NECANN Boston 2024
Pictures Courtesy of Author
It was a cool weekend in Boston when people and companies from across the Northeast came together for the first Northeast Cannabis Conference of 2024. The first day of Spring had passed, but winter still had its grip firmly on this harbor town.
Friday dawned cool and clear, with a hint of spring in the sky, the perfect weather for a massive 420 gathering. Saturday brought dense clouds and a constant drizzle, but even the rain couldn’t dampen spirits.
About NECANN
Boston is the titular event of this expanding showcase: a gathering of minds and hearts from all walks of the cannabis industry. While each show focuses on the market of the state it is in, the Boston show zooms out to explore the cannabis industry in the Northeast as a whole. And as the area with the most opportunity in cannabis (right now) there's a lot to explore.
The "northeast" region of the US is loosely defined as the six states that make up New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusettes, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) as well as New York, Pennslyvania, and New Jersey. Every state, save for New Hampshire, has legalized recreational cannabis, making this a region of untold potential for cannabis.
Like all conferences, this one is 50% during the day at the conference center and 50% after parties where the real networking happened. Fat Nugs sponsored not one, but two after party events, Sapphire Risk’s Bowling Event and BAKED!’s Fenway Spark Party.
NECANN’s Best in Boston
Every state has its own idiosyncracies and market peculiarities, but what makes this show stand out is the enthusiasm. Times are tough in every market, there is no doubt about that, but when you gather together thousands of cannabis lovers (and a few investors here for the promised profits) what comes up again and again is excitement, promise, and potential.
One common refrain this writer heard was that NECANN is the place to be in cannabis. As one attendee put it: MJ Biz is on the downswing and NECANN is on the upswing. Whether you agree with the first part of that is personal, but there is no denying that NECANN has seen massive growth in the shows over the past few years.
The 2024 show in Boston added a second floor of exhibitors, presentations, and awards to accommodate the growth. I attended the 2023 show last year and even I was surprised by how much larger the 2024 show was.
So popular is this show, that it's not just from the Northeast that people come to attend. Attendees like Matthew Johnson of AssuredPartners came from Atlanta Georgia to attend and Dustin Powers, one of the panelists on the Weird Brains session and mastermind behind Future4200, came from Washington state.
"I think one of the things that has helped the New England Cannabis Convention (A.K.A. NECANN Boston) maintain it's value with both exhibitors and attendees over the last ten years is that we've always taken a collaborative approach with both the northeast cannabis communities and industries, and also see outside events scheduled around the convention as potential partnerships rather than competitors.” said Marc Shepard, founder of NECANN. “The goal has always been to bring everyone together in a positive atmosphere to create "the annual meeting of the northeast cannabis industry" with opportunities for new business, efficient customer meetings, branding, education, investment, advice, advocacy, career opportunities, and of course fun and friendship".
In 2024, NECANN is set to host eight events across as many states. While the seven remaining shows won't match the scale of Boston, they will equal it in passion and opportunity for connection.
If attending a NECANN show hasn't been on your radar, it's time to think again. The cannabis market exists on a state-by-state basis, and centering national shows is great for connecting with people you know, but is no substitute for diving into each market individually.
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Thank you to the sponsors who made this article (and this trip) a reality. Your support makes coverage like this possible.