MJBizCon 2024: What’s New?
Written By June Blankin
A new addition to the networking side is The Patio, which will be located just outside the Retail Pavilion. Anyone who’s attended an MJBizCon before knows the entrance/smoking area of past conferences was a place to meet/sesh and really get to know people. Trust me, many great connections and deals were born there. This year it becomes The Patio, with an updated look, food trucks, music, and more. The Patio is officially part of the conference this year, so one will need a pass to access this area.
The Great Midwest Hemp Fest – 54 years of Cannabis Advocacy
Written By Daniel Crawford
The Great Midwest Hemp Fest is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate voters and advocate for change in Wisconsin’s legislation surrounding THC laws. Their goal is to deliver educational resources and awareness about the positive effects of THC legalization in Wisconsin.
Ben Masel, Founder, Yippie and cannabis activist, ran and organized the fest from its inception in 1971 to his death in 2011. Masel was a champion of Liberty and he also knew the laws better than the police who were sworn to uphold them. He pushed harder against the limits on dissent in what was supposed to be a free society.
Flower Expo 2024: Afterparty Dealmaking During Daylight Hours
Written By Jill Carreiro
Flower Expo draws in cultivators, processors, and manufacturers from across the state to show off their very best, newest, and most exciting for wholesale and dispensaries alike. For all in attendance, it is an opportunity to learn about the most innovative products coming to the local market and get a taste of what may be the next best-selling shelf favorite. The Flower Expo does this without a ton of ancillary presence generally; there’s not a single light rig in sight, a pretty unique feat for any cannabis conference.
SXSW and Texas Cannabis
Written By Shelley Peebles
When people have a choice, the overwhelming majority of them prefer to consume flower, and these shops provide a way for that demand to be met. Then you have the traditional market, which is still very much alive and well, and has been since the 70’s.
While I was attending SXSW this year, I noted the more laissez-faire attitude everyone had towards public consumption. I felt like I was in LA, or someplace other than Texas. It was incredibly freeing to feel like I didn’t have to hide, as if everyone seemed to understand and accept it even if they didn’t partake themselves. Heck, they even had psilocybin and ketamine as topics of discussion throughout the event!
Sunstone Winery and Sunstone Cannabis Official
Written By Kellie Frederick
Driving up the gravel path to Sunstone Winery, the sound of the city drops away. The most prevalent sound in the air is bird song. There's peace and quiet, a natural beauty enhanced by the rows of grapevines sleeping, waiting to come to life just as spring is about to emerge. The entire estate is jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
CannaCon South 2024 Recap
Written By Casey Renteria
If you’re looking to make deeper connections a little faster, this is the event to go to. They aren’t big and showy but they focus on keeping the events small in order to let each region evolve and become more of an experience rather than just another cannabis event. It is a much slower intentional feel and you get that from the vendors as well, many of which have been there for several years in a row. It’s a nice change of pace and I think they deserve way more attention than they get.
Spannabis 2024: A Whirlwind of Experiences and Reflections
Written By Dr. Grant Mitchell
It was a journey that began with a 5-hour flight from Jalisco, Mexico connecting one day later on a 7-hour red-eye out of New York City. After landing at 8:30 am, and getting through customs and immigration, I Ubered directly to my digs in the Gothic Quarter arriving around 11:00 am. Once quickly showered, I had a rendezvous lunch and intelligence meeting with the legendary Captain Hooter. He promptly updated me with more than one dozen Reports Of Multiple Raids At Cannabis Social Clubs Ahead Of the Annual Spannabis Show In Barcelona, including a few I visited last year like HQ, Choko, and Wizards. Needless to say, a murky cautionary vibe permeated the sunny Barcelona air.
Snowbirdstoner is Barcelona Bound for Spannabis 2024
Written By Grant Mitchell
The excitement is mounting as we count down the days to Spannabis 2024, in less than one week. The streets of Barcelona are buzzing with anticipation. The city is set to welcome thousands of enthusiasts, industry professionals, and curious visitors. It's more than just a fair; it's a movement, a statement, a testament to the growing acceptance and recognition of the healing plant worldwide.
