DENVER — In 2017, Denver city leaders slammed rally organizers in the days after 4/20 because of the mess left behind in Civic Center Park.
In 2018, city leaders say Colorado’s biggest public celebration of marijuana went pretty well.
Cyndi Karvaski with Denver Parks and Recreation says everything ran smoothly on Friday. Euflora, the company running the event, also had the park cleaned up by 8 a.m. Saturday, Karvaski said. They had until midnight that night to do so.
Karvaski says Euflora met the permit regulations, as far as she knows, but individual departments will be compiling their own reports.
This is the first year Euflora hosted the 4/20 rally. Last year’s organizers were banned for three years because of security concerns and trash left behind in the park.
After a race to the finish, Euflora ended up second in line at city hall for this year’s 4/20 permit. The city ended up accepting Euflora’s application once officials decided the first applicants obtained the permit “by deceit.”
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There were a total of 73 citations/arrests at the rally:
- 64 Consumption of Marijuana
- 2 Marijuana Distribution (Misdemeanor)
- 3 Driving Under Restraint/Driving Under Suspension/Careless
- 1 Traffic Citation
- 1 Misdemeanor Theft
- 1 Urinating in Public
- 1 Felony Menacing
This was the breakdown in 2017:
- 32 Consumption of Marijuana
- 2 Marijuana Distribution (Misdemeanor)
- 1 Procession of a Controlled Substance
- 1 Warrant
- 1 DUS
- 1 Alcohol
- 1 Licensing
- 1 Drug Paraphernalia
- 8 Guard License Violations
Denver Police say they don't have a specific reason for more citations this year. They say officers can decide to cite someone as necessary, at their own discretion.
