Whether you’re an industry insider, want to learn more about the business side of cannabis, or simply want to keep an eye on the latest products and trends, CannaCon is the conference for you—and there’s likely one close to you in the near future.
Despite its name being inspired by “Comic-Con,” CannaCon is all about business. The self-proclaimed “nation’s leading B2B cannabis conference” launched in 2014, drawing 6,000 attendees, according to CannaCon founder Bob Smart.
Expect hundreds of exhibitors, including media outlets, advisory firms, lighting companies, and manufacturers. Plan on hitting up seminars with titles like “The Future of Plant-Based Medicine,” “Improving the Customer Experience at Retail,” and “Pheno Hunt: How to Bag the Big One.”
Expect a safe space, no matter your cannabis knowledge level. And there will be no apparent consumption on site.
“CannaCon is a business show—a safe niche,” Smart said in a 2017 interview. “We made a space where any business guy who’s not in the industry can show up, walk around and feel comfortable.
But it’s not all business. The professional weed party promoters at Sensi Magazine’s official after-parties are legendary in the industry. And if you can’t get into that event (there could be a line around the block, even if you have a ticket), have no fear. There are typically plenty of unofficial after-parties planned around the event too.
The event is big business itself, taking advantage of the rollback of COVID-19 restrictions with seven events plotted out so far for 2022 and 2023 and thousands of expected attendees.
CannaCon breaks its events out roughly by region and mostly sticks to legal adult-use cannabis states, with Mississippi being its sole exception. The Magnolia State is the newest medical state in the U.S., though there are no dispensaries currently open.
Here are the currently scheduled CannaCons nationwide—no West Coast dates have been announced.
2022
- Denver (West), Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24-25, at the Denver Convention Center at 700 14th St.
- Richmond, Virginia (South), Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center at 403 N. 3rd St.
2023
- Biloxi, Mississippi (South), Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24-25 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum at 2350 Beach Blvd.
- Oklahoma City (South), Friday and Saturday, March 31-April 1, at the Oklahoma City Convention Center at 100 Mick Cornett Drive.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico (West), Friday and Saturday, May 19-20, at the Albuquerque Convention Center at 401 2nd St. NW.
If you’re a business owner, know that the program was designed with your needs front of mind—“from seed to seed money,” as the company says in its promotional material.
CannaCon calls itself “a one-stop shop for all of your cannabis business needs” and touts its events as an opportunity to “network with like-minded entrepreneurs who are also building a bold, new industry.”
Tickets range in price from $50 for a one-day pass to the expo, to $110 for a one-day pass that includes the seminars. A two-day pass is either $80 or $160, depending on whether you plan on attending the seminars.
So, put on your best casual outfit (remember this is cannabis—even “business casual” might be too dressy for this crowd). Then, pop an edible, and get ready to rub elbows with some of the biggest, brightest names in cannabis—and take home a lot of swag.
