Cannabis culture, festivals in Chicago, Illinois for 4/20

In a sad twist of fate for stoners statewide, Illinois legalized recreational marijuana just in time for the pandemic, which struck the cannabis industry right as it was launching in 2020. Those who toked away the past year’s many anxieties fed record profits to dispensaries, while ancillary businesses that foster the cannabis community took a hit.

As a result, legal weed never got the public coming-out party it deserved, leaving us home alone with a blunt on the back stoop (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Yet even as we venture in search of old friends and new highs, the wandering cannasseur must carefully examine the ever-shifting legalization map of the United States, with its patchwork quilt of legal, decriminalized and prohibition states. Meanwhile, cannabis remains an illegal controlled substance at the federal level.

Nevertheless, there has never been a better time to be a stoner in America. Cannabis-friendly tourism is taking off in thrilling directions, from limousine tours to inspiring weed farms, to puff-and-paint gatherings (which are sometimes bring-your-own-bong), to haute cuisine with a touch of CBD (or a whole lotta 420).

Bud and Breakfast (budandbreakfast.com) is an online booking service for 420-friendly accommodation, with locations from Chicago to Jamaica. Providing the inside connection to local cannabis culture is a big plus, not to mention how great it is to have a comfortable (and private) place to get acquainted with the craft-grown strain Gorilla Glue No. 4 (cured five months) the homeowner left in lieu of pillow chocolates.

Whether you’re a total noob who wants to make a vacation of your first toke, or a sophisticated foodie who knows that a seven-course meal just tastes better after a bowl of Wedding Cake, or a serious weed snob who wants to gather some buds and lay into Colorado’s top shelf — we’ve got you covered on the best spots to indulge in cannabis culture.

Chicago is already setting the trend for where legal cannabis can take us. Pioneering pastry chef Mindy Segal — the James Beard Award-winning founder of Mindy’s Bakery in the Bucktown neighborhood — launched Mindy’s Edibles (mindysedibles.com) in 2016 and has grown the cannabis-infused edibles line to include botanical white grapefruit gummies and dark chocolate almond toffee touting between 2 and 10 milligrams of THC per piece, which can be ordered online for pickup at a handful of Chicago-area dispensaries.

The city’s dining scene features some of the greatest cannabis cooks in the country. Chef Manuel Mendoza’s Herbal Notes hosts elevated multicourse dinners ($150 per person, herbalnotes.co), where his brilliant flavors meet your heightened senses.

For the time being, private infused dinner parties are the way to go — or you can host one yourself. Chamba Life (thechambalife.com) offers private dinners of up to 12 guests starting at $150 per person, producing beautiful, sensory-rich events matching gourmet cuisine with excellent herb. Similarly, Mateo’s Pot (mateospot.com) is an “infused private-dining” club with some very chill nights, including “Canna Karaoke,” along with private dinners (starting at $95 per person) and cooking classes.

There will be a slate of cannabis-focused events in Chicago for the unofficial canna-cultural holiday April 20, including the highly anticipated return of Waldo’s Forever Fest, hosted by a local dispensary in the North Side Andersonville neighborhood April 23. While public consumption is still illegal in Chicago, the free fest will feature drag performances, live music and a weekend roster packed with movie screenings, improv acts and stoner trivia.

Bridgeport neighborhood restaurants with major cool factor — Kimski, a Polish-Korean hybrid; Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream; and legendary bar Maria’s — with pair up with The Publican, another local legend, on April 20 for a mashup menu paired with CBD drinks, live music and fundraising for the Public Media Institute.

One of just a handful of legal consumption lounges in Illinois is way down in Sesser, a 4 ½-hour drive from Chicago. The Luna Lounge and Smoke Shop (lunaloungesesser.com) is a pioneering establishment where guests can choose their setup and enjoy the 1920s speak-easy vibe. There’s often live entertainment, plus an April 20 event that will feature vendors and a joint-rolling contest.

If you prefer getting in touch with nature, check out any of the cannabis-friendly events at Stoned Fairy Farms (stonedfairyfarms.com), just past Rockford and a 90-minute drive from Chicago. And if small-town chill is what you seek, then head to historic Galena, three hours from the city, and stay at the only cannabis-friendly bed-and-breakfast in Illinois.

