San Francisco Travel Announces Citywide Multi-Day Celebration of Cannabis Innovation and Culture

The newest festival to join San Francisco's impressive roster of 2022 events is Evergreen San Francisco, a citywide multi-day celebration tied to 420, the global holiday for cannabis culture that was born in the Bay Area in the 1970s.

From April 16 to 24, the 49-square-mile sensory playground that is San Francisco will be abuzz with cannabis-themed activities and complementary experiences. Evergreen San Francisco will celebrate the city's diverse cannabis lounges and dispensaries and showcase iconic attractions, foodie spots, nature hikes, immersive art, and experiences throughout the city.

Catering to the canna-curious as well as the canna-enthusiast, Evergreen San Francisco invites visitors to explore the exciting new frontier of California cannabis. The nine-day celebration was created in partnership between San Francisco Travel Association, San Francisco Cannabis Retailers Alliance, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District, and San Francisco Cannabis Equity Group to share San Francisco's rich cannabis history.

"San Francisco was at the forefront of legalizing and socializing cannabis. As the city emerges from the pandemic, it seems only fitting that we celebrate that which makes San Francisco unique and diverse," said Joe D'Alessandro, president and CEO of San Francisco Travel. "Cannabis tourism has the potential to grow exponentially. With the launch of Evergreen San Francisco, the city continues to be a trendsetter in the industry."

In 1996, California became the first state to allow medicinal cannabis consumption under the Compassionate Use Act. The state legalized recreational cannabis use in 2016.

"Evergreen San Francisco invites you to explore the city, our many cannabis lounges and dispensaries, as well as to learn about cannabis's rich history here," said Ben Bleiman of the Cannabis Retailers Alliance. "Each of our retailers is located in a vibrant corridor which is deeply woven into the fabric that is San Francisco."

More than 25 of the city's cannabis lounges and dispensaries are participating in Evergreen San Francisco and will offer promotions and various curated experiences. Other activities range from Collective High's "High, San Francisco!", an interactive cannabis scavenger hunt, to the Green Dream Cannabis Tour, to a 420 history workshop at the San Francisco Public Library highlighting the city's marijuana culture and history of activism.

Fisherman's Wharf invites visitors to explore the history of cannabis from the perspective of renowned writer Alia Volz's Home Baked: My Mom, Marijuana and the Stoning of San Francisco. The author will be hosting a special book signing event on April 23 at Fisherman's Wharf Plaza.

"This heartfelt memoir is about an underground bakery called Sticky Fingers Brownies that helped provide pot brownies in an epidemic, in this case, the AIDS crisis in San Francisco. Sticky Fingers Brownies started right here in Fisherman's Wharf, alongside the buskers and fishing industry," said Randall Scott, executive director of Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District.

On April 20, the legendary annual 420 gathering in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park at "Hippie Hill" will take place. Since the Summer of Love in 1967, Hippie Hill near Haight Street has been a counterculture gathering spot. The free event brings thousands of people together in the park's Robin Williams Meadow to celebrate the right to use cannabis. Music and event programming will run from 10 am to 5 pm.  

"The cannabis industry is as iconic to San Francisco as the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and Fisherman's Wharf," said Rodney Fong, executive director of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. "Evergreen San Francisco speaks to cannabis's place in our economy and history." 

"In light of the post-pandemic economic recovery, it's exciting to see community stakeholders come together to launch a robust cannabis experience," said Nikesh Patel, director of the San Francisco Office of Cannabis. "This is a great opportunity to highlight ​the strength of San Francisco's regulated cannabis economy, including social equity businesses. If you ​plan on enjoying this year's events, ​be mindful of your neighbors and consume safely by purchasing lab-tested products from a permitted operator." 

For information on Evergreen San Francisco activities, offers, and events, visit the official website at www.evergreensanfrancisco.com. The site will continue to be updated with new information for visitors. 

About Evergreen San Francisco

Evergreen San Francisco is an initiative to elevate and highlight the history, equity, and value of the cannabis industry and cannabis tourism in San Francisco. Cultivated by a desire to share San Francisco’s rich history with the world at large, Evergreen San Francisco is a partnership with the San Francisco Cannabis Retailers Alliance, San Francisco Cannabis Equity Group, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District, San Francisco Travel, Cultivar Brands, San Francisco Public Library, Hotel Council of San Francisco, Another Planet Entertainment, California Music and Culture Association, and the Golden Gate Restaurant Association.

About San Francisco Travel

The San Francisco Travel Association is the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of San Francisco. Tourism is San Francisco's largest industry. More than 25.8 million people visited the destination in 2019, spending in excess of $10 billion. More than 86,000 jobs are supported by tourism in San Francisco. 

San Francisco is one of the metropolitan areas in the U.S. that has consistently kept Covid-19 largely under control. The  COVID-19 Prevention & Enhanced Cleaning Guidelines put forth by the Hotel Council of San Francisco ensure that the city's hospitality businesses are adhering to the most elaborate cleaning and safety protocols. San Francisco Travel invites all visitors who are planning to come in 2022 to contribute their part to a safe and enjoyable experience by taking its Safe Travel Pledge.

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