What is '420 Day' and how can you celebrate it?

THE origins of the day is the subject of an "endless discussion", but there'll be music and chocolate, so we're in.

PRESIDENT: Michael Baulderstone, President of The Nimbin HEMP Embassy. Picture: Patrick Gorbunovs

NIMBIN will be celebrating Global 420 Day this Easter Saturday.

420, 4:20, or 4/20 is slang for the consumption of cannabis, especially smoking cannabis around 4.20pm. It also refers to cannabis-oriented celebrations that take place annually on April 20.

On that day many marijuana users protest in civil disobedience by gathering in public to light up at 4.20pm.

President of the HEMP Embassy, Michael Balderstone, said how the '420 stoner' phenomenon started is an endless discussion in Nimbin.

"On April 20. millions of Cannabis lovers around the planet will light up together at 4.20 pm, and of course Nimbin will join in," he said.

"Max Stone, who lives in Nimbin, says his Peace Pipe project in 1997 is the oldest reference in Australia to 420, but others say it originally started in California from a police call out."

Mr Balderstone said the real story dates back to 1971.

"Five high school students in San Rafael, California, were calling themselves the Waldos, because their chosen meeting place was a wall," he said.

"They met at 4.20pm to smoke and search for an abandoned cannabis crop on a secret treasure map they had from the grower. They never found the crop but the smoko habit stuck," he said.

Nimbin will see bands playing live music and everyone welcome to join the festivities.

"As we are gearing up for the annual MardiGrass on the first weekend in May, this is always a happy time," Mr Balderstone said.

"And being Easter Saturday, this year promises an even bigger day with an Easter egg hunt thrown in.

Musicians and performers are welcome to join in. Just turn up or contact the HEMP Embassy on 6689 1842.