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Here’s how to celebrate 4/20 while social distancing

Dolores Ochoa/Associated Press

It’s high time for virtual 4/20 celebrations. With stay-at-home orders and CDC guidelines advising against gatherings, many have turned to meeting up with friends online to smoke. Events celebrating the weed-centric holiday on April 20 have been moved online, with many directing proceeds to COVID-19 relief efforts. So whether you plan to FaceTime a few friends for a virtual smoke sesh or tune in to a larger online gathering, here are some safe ways to celebrate marijuana on Monday.

Before you join any online happening, remember that area dispensaries are still offering curbside pickup and delivery for medical marijuana patients. Reserve ahead with online ordering and check out holiday-related deals available this week at some locations. Shops across the state have taken precautions to slow the spread of the virus by implementing strict six-foot distancing protocols and requiring employees to wear masks and gloves.

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Once you’ve picked up some flower for celebrating, come together with other weed lovers online for a virtual smoke session. Start your holiday off bright and early by tuning into The Doobie Room’s Instagram Live wake and bake session at 11 a.m. Monday. For every person who participates, the Chicago-based cannabis company will donate $4.20 to COVID-19 relief efforts. Later in the day, cannabis industry mogul Tony Diepenbrock hopes to break a world record by getting 1,000 people to smoke on a Zoom video call together. Though free to join, Diepenbrock will collect donations for the Last Prisoners Project, an initiative to free of those incarcerated for nonviolent marijuana crimes.

Looking to enjoy some music while you chill out and enjoy the day? Adhere to social distancing orders and see some of your favorite artists perform from the comfort of your own home. Wiz Khalifa headlines the virtual Higher Together festival. Starting at 3 p.m. EST, Khalifa will spin a DJ set and host an online smoke session. Also on the docket is an acoustic performance by Billy Ray Cyrus and a donation drive to support Last Prisoners Project. Washington, D.C.’s National Cannabis Festival and California’s The Emerald Cup in-person celebrations have both been postponed, but the two will join forces to create a virtual festival — HighStream 420 Festival — going live at 4 p.m. Monday. Featuring the musical stylings of Melissa Etheridge, Disco Biscuits, and The Pharcyde to name a few, the festival also boasts virtual workshops and panels on marijuana history, policy, and cooking. Donations collected during the festival will go toward COVID-19 relief.

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If those educational panels are of interest to you, tune in to the Cannabis Holiday Forum on Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The panels will cover marijuana legalization, delve into issues of health, wellness, and sexuality, and showcase community advocacy organizations. For female-identifying consumers, the Womxn in Weed panel, based out of Canada, launches at 7 p.m. and will feature talks from women working in the cannabis industry. Ticket prices include access to the virtual panels and a joint-rolling workshop.

For a more laid-back way to spend the day, some marijuana-themed programming will hit social media and streaming services on Monday. Singer-songwriter Kelis hosts the new competition show “Cooked with Cannabis” where chefs whip up dishes using the plant and serve them to celebrity judges. The first season of the show hits Netflix on 4/20. Also coming to the web on the same day is ensemble comedy “4/20,” a movie that follows a dispensary owner’s antics on the holiday. The movie is available for pre-order now. Still craving comedy? Check out Dope Comedians, an Instagram Live podcast featuring comedians who use marijuana for their mental health. Hosted by Marcella Riley, Monday’s episode begins at 6 p.m. and lasts an hour.

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Whatever your plans are for the day, virtual events can provide community at a time when gathering for an in-person smoke session isn’t feasible. So celebrate responsibly and with any luck, these beloved celebrations will be back in time for 4/20 next year.


Grace Griffin can be reached at grace.griffin@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @GraceMGriffin.