Vancouver is bracing for the impact of several unsanctioned 4/20 events across the city planned for Saturday, April 20.
The city says it is aware of events planned at Sunset Beach, Thorton Park, and Oppenheimer Park this year.
In April 2023, about 1,000 people gathered at Sunset Beach, and roughly 700 gathered at Thorton Park for similar 4/20 events.
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation told V.I.A. that it "respects the right to protest" but the events "are unpermitted" and "non-sanctioned."
Hundreds of people, including vendors, are expected to attend the event at Sunset Beach. The ocean-side event is traditionally the largest in the city and has in the past required weeks' worth of remediation following turf damage.
City to close aquatic centre, washrooms, and parking lots
The city and park board will work with the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to ensure public safety and plans to close the following areas to "mitigate impacts to the parks and community":
- the Vancouver Aquatic Centre
- the Sunset Beach washrooms
- the parking lots at Sunset Beach, English Bay and the Vancouver Aquatic Centre
- the Fencing of the majority of Thornton Park and certain areas of Sunset Beach to prevent ground and turf damage.
Park Rangers and City Protective Services will be present at each event to support public safety and enforce park by-laws.
Sgt. Steve Addison told V.I.A. that the VPD will "deploy additional officers in and around Sunset Beach on Saturday to ensure any gathering that takes place remains peaceful" and ensure protesters comply with the law, including the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.
The Park Board's crews, supported by City Sanitation, will collect garbage and debris at Sunset Beach Park and Thornton Park after the events.
Former Sunset Beach organizer not envolved in 2024 'protest'
Last year's Sunset Beach lead "protest" organizer, Robert Moore, told V.I.A. that his group would not be part of any events in the city parks on Saturday. Instead, his group will host a private party at Victoria Hall in East Vancouver.
In April 2023, multiple vendors claimed Moore scammed them at his Sunset Beach event, saying he sold space and that no one technically owns the rights to sell space and that wasn't made clear to them.
Despite Canada's legalization of cannabis in 2018, the city's 4/20 gatherings draw marijuana enthusiasts from across the Lower Mainland. Many of them say they are protesting Canada's current cannabis regime, which Moore believes suppresses minority users and has several restrictive guidelines.
Organizers for this year's 4/20 Sunset Beach event plan to host the event with vendors, workshops, two stages, DJs, speakers, and other live performances starting at 10 a.m. The group's website also offers a button to purchase tickets for the unpermitted event.
