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San Francisco, CA

“Unofficial” 4/20 celebration draws mellow crowd to Golden Gate Park

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“Unofficial” 4/20 celebration draws mellow crowd to Golden Gate Park


SAN FRANCISCO — Hippie Hill in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park was packed with people on Saturday but the crowd size was much smaller compared to previous years, estimated at around 1,000 who gathered on this 4/20 to enjoy marijuana, good vibes and beautiful spring weather.

 This year, organizers couldn’t raise enough money to hold an official celebration and so canceled the 4/20 event. Nonetheless, people showed up on Saturday afternoon.

“We like it organic,” said San Francisco resident Autumn Black.

Many people said they liked the non-structured event with no fencing, no gates and no large corporations.

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“I much prefer the organic feel than the commercialization that’s been on in the last few years,” said Debbie Harms.

Traveling all the way from Utah, Harms and her friend Shanna LeBlanc visit Hippie Hill on 4/20 every year. They’ve been making the trip for about 15 years.

“We stumbled upon it one year and we had so much fun and we said ‘Let’s do it every year,’” LeBlanc laughed.

They say not having an official event brought them back to how they used to celebrate cannabis in a more communal atmosphere.

“Everybody seems happy. The drum circle is going. People are dancing. Just people gathering not regulated, not ruled to death,” Harms said.

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Previous 4-2/0 festivals drew thousands of people and featured live music and dozens of vendors.

Minus an official event this year, the city partnered with VOLO Sports to offer free sporting activities at Robin Williams Meadow, just below Hippie Hill. Cannabis lovers were encouraged to take part. Some thought it was a way of crowd control by activating the space.

“We’ve got pick-up soccer. We’ve got cornhole here on the west lawn. We’ve got some bocce in the back corner. We’ve got some spike ball. So we’ve got all kinds of fun stuff. If people want to get on the hill and do their thing and then come down and hang out with us, we’re all for it,” said VOLO Sports vice president Greg Sileo.

The city assigned officers and medics to keep people safe. Volunteers also handed out free water.

Harms and LeBlanc liked how it turned out and said they’ll be back next year.

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“It’s a really nice, good vibe like the good old days,” Harms said.



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San Francisco, CA

Record number of sea lions appear on San Francisco’s famous Pier 39

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Record number of sea lions appear on San Francisco’s famous Pier 39


San Francisco’s famed Fisherman’s Wharf district is seeing a surge in sea lions.

They’re lounging, biting each other and generally making a ruckus in numbers not seen in more than a decade.

First appearing at Pier 39 after the 1989 earthquake, the sea lions have become a well-known tourist attraction.

The number of sea lions crashing at the pier fluctuates over the seasons. On most days more than a hundred can be seen.

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But this week, Pier 39 has counted more than one thousand sea lions, the most they’ve seen there in 15 years.



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San Francisco, CA

SF launches Downtown First Thursdays to attract visitors, boost businesses

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SF launches Downtown First Thursdays to attract visitors, boost businesses


SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — From the stages to the food trucks, San Francisco took another step towards a comeback Thursday night with its first Downtown First Thursdays.

“Make it feel like there are actually things that are happening in downtown San Francisco and make us think of a future in this city, that gives us hope,” said San Francisco resident, Kenny Green.

Thursday night’s kickoff marked the first of many block parties in the SoMa District, scheduled for the first Thursday of each month. “It’s a fun vibe and it’s nice to see a lot of the stores I see at other events, and the food smells great,” said San Francisco resident, Neeti Ganjur.

MORE: Can you find them? Scavenger hunt underway throughout San Francisco for valuable hidden coins

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“San Franciscans need to remember we are great at throwing a party and celebrating; getting people back to downtown,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “Hopefully this is the kind of thing that makes people who have the option of working from home or commuting want to come downtown and that’s good for our businesses.”

“Even if people come downtown to work they leave as soon as it’s done, so it’s fun to have something nearby for all the coworkers and friends to join up and enjoy time together downtown,” said San Francisco resident Mary Keenan.

And for business owners like jeweler Meghan Zore, the event is a welcome sight.

“I mean they’re expecting 10,000 people tonight – that’s amazing on a Thursday,” Zore. “San Francisco in my mind is hope. San Francisco is change. We’re going through a transition period, but all that means is an opportunity for new stuff to bloom.”

If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

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San Francisco, CA

Major San Francisco companies partner for cleanup coalition

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Major San Francisco companies partner for cleanup coalition


Volunteers from the Gap, JP Morgan Chase, Levi Strauss, Visa, and Wells Fargo stepped outside their office buildings on Thursday and into the streets and parks of San Francisco, ready to clean up.

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