upgraded when I last stayed there but that was a very long long time ago, a visit to Funny People would be good and a visit to Baba would also be a good shout

What about sorting out a proper meal as a group at a location that does all types of food that suits all stomachs for one night during the week maybe 420 evening We have enough time to source a suitable establishment for all if we get on it now. Any thoughts 420 Crew

We have a nice group in town already looks like 10 on the list so far, so a nice ACD Crew building up there for a good week in town again

[Tokeing tom]

My good friend Mr G and myself will be in town for a quick visit 19th to 21st looking forward to meeting and having a nice smoke with you guys

[Lemming]

My good friend Mr G and myself will be in town for a quick visit 19th to 21st looking forward to meeting and having a nice smoke with you guys

Excellent! Look forward to meeting you. I'll update the list soon.

[Papi]

You're reaaaaaaaaaaaallly tempting me.

[Lemming]

You're reaaaaaaaaaaaallly tempting me.

That's the idea! Do it. It'd be good to see you. It's been a while.

[Lemming]

__________________________

People
__________________________

Members who've said they will be around during 4-20 week so far (in alphabetical order):

Bedge "18th -25th April" posted: 28th Dec 2022
Gapie " etc." posted: 2nd Nov 2022
Ghost + Mike + ? "16th to 21st April" posted: 5th Jan 2023
Igraine Sunday 16th to Saturday 22nd
Lemming Sunday 16th to Saturday 22nd
Matty223 "April 17-25" posted: 9th Dec 2022
Tokeing tom + Mr G "19th to 21st" posted: 17th Jan 2023
Trad + friend "18th-22nd/2023" posted: 28th Aug 2022
Worsall "18th - 22nd April" posted: 4th Dec 2022

Everyone welcome. Please post here if you'd like to join us.
__________________________

Events proposed so far
__________________________

Sunday 16th April 2023

22:00 (10pm) First night sesh somewhere, proposed by Lemming
________________________________________

Tuesday 18th April 2023

08:00 (8am) 1e Hulp proposed by Trad
_______________________________________

Thursday 20th April 2023

15:00 (3pm) 420 Cafe for 4.20, proposed by Tradition
________________________________________

+ sometime

Boat trip of some kind, proposed by Ghost
Group munchies session, proposed by Ghost
some tnts these days, proposed by Gapie

+ throughout

Ghost Hunt, proposed by Ghost
________________________________________
(the links on proposer's names lead to the event announcements and details)

[Ghost]

My good friend Mr G and myself will be in town for a quick visit 19th to 21st looking forward to meeting and having a nice smoke with you guys

That's great news , looking forward to meeting you and Mr G for a good blaze up and a couple dabs maybe

You're reaaaaaaaaaaaallly tempting me.

hopefully we will see your name added to the list of who's in town buddy be good to have you on board

[Tokeing tom]

Thanks Lemming ang Ghost we are looking forward to meeting you folks too
It would be good to learn how to dab properly from someone who has experience ive" dabbled with it before" but to no great success always felt the we had the temperature all wrong and we're burning not melting the goods ,either that or it's just my lungs are fucked ,Mr G is up for the cup also but like me a dabbing novice ...it would be great ifwe will pick up something to dab and you show us how ...but is the rig and torch available

[Ghost]

Thanks Lemming ang Ghost we are looking forward to meeting you folks too
It would be good to learn how to dab properly from someone who has experience ive" dabbled with it before" but to no great success always felt the we had the temperature all wrong and we're burning not melting the goods ,either that or it's just my lungs are fucked ,Mr G is up for the cup also but like me a dabbing novice ...it would be great ifwe will pick up something to dab and you show us how ...but is the rig and torch available

I will not be bringing any of my glass over to use this time but will have my electronic dab machine with me which is an excellent dab device and you are more than welcome to dab from it when we are around a table having a toke up , it also means that I do not need to have a blow torch when in town which just makes things a lot easier and a little better on my pocket One of the locals who come to the T 'n' T may bring a rig and torch out with them but obviously can't say for sure, either way you can dab of my machine Some Coffeeshops now sell forms of extracts for .5 or G pots I had a pot when I was last in town in November and it was reasonable, maybe slightly overpriced but was still OK.

[Tokeing tom]

That sounds good man we will pick up something from Family First or Greenplace and hopefully have a little dab session with ya ...looking forward to it

[Trad]

I'm in for the honoring of FBN, Birdys is a good CS.
Would any want to travel a little further out of town to Arnhem? Load of new CSs?

[Lemming]

will we be getting the 420 countdown clock a little nearer the time always adds a little extra excitement for me personally as the time gets closer.

Got nine signed-up members on the list, plus friends. Maybe tenth member committing could be the trigger for starting the countdown. It is still January after all!

I have had a quick scout on the private hire boats and there are a few out there to choose from. This one didn't seem to bad www.boaty.nl and they seem to have a few choices on boat size, number of people and if you sail it yourselves or have a skipper. Not sure on the smoking situ but would guess if we sailing it it shouldn't matter as long as we don't burn it down will add a few more sites to check out also.

We've never done a self-drive boat before. That would be an adventure!
We have been on open boats a few times. One time it was a bit chilly but mostly been fine. Might not be much fun if we were unlucky enough to get rained on.
Maybe I'll repost and update the boat history soon.
I don't know if Captain James, formerly Ganja Cruises and latterly part of Pure Boats, is still around but his boat is very nice if we can fill it. Gapie mentioned Canna Cruise, which sounds good. I also noticed that Bulldog have a very smart boat but again, might need a lot of people to fill it.

and we are also thinking of getting out of town somewhere - yet undecided but I personally like the idea of Rotterdam but again am happy to go to most places as long as there is 1 really good coffeeshop

Would any want to travel a little further out of town to Arnhem? Load of new CSs?

A couple of good suggestions for daytrips.
Up for either of those or anywhere else. Only thing I would suggest is that we reserve 19th, 20th and 21st for activities that everyone wants to join and schedule things like longer daytrips for days before or after.