Celebrating 420 Day with Mike Tyson: An RQS Extravaganza!

Right then, growers, it’s about time we filled you in on what went down during 4/20 this year! We apologize for the delay in communications; we’ve been working overtime on our upcoming projects, as well as trying to meet the demand of growers celebrating the German legalization of home cultivation! Now that we have a moment to spare, let us give you the details of our 4/20 celebrations in New York City!

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After decades in the cannabis industry, this year marked our most memorable 4/20 yet. We visited the innovative THC NYC center where we danced with holograms on the dance floor and explored the cannabis museum. Also, our master grower Max put on a growing masterclass at Mary Fest Brooklyn where he went through the basics of soil science, genetics, and growing tips, with live plants. To wrap it up, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our new business partner Mike Tyson under our massive 4/20 countdown billboard in Times Square!

Celebrating the imminent legalization of homegrown cannabis in NYC was truly special. With more states and countries legalizing home cultivation, the focus shifts to knowing exactly what you're growing and using. This movement promotes transparency, and simplicity, and creates a connection between growers and the plants they nurture. Another step towards more informed and responsible cannabis use.

THC NYC

After arriving in the Big Apple on April 19th, we headed straight to THC NYC where the staff had a guided tour prepared for us. Our crew stepped through the entrance into a large first-floor area where we encountered a display screen zone with lifestyle posters. From here, we continued to an eye-catching merch and magazine area that featured a snack bar selling weed edibles. Here, we arrived at our exclusive Royal Queen Seeds corner, which merged flawlessly into the design of the space. Our space featured weed-green walls, shelves stacked with goodies, and a large poster announcing our partnership with Mike Tyson genetics.

Next, we headed up to the gorgeous THC NYC smoking lounge. Illuminated by large windows made roomy by high ceilings, and equipped with large comfy couches, this room allows visitors to smoke up and consume edibles—and certainly checks the “setting” box when it comes to set and setting. The area also expands onto a large balcony with stunning views of the Soho architecture (amazing!). From here, we headed down to check out the fascinating cannabis museum that features rooms with plenty of beautiful trichome macro shots, live plants, and an area to smell cannabis terpenes.

Finally, we ended the visit on the THC NYC dance floor where we danced with holograms and relaxed for a moment in the adjacent dark room, gazing at the trippy ceiling! A complete experience on its own. From here, we decided to go and get some rest to gear up for the following day.

MARY Fest Growing Masterclass

Created by the team at MARY Magazine, MARY Fest is an experiential event involving fashion, music, health and wellness, and weed! This year, the organisers invited our master grower Max along to teach a cannabis masterclass to a keen crowd of attendees. Held in an old manufacturing space with beautiful large windows and lots of natural light, Max delivered two classes on growing weed, covering everything from cannabis terminology, soil, and nutrients to strains, training, and other growing tips. Spectators also got to get up close and personal with live plants in grow tents illuminated by SANlight lamps.

In addition to Max's enlightening sessions, Royal Queen Seeds had a distinctive booth, showcasing our cannabis seed genetics to the people of New York. Time flew by as we engaged with the crowd, creating connections and sharing our passion for cannabis cultivation.

Times Square With Mike Tyson

After two successful masterclasses at MARY Fest, we set out to the main event: a trip to Times Square with Mike Tyson! Our founder Boi, president Shai, and the rest of the RQS crew met up with Mike on a balcony overlooking the famous landmark. After Mike finished his interviews with several big media outlets, he joined us on the balcony before a towering billboard featuring a gigantic RQS 4/20 countdown clock. After the clock struck 4/20 and a cloud of terpene-infused smoke rose up all around us, we spent time chatting and joking with Mike—putting our collaboration with his Tyson 2.0 company on full display. The vibe was absolutely unreal and amplified by the excitement surrounding the imminent legalization of home growing in New York!

While you're already familiar with our brand new image and the evolution of our lion, we couldn't help but feel a bit nervous before unveiling it on a giant billboard in Times Square. The timing and location couldn't have been more perfect!

Royal Queen Seeds: A Look at Our Year So Far

Spending 4/20 with our partner Mike Tyson certainly stands out as a highlight among our recent events! However, we’ve also ticked off some other major milestones recently. In late 2023, we managed to pull off an impressive double win in Las Vegas. First, we scooped up the Best Seed Bank 2023 award at the prestigious EMJAYS ceremony. Just one week later, we also received the Best Seed Bank award at the International Cannabis Awards 2024—the “Oscars” of the cannabis world. Adding to our trophy cabinet, our team saw even more recent success by winning Best Seed Bank at Spannabis in March 2024.

A Look Back at Last Year’s 4/20 Celebrations

This year’s 4/20 celebrations shared some interesting parallels with last year’s event. Sure, we weren’t hanging out with Mike Tyson then, but we also arranged for a massive billboard display celebrating the legalization of adult use of cannabis. This ambitious project went down a storm and made Royal Queen Seeds the first seed bank to ever advertise in Times Square. It’s amazing to see that, just one year later, New York stands on the precipice of legal home cultivation!

We look forward to 4/20 every single year, and we plan on making the celebration bigger and better going forward! While the origins of 4/20 are essentially myth at this point, the day never fails to bring the worldwide cannabis community together to stand up for what we believe in and enjoy each other's company. Here’s to next year!

Our Craziest 4/20 Yet Is a Sign of Things to Come

We’re still trying to digest what happened on 4/20 this year; it all felt like a bit of a dream. It’s a surefire sign that we’re on the right path, and we’re forever grateful for cultivators around the world who continue to support us and allow us to grow bigger and better. We have a whole load of exciting projects on the horizon, so keep your eyes peeled and get ready for even more reasons to celebrate 4/20 in 2025!