420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus, April 20, 2016. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus. Photo: Ted Friedman

People came out in droves to Memorial Glade on the UC Berkeley campus Wednesday to mark 420 day, an international celebration of cannabis culture. The mood was, as might be expected, mellow and the more entrepreneurial among the student body were making munchies available.

The origins of 420 day are as hazy as a cloud of marijuana smoke: urban myths include the notion that 420 is the police radio code for smoking marijuana in public; 4/20 was the day Adolf Hitler — or perhaps Jim Morrison of The Doors died; or that 420 relates to California’s penal code relating to cannabis. The most likely explanation is close to home and involves a group of San Rafael high-school students, at least according to Slate.

Contributing photographer Ted Friedman checked out the scene at Cal — at around 4:20 p.m., naturally.

420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus, April 20, 2016. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus, April 20, 2016. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus, April 20, 2016. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus, April 20, 2016. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus, April 20, 2016. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus, April 20, 2016. Photo: Ted Friedman
420 Day on the UC Berkeley campus. Photo: Ted Friedman

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Tracey Taylor is co-founder of Berkeleyside and co-founder and editorial director of Cityside, the nonprofit parent to Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. Before launching Berkeleyside, Tracey wrote for...