On the Ground at NCF 2023 with Caroline Phillips
Written By LaWann Stribling
It’s now close to 2pm, and I am making my way to the VIP area, finally. After getting my food, I came closer to Caroline, thinking this would be a great time to approach her for a face-to-face interview.
I then noticed the look of concern on her face and overheard that we have to evacuate. I confronted her face-to-face, and asked her for clarification; “Did you say we have to evacuate the park?” She responded with a yes, explaining that a temporary shutdown is in place due to incoming storms.
With food still in hand, I briskly walked back to the other side of the park to our booth. Before I could even reach our tent, the rain drops began!
Keeping in mind the magnitude of this amazing annual festival, I am happy to report that I was able to interview Caroline Phillips, Founder of National Cannabis Festival after all - to finally speak about this year’s NCF.
Hasta Luego: From Barcelona With Love -Snowbirdstoner in España for Spannabis 2023
Written By Grant Mitchell
Barcelona as a city, functions as Europe’s beacon for trade shows. Despite weed being completely illegal in Spain, Spannabis shines as the largest European cannabis fair - now running 20 years strong.
Conglomerating 4 events, The International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC), Spannabis Fair, a symposium titled The World Cannabis Conference: International Cannabis Forum, and The Professional Growers Cup aka “Spannabis Champions Cup” all make up the juggernaut known collectively as SPANNABIS. Events are held in Fira de Cornellà from March 9-12th, with a plethora of afterparties, mixers, and networking gatherings usually in El Centro.
If you are thinking of visiting next year, it is definitely worth the trip. An article such as this, can never fully capture the magnitude of the breadth of the experience. Still, Spain should be on everyone's bucket list! Beyond just the convention, the culture in this part of the old world is magnificent.
NECANN Boston: The Best of Cannabis in the Northeast
Written By Jessica Reilly-Chevalier
For years, the west coast has been the domestic mecca of cannabis, a shining paradise of legalization in a sea of prohibition. But it’s not 2012 anymore – over half of Americans now live where cannabis is legal, and the biggest wave of legalization reform has been on the East coast in recent years.
So, when NECANN descended on Boston for 3 days, it was the kind of good time you can only expect in the cannabis industry. This was the first time in 9 years that a majority of states in the NE were legal, and people were ready to celebrate.
I spent two days on the show floor, attending sessions, and afterparties, and talking to people. You don’t need to have visited the city to get the highlights - here’s the best of the best.
My First Harvest Ball
Written by Isabella DeChard
The Emerald Cup hosts the Harvest Ball in Santa Rosa, California each year. Farmers and cannabis brands from all over the Golden State join to celebrate the bountiful crops and cultivars meticulously cultivated this season.
However, among the handful of other cannabis events I’ve gotten to recently experience, this two-day event felt significant among the others. Throughout the entire Harvest Ball weekend, the collective empathy and perseverance I always recognized about this cannabis community was stronger than ever.
Even though this was my first time at the Harvest Ball and an Emerald Cup occasion in general, I had never felt more welcome or comfortable at a major cannabis event.
Women Are Now Networking Over Blunts & Brunch: Next stop - Vegas!
Written By Lindsey Gunter
Would you know if a woman smoked cannabis by looking at her? This is what’s hard for brands and companies to connect with in cannabis when it comes to marketing toward women.
What better way to begin building awareness as well as connection to this vast and unfamiliar assortment of women than a woman-focused event? One with “activations” and more, within which women can explore and converse! Cannabis is still a very male-dominated industry, women sticking together in cannabis will inspire women to stand together more in general - Events are a great way to accomplish this.
When it comes to this niche, Adelia Carrillo (CMO/Co-Founder of “EventHi”) and “The Marijuana Momma” Parisa Mansouri-Rad’s “Blunt Brunch” has grown to become one of the nation’s best places for women in cannabis to network and empower one another. 2022 has been a great year, as Blunt Brunch has successfully put on events in multiple cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and, coming up - Las Vegas!