Stoners celebrated the 4/20 holiday yesterday with smoke-outs all over the U.S. and Canada. But no event was bigger than Boulder's, which boasted a crowd of 10,000 at Colorado University.

Meanwhile, in Santa Cruz, thousands converged at the UC campus on Porter Meadow, defying university officials who had hoped to restirct access and reduce the crowd. "This is an event that's unsanctioned and unwelcomed by the university," says UCSC spokesperson Jim Burns. "It's based on an illegal activity that has become large in recent years. and we're attempting to send a signal that it's not welcome."

Just two years ago, in Boulder, police photographed people who attended the 4/20 event on Norlin Quad and attempted to get students to ID the revelers. Last year, the authorities backed off and 3,000 showed up. This year, on a Sunday with no classes to interfere with the mid-afternoon pow wow, students came in droves.

With frisbees supplied by Cheba Hut whizzing around like glow sticks, the crowd swelled as 4:20 approached. The cosmic nature of this stoner-invented holiday requires all participants to smoke pot at once on the same day and at the same time. Eventually, large plumes of smoke and whoops of joy filled the air. The mountain setting and 70-degree weather added to the blissful occasion.

By 5 pm, the crowd began filing out. No arrests had been made. 

"We just can’t do strong enforcement when we’re outnumbered 700 or 800 to one," CU police Cmdr. Brad Wiesley sighed. 

Proving the old adage about strength in numbers... 

Pic: Many clouds of smoke at Boulder's 4/20 celebration (by Brianna Fowler) 

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