Top 13 Cannabis Conferences to Attend

The cannabis industry is booming as more and more states begin to legalize recreational marijuana, with the running total now at 21. Entrepreneurs can turn their passion into prosperous business ventures, and more and more jobs are becoming available. 

Cannabis conferences are popping up everywhere to help connect like-minded individuals, business owners, and entrepreneurs. With a lot of new information around cannabis, you'll likely want to know which conference you should attend. 

Depending on your goals and needs will determine which conferences you should attend. We've rounded up a list of the top 13 Cannabis Conferences to attend this year, in no particular order! Every one of these conferences you will want to attend.

40 Tons presents the Level Up Career Conference

The Level Up Career Conference is a conference that provides a large variety of services to job seekers, employers, brands, and consumers. They're crafted to bring all aspects of career building into one place as a one-stop shop for attendees.

"Our mission is to close the gap in restorative justice and diversity and inclusivity within all industries starting with the cannabis industry. We are committed to connecting you directly with the top employers and educational institutions in the industry" ( 40 Tons Conferences).

40 Tons has hosted a total of four career conferences that took place in Oakland, CA, Hawthorne, CA, and Trenton, NJ. Their next conference will be in Chicago, IL on June 19, 2023 at the Malcolm X College Event Center. Expected attendance 1,500 job seekers and dozens of companies and resources.

Check out their website to be the first to know their dates for 2023: https://cannabishiringfairs.com/

Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference

Benzinga puts on a few different types of events every year, but the Cannabis Capital Conference connects leaders throughout the cannabis industry. They are the most successful with their networking platform and events.

This year, Benzinga is also hosting the Psychedelics Conference at the same time as the Cannabis Capital Conference. "The Benzinga Psychedelics Capital Conference educates and informs the current and future psychedelics investor on the state of the industry, cutting-edge developments, and provides opportunities for curated networking and unparalleled access to private deal flow" (Benzinga).

This event will take place in Miami, FL, at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel on April 11 and 12. The room block at the hotel ends on March 20: https://www.benzinga.com/events/cannabis-conference/

Cannabis Marketing Summit

The Cannabis Marketing Summit is hosted by the Cannabis Marketing Association. This is a 2.5 day conference that focuses on best practices for marketing around your cannabis brand.

“Cannabis Marketing Summit will evaluate the current state of cannabis marketing and learn about the practical tools, tactics, and data that produce effective strategies and campaigns for cannabis brands and retailers across the country” (Cannabis Marketing Summit). 

The Cannabis Marketing Summit will take place in Denver, Colorado from June 21-23 this year. Register for the conference here: https://thecannabismarketingassociation.com/summits/cannabis-marketing-summit-2023/

The Revelry Conference

The Revelry Winter Conference happened on February 25th of this year, but they have a powerhouse of speakers. 

“The Revelry Conference, a production by On The Revel, exists because we believe the people should own the New York Cannabis Industry. Our conference features informative panels, Signature Talks, and experiential activations from the cannabis industry’s leading voices and brands. We work with and partner with other groups that share our ethos and believe that the industry should be inclusive, diverse, and provide opportunities for all” (Reverly Winter Conference). 

Emerald Cup

“Rooted in the rugged mountains of the world-famous Emerald Triangle in Northern California, the Emerald Cup proudly carries on a now 19-year tradition of celebrating the plant, the culture surrounding it, and the farmers who bring it to harvest each year with the iconic Emerald Cup Awards.

The California market is the largest and most diverse on the planet and the Emerald Cup has long stood as the premier competition, celebration, and direct-to-consumer marketplace for the best that California has to offer” (The Emerald Cup).

The Emerald Cup will take place in Los Angeles, California in May of this year. To learn more about this event, check out their website: https://theemeraldcup.com/about-us

Hall of Flowers

Hall of Flowers will host four cannabis conferences in 2023. “Hall of Flowers has become the pulse of the cannabis industry market and trend curator it is today by focusing on these three pillars” (Hall of Flowers). 

Direct access to buyers, elevated experience/vibes, and consumption/sampling are the three main pillars at Hall of Flowers conferences. They vet all submissions, making sure only the top cannabis retailers attend the conference. Once brands are set up, they encourage sampling and shopping for all attendees.

