If you were gearing up for a hazy afternoon on Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park for 4/20, the city’s recreation department wants you to reset expectations. The usual cannabis celebration is off this year, and instead, a sports-focused Peace, Love and Volo Field Day is slated to take over much of Hippie Hill and Robin Williams Meadow. That translates to tournament play, extra porta-potties and park-run safety operations as the official presence on the hill.
Rec & Park Says No Official 4/20 at Hippie Hill
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department posted on Facebook that the Hippie Hill 4/20 celebration will not take place this year and thanked people for doing their part to care for the park, according to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. The post explains that Volo Field Day will occupy most of the space at Hippie Hill, with volleyball and soccer set up throughout the area.
Volo Field Day Takes Over the Meadow and the Hill
The department partnered with Volo Sports to host the Peace, Love and Volo Field Day in Robin Williams Meadow and Hippie Hill, according to a Rec & Park press release. Rec & Park said the day will include volleyball, kickball, and spikeball, plus food trucks and giveaways, and that extra porta-potties and Park Rangers will be on hand to help keep things moving, per the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. Players can register through Volo’s event page on Volo Sports.
Why This Is Not New: Canceled Festivals and Big Turnouts
City officials have canceled sanctioned 4/20 festivals in recent years because of sponsorship shortfalls and budget cuts, and Rec & Park has framed the field day as a different, sports-focused approach to April 20, as reported by the SF Chronicle. Media coverage shows that many people still turn up to Hippie Hill even without an official event, and SFGATE reported large crowds in 2024 despite the city’s change in plans.
What to Expect If You Go
If you head to the park, expect the meadow and portions of the hill to be used for organized play and restroom access. Park Rangers will coordinate with public-safety partners to manage the park and keep things moving, according to the department’s announcement. The department is asking people to take care of the park and each other while staff and partners handle sanitation and crowd flow. For those seeking cannabis-related programming, Rec & Park also points to citywide alternatives such as SF Space Walk in its release.
Bottom line: Hippie Hill will not host an official, city-sanctioned 4/20 this year, but the hill will still be busy, mostly with sports, and large crowds may gather regardless. Plan your transit accordingly and expect Park Rangers and extra facilities in the area.
