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Formerly Just A Rally, 4/20 Is Now A Mainstream Festival

DENVER (CBS4) - The 4/20 marijuana rally in Denver has gone main stream.

This year's event in Denver's Civic Center Park is the first since recreational marijuana became legal in Colorado. What used to be a rally in Denver has turned into a pot festival with plenty of police looking on.

4/20 RALLY
Rodrigo Ramirez smokes marijuana at the 4/20 festival (credit: CBS)

Rodrigo Ramirez doesn't celebrate Easter. He'd rather play hacky sack with his friends at Civic Center Park -- and smoke some bud.

"I'm loving the music, you know. They had some Bob Marley on, good for hacking," Ramirez said. "Everybody's hacking over here. Everybody's getting into their little groups to smoke, so I think that's great."

It was Ramirez's third time at the festival.

"Very diverse, you know. I think a lot of people are coming because it's the first time it's legal," he said.

RELATED: 4/20 Marijuana Holiday Tries To Go Mainstream In Denver

Like Angelina Schallhorn and Sherri Fox from Florida.

"Here we are with the rebirth and renewal of it. Something that's been around longer than any of us," Fox said.

Plenty of pot smoke filled the air. Organizers expected close to 100,000 people to come out this year.

"You feel very comfortable and at ease. Normally in other states it's frowned upon," Alfredo Gomez from New Mexico said.

PHOTO GALLERY: 4/20 At Civic Center Park

That's why organizers are trying to take the festival mainstream this year, adding more food vendors and music stages with big name headliners.

Ramirez hopes the marijuana culture continues to grow.

"It's a day to hang out, meet new people. I think it's pretty cool," he said.

Denver police want everyone to have fun, but they're still reminding people to obey the marijuana laws that are in place.

Copter4 flew over Red Rocks Amphitheatre Sunday afternoon where cannabis champions Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa will perform before a sold out crowd.

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