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Built in 1845 and once host to Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, the Aldrich Guest House (aldrichguesthouse.com) is the first of its kind, featuring a gorgeously restored home with a prim vintage look; a designated spot for responsible cannabis users to enjoy; and a breakfast so fabulous, you’ll want to wake and bake. How you could not, before feasting on the likes of scallion potato waffles with Black Forest ham and sharp cheddar?

With a shared background in the hospitality industry, couple Douglas and Robert Mahan opened their B&B as a relaxing haven for anyone, including those who enjoy cannabis.

Vaping and ingesting cannabis are permitted in the nearby Potting Shed, while smokers can enjoy in a designated spot outside that keeps the smell away from any nonconsumers. The Potting Shed offers sleek couches, throw pillows, a big TV and munchies galore.

“I think the most fun is to see the connection it makes,” says co-owner Douglas Mahan. “Having the Potting Shed breaks down a lot of the stereotypes about folks who enjoy cannabis. We have grandmothers, medical users — we get retired farmers from Indiana who come all the way out just to visit and enjoy a joint in a safe and comfortable environment.”

Galena is conveniently located right on the border with prohibition states Wisconsin and Iowa, which could very well turn it into a haven for Midwestern stoners. Out-of-town visitors can stock up on their favorite cannabis products at Galena’s Verilife Dispensary (verilife.com) on the way into town.

The Michigan Cannabis Trail (michigancannabistrail.com) represents an ever-expanding network of cannabis-friendly destinations, dispensaries and events across the Wolverine State. For some rarefied dining, speed dial MichiganCannabis Chefs’ Lynette Marie and Nigel Douglas (micannabischefs.com). With farm-fresh dinners that leave you floating, these two might are putting Grand Rapids on America’s new weed map.

The same can be said for couple Jess and Cara Jackson, the Black queer women who own and manage Copper House (copperhousedet.com). Their visionary boutique bud-and-breakfast offers cannabis users a “home away from home” and a real neighborhood experience in northwest Detroit. Featuring vintage furnishing and a Zen-inspiring backyard space (complete with fire pit), the Copper House is a place you want to be caught smoking.

“Our goal is to destigmatize cannabis,” says Jess Jackson. She and her wife opened their business “with an air mattress in the guest room” and a dream to offer visitors — especially women — a safe space to consume and connect with the broader cannabis community.

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“My dream is to turn Aretha Franklin’s mansion into a consumption-friendly venue,” Jess Jackson says — but for now, she’s got a beautifully renovated 1,000-square-foot studio that sleeps up to 10, with its own private entrance. At Copper House, the Jacksons’ highly creative events span from sound therapy to private budtenders and couples massages.

“We bring a feminine perspective to this industry,” Jess Jackson says. “We are women-safe and proud to consume — we want to destigmatize cannabis for women, and we want to destigmatize Detroit neighborhoods.”

When it comes to cannabis, Colorado stands in a league of its own as the first state to legalize both medical and recreational marijuana in the United States.

Colorado Cannabis Tours (coloradocannabistours.com) offers private tours of some of the largest grow facilities, along with a run of Denver’s top dispensaries. For infused fine dining, check out Mason Jar Event Group (masonjareventgroup.com), featuring a full roster of events — yoga day retreats, experiential dining — and food from award-winning chefs.

In California, do not miss one of the unique Emerald Farm Tours (emeraldfarmtours.com) that show you California’s cannabis industry backstage. Its Seed-to-Sale Tour encourages an appreciation of the magical cannabis plant, from seed to seedling to flower, to the taste and effects.

“To run a tour like this requires a lot of insider knowledge,” says owner Victor Pinho, whose whole concept stems from his 20-plus years in the cannabis business. His full-day tour starts with a hotel pickup in San Francisco, bringing guests to California’s legendary Emerald Triangle. Groups are limited to 10 guests max, and every tour ends with an exit through the gift shop (with significant discounts).

But if California and Colorado aren’t in the cards, there are plenty of ways to indulge closer to home. Here in Chicago, or out in some of the greener corners in this state and beyond, we’ve never had as many options to get out and light up.

A. Ellis Evans is a freelance writer.

Editor’s note: This article originally stated that The Luna Lounge and Smoke Shop is the only legal cannabis consumption lounge in Illinois. While it was among the first to open in the state, additional lounges have since opened.