VANCOUVER -- Organizers of Vancouver's infamous pro-pot festival took their rally online.

The 4/20 event was cancelled last month, after the province introduced a ban on large gatherings.

"It was going to be impossible to put on our usual event," said Dana Larsen, one of the organizers.

Larsen says he's disappointed, but there was no way to maintain physical distancing at the rally.

"So we made the right choice and clearly I hope people aren't gathering. If you celebrate 4/20 today do it safely and responsibly and you know stay at home," Larsen told CTV News.

More than 100,000 pot enthusiasts and hundreds of vendors flocked to Sunset Beach for the festivities last year.

Organizers have faced criticism for refusing to pay policing costs associated with the rally.

Those bills hundreds of thousands of dollars and are paid for by taxpayers.

Larsen is adamant that 4/20 is not a money-making event, saying it costs a quarter of a million dollars to host.

"Although I love 4/20 it's a little bit of a relief when we don't have to put it on because it's such huge undertaking for all of us and it costs a lot of money to make it happen."

Monday's virtual party was hosted on the Pot TV and Cannabis Life Network websites.

It featured a number of cannabis activists as well as musical performances.

Vancouver's 4/20 is the longest standing pro-pot rally in the country, marking 26 years.