Hall of Flowers will have four events this year: in Santa Rose from May 3-4, Toronto from May 31-June 1, and conferences in Palm Springs and Las Vegas in Q4. Register for their conferences here: https://www.hallofflowers.com/

Real Cannabis Entrepreneur

The Real Cannabis Entrepreneur Conference will be held in Newark, NJ toward the end of 2023. The conference was started by a husband and wife team on a mission to dive deeper into the value you can get from a cannabis conference. 

“Our mission is to help level the playing field and the empower the underserved by providing information and guidance needed to tap into one of the biggest and fasting growing industries on the planet” (Real Cannabis Entrepreneur).

The conference will take place from October 20-21st in Newark, NJ. Register for the event here: https://realcannabisentrepreneur.com/index.html

The Famers Cup San Diego

The Farmers Cup also took place on February 25th of this year in San Diego, CA. They hold competitions every year and give awards to the best pre-rolls, edibles, and flower.

"The Farmers Cup mission is about giving the people who are the end-users the chance to judge from a wide variety of legal cannabis products. Education is stressed at the online event, so that consumers know what they’re spending their hard earned money on, not just THC%. Think20 Testing Labs present terpene information and supply a double layer of safety to an already tested product. The virtual events allow the judging to take place at the judges home, over the course of a week or more. This offers a true experience possibly for the first time – since the judge is not rushed, or in an unusual atmosphere. It’s a win-win for brands and judges – we have hundreds of positive comments like ‘this cup has changed my buying habits completely’” (The Farmers Cup).

Check out the award winners of 2023 here: https://farmerscupofficial.com/farmers-cup-2023/

MJBizCon

MJBizCon is the oldest and largest trade show in the cannabis industry that takes place in Las Vegas annually. There are more than 1,400 industry suppliers that attend MJBizCon.

In 2022, they segmented their floor into four pavilions - Cultivation Products and Services, Processing, Packaging and Lab Services, Retail and Dispensary, and Business Services. This lets all attendees find exactly what they need to get the most out of their time.

The 2023 conference will take place between November 29 - December 1. Pre-registration opens in May: https://mjbizconference.com/

NECANN

Since 2014, NECANN has grown into the second-largest B2B cannabis industry event in the United States. This year will feature over 300 exhibitors and over 100 industry experts. 

"Rather than focusing on what the Cannabis Industry can do for us, NECANN takes a collaborative approach with the local industries and communities for our conventions, which has resulted in consistently high returns for exhibitors, sponsors, attendees, and the local cannabis market as a whole, allowing everyone to benefit and grow," (NECANN).

NECANN connects cannabis businesses, patients, investors, consumers, and entrepreneurs at each of their conferences. There will be seven events throughout 2023, spread out throughout the North East, Chicago, and Atlantic City. 

https://necann.com/

CHAMPS Trade Shows

The CHAMPS Trade Show is the premiere B2B Trade Show for the Smoke Shop/420 Industry. Attendees can make meaningful business relationships with other retail buyers, manufacturers, and distributors. 

"For twenty years, CHAMPS has taken great strides to forge successful business relationships with thousands of clients across a broad spectrum. CHAMPS is far more than just business as CHAMPS embodies the principles of fairness, consistency, and quality while maintaining a level of honesty and integrity that our friends and associates have come to expect" (CHAMPS Trade Shows).

While CHAMPS Trade Shows are free to attend, they are not open to the public. The Atlantic City Show will run from May 9-11, and the Chicago Show will run from June 6-8. Learn more about these shows: https://champstradeshows.com/

CannaCon

"From seed to seed money. CannaCon is a one-stop shop for all your cannabis business needs, including cultivation, innovation, education, business and legal advice, retail insights, extraction technology, scientific and financial trends, marketing, branding, and so much more. Network with like-minded entrepreneurs who are also building a bold, new industry" (CannaCon).

CannaCon has five expos in 2023. The conferences will be in Biloxi, MS, Oklahoma City, OK, Albuquerque, NM, Long Beach, CA, and Detroit, MI. Find out the dates of the expo nearest to you: https://cannacon.org/

These are a list of the 40 Tons Brand top 13 conferences to attend this year. In no particular order, every one of these conferences has it's own value and reason to attend.

Make sure you check out the 40 Tons Careers Level Up Career Conference powered by Good Green on June 19th, 2023 in Chicago Illinois at the Malcolm X College Events Center. It will be one you surely won't want to miss!