A Working Guide to 4/20 in the Catskills
4/20 falls on a Monday in 2026, which means the real weekend is Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th, exactly when most of the Catskills dispensaries are running their events. Here is what is happening up here: which licensed shops have in-store promotions, which towns are worth routing through, and how to plan the weekend if you are coming up from the city.
This is a working document. Event schedules for licensed cannabis businesses are governed by the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) marketing rules, which prohibit appeals to anyone under 21 and free product giveaways. Everything listed below is intended for adults 21 and older at state-licensed retailers only.
New York state law prohibits cannabis consumption on state-owned land and in public spaces. That rules out Catskill Park trails and the village greens in Woodstock, Tannersville, or Phoenicia. Private venues such as Bethel Woods set their own rules and don't allow it on the grounds. Legal consumption is limited to private property with the owner's permission.
The Short Answer
- Saturday, April 18 is the biggest event day, most dispensaries run in-store programming then.
- Monday, April 20 is the holiday proper, expect discounts at essentially every licensed shop in the region, but quieter in-store events.
- Best anchor towns for a weekend: Woodstock, Tannersville, and Margaretville.
- Licensed dispensaries only. The OCM's QR-code verification system lets you confirm a shop is real in about five seconds at cannabis.ny.gov.
Dispensaries Running In-Store Events
Event programming shifts year to year, and OCM's rules change what shops can advertise publicly, so confirm details directly with each store before you drive. The list below reflects the 17 licensed shops on our Catskills dispensary directory and what they've historically done around 4/20.
Woodstock — HERbal Woodstock
HERbal Woodstock on Tinker Street usually runs a two-day weekend program with budtender-led product education sessions on Saturday and an anniversary-adjacent promotion on 4/20 itself. Expect the town to be busy, Woodstock trades heavily on its name around this weekend, so budget more time than you think you need for parking.
Tannersville — Wintergreen
Wintergreen at the base of Hunter Mountain tends to run a mountain-weekend promotion; the shop's location makes it a natural stop for anyone routing through the eastern Catskills. If you're coming up for a ski-season closer at Hunter, it sits right on the way into Tannersville.
Margaretville — Lively Harvest
Lively Harvest is the town's first licensed dispensary, and the shop has become the anchor for the western-Catskills 4/20 crowd. A smaller, quieter alternative to Woodstock if you want the holiday without the scene.
Catskill — Canna Planet Catskill
Canna Planet Catskill (formerly Budd's Dispensary) on West Bridge Street in the town of Catskill (not the mountain range) anchors the eastern edge. Well-positioned if you're coming up Rt 23 from the Hudson River side.
Stone Ridge — Back Home Cannabis Co.
Back Home Cannabis Co. sits between Kingston and Phoenicia on Rt 209, the most practical stop if you are driving in from points south and headed for a trail or cabin weekend further up.
Full directory
For the complete current list of licensed Catskills dispensaries, including Palenville, Ellenville, Liberty, Jeffersonville, White Lake, and the rest, see the Catskills dispensary directory. Verify each shop's QR code at the OCM portal before you buy.
Weekend Pop-Ups and Legally Sanctioned Events
Beyond dispensary-run programming, 4/20 weekend tends to pull a few broader events into the region:
- Cannabis Growers Showcases (CGS), state-sanctioned, farmer's-market-style events where licensed cultivators sell direct to adult consumers. Check cannabis.ny.gov for the current CGS schedule; Sullivan and Ulster counties have hosted them in past years.
Planning the Weekend
Saturday — The Main Event Day
Most shops run their biggest 4/20-weekend promotions on Saturday. A workable loop:
- Morning, breakfast in Phoenicia at the Phoenicia Diner, then drive east on Rt 28 toward Woodstock.
- Midday, Woodstock, HERbal Woodstock, lunch on Tinker Street, a short walk at the Bearsville campus.
- Afternoon, up to Tannersville and Wintergreen, stop at Kaaterskill Falls for the overlook (no consumption, state land).
- Evening, check in at your cabin, dinner in Tannersville or back down in Phoenicia.
Sunday — The Quieter Day
Sunday is the better day for a trail hike, clear-headed, since every trail in the park is state land. Most shops are open regular hours. Less foot traffic, same holiday energy.
Monday, April 20 — The Holiday
4/20 itself is a Monday in 2026, which takes the edge off the crowds but keeps the discounts. If you are staying through Monday, this is the day to do the longer drive, Andes, Roxbury, or Downsville, and hit one of the more remote shops without the weekend bottleneck.
Where to Stay
4/20 weekend books out early, especially in Woodstock, Phoenicia, and Tannersville. If the obvious towns are full, look at Margaretville, Andes, or Callicoon, all within 30–45 minutes of a licensed dispensary and usually easier to find a cabin in. See our cabin-stay guide for the rules on cannabis at rentals (short version: the host sets the policy, so read the STR listing first).
Compliance, Quickly
- 21+ only, bring a valid ID to every dispensary.
- Licensed shops only, verify the OCM QR code at cannabis.ny.gov.
- No public consumption, no trails, no overlooks, no village greens.
- Never drive after consuming.
- Start low, go slow on edibles regardless of experience; potency has drifted up in the regulated market.
Where to Go Next
Jay, Editorial Team
Jay pairs cannabis to setting — town guides, dining, festivals, outdoor adventures, and the regional editorial that ties cannabis into specific places and moments. Their writing anchors the town anchors, cabin and lodging coverage, music heritage and Tanglewood-arts pillars, and the lifestyle context that makes a region feel real.
