Cannabis Leadership Awards 2021 Recipients. From left to right: Kevin Kuethe, Lume Cannabis Co.; Troy Meadows, Legion of Bloom; Lilach Mazor Power, Giving Tree Dispensary; Ngiste Abebe, Columbia Care; Josh Malman, Jushi Holdings Inc.; Graham Farrar, Glass House Brands

For almost two years, cannabis conferences were either fully canceled or ran at a limited capacity, but now that the world is starting to get back to somewhat “normal”, the conference circuit is ours to enjoy again.

Attending conferences is a big part of being in the cannabis industry. Entrepreneurs can gain new ideas, perspectives, and guidance from conference topics or people they meet at these events. People come together to learn about the newest innovations, technologies, and initiatives that are designed to push the envelope of cannabis and its industry further. Brand awareness is built as attendees get 1-1 opportunities to learn about specific brand attributes. People get the opportunity to come out from behind the Zoom screen to engage in real life and to forge stronger connections. Most importantly, cannabis conferences are a celebration of how far we’ve come with an intention to continue to build the industry to be one we’re all proud of.

Representing BIPOCANN at Various Conferences, Events & Expos

BIPOCANN likes to have a strong presence at cannabis conferences when we are able. While we never claim to speak on behalf of all BIPOC people in cannabis, we attend so we can share perspectives of our members while also ensuring that ALL people are represented at the table when it comes to discussing cannabis and its future.

We’ve pulled together a list of three cannabis conferences for BIPOCANN members, allies, and entrepreneurs to attend this summer. We really like that these conferences represent different regions, topics, and sizes of events, proving that there truly is something for everyone.

Cannabis Marketing Summit

When: June 7-9, 2022

Where: Denver, Colorado; McNichols Building in Civic Center Park

What it Is: Presented by the Cannabis Marketing Association, Cannabis Marketing Summit is the annual event for cannabis marketers and communications professionals. The event will evaluate the current state of cannabis marketing and teach the practical tools, tactics, and data that produce effective strategies and campaigns for cannabis brands across the country. This is Cannabis Marketing Summit’s first in-person event, and will feature 32 educational sessions, an expo floor, an outdoor lounge, yard games, and an after party at Tetra Lounge – Colorado’s first licensed cannabis consumption lounge.

Why It’s Important: “It’s incredibly difficult for cannabis businesses to navigate marketing. They often have small budgets, small teams, and have to maximize their return on investment in an advertising environment that isn’t very friendly to the cannabis industry,” said Lisa Buffo, Founder & CEO of Cannabis Marketing Association, “The content at the Cannabis Marketing Summit is designed to help cannabis marketers that are serious about propelling their businesses to the forefront of the global industry.”

What to See or Experience: Once sentenced to life without parole for cannabis charges, Corvain Cooper was granted clemency last year. Now Chief Brand Ambassador at 40 Tons, Cooper will be keynoting the Cannabis Marketing Summit and sharing his story.

BIPOCANN founder Ernest Toney will be moderating a panel called “After Licensing Happens: Removing Barriers for Cannabis Social Equity Businesses & How Marketing Can Help” which includes members of the BIPOCANN network discussing their experiences with licensing, social equity programs, and the role that marketing can play to create opportunities for equity businesses to thrive within the cannabis industry.

Where to Learn More or Purchase Tickets: https://thecannabismarketingassociation.com/events/cannabis-marketing-summit-2022/. Subscribe to the BIPOCANN newsletter and access a promo code for $50 off Cannabis Marketing Summit tickets.

Fiesta del Sol Cannabis Expo

When: July 28-31, 2022

Where: Chicago, Illinois; Community of Pilsen, spanning 8-blocks down Cermak Road

What it Is: This isn’t a cannabis conference, this is a cultural movement. Fiesta del Sol is the largest Latino festival of its kind in the United States and averages more than 1 million visitors each year. This year’s Fiesta del Sol (50th Anniversary), in recognition of its rich history and with an eye toward amplifying the Latino culture, is inviting cannabis industry partners to the event with the goal of bringing the opportunities and potentialities of the cannabis industry to the Latino market.

Why It’s Important: MJBizDaily’s Women and Minorities in Cannabis report showed that Latinos make up only a small percentage of ownership of businesses in the cannabis space. In Nevada, for example, Latinos make up 12.8% of cannabis business owners, yet that number falls to 1.5% in Michigan. 

Fiesta del Sol Cannabis Expo is an important opportunity to engage our Latino friends in the possibilities of the growing cannabis industry. In addition, Fiesta del Sol is the primary fundraiser for Pilsen Neighbors Community Council, a community stakeholder with more than 70 years of history and tradition in the Pilsen and Latino community. The proceeds from Fiesta del Sol make the community organizing, leadership training, and service programming Pilsen Neighbors provides throughout the year possible. 

“Latino communities, businesses and stakeholders have largely been left on the outside looking in as far as the cannabis industry goes. We see this as a missed opportunity for everyone considering the size of the Latino market and the role Latino consumers can play in helping to normalize the industry,” says Julio Urritia, Co-Founder at Hyve and Chair of the Fiesta del Sol Cannabis Expo, “Fiesta del Sol is an ideal venue to begin to create the partnerships in the industry that will make the opportunities of the industry available to Latino communities and entrepreneurs.”

What to See or Experience: Fiesta del Sol is a free, community event. The event features a Ferris Wheel, and over 100 booths with some of the best tacos, tamales, and tostadas in town. Artists and musicians share their talents throughout the event and on two performance stages. The inaugural Cannabis Expo will include networking and educational programming to inform attendees about the opportunities to participate in the cannabis industry.

Where to Learn More: If your company is interested in becoming a vendor for this exciting event, connect at https://www.fiestadelsol.org/participate/#becomeavendor. If your company is interested in being a sponsor for the Fiesta del Sol Cannabis Expo, contact Julio Urritia or info@bipocann for details.

Cannabis Conference

When: August 23-25, 2022

Where: Las Vegas, Nevada; Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

What it Is: Cannabis Conference 2022, presented by Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower, is the one conference where professionals of plant-touching businesses from across the U.S. and more than 30 countries convene to explore the biggest challenges and opportunities of the legal cannabis and hemp industries.

Why It’s Important: The event provides an opportunity to meet others facing the same day-to-day hurdles, learn how to overcome those roadblocks, and anticipate the changes to come during a time when business growth and legalization are intersecting in new markets almost every day. The event is highly focused on education for cultivators, retailers, and processors, expanding its educational offerings with a track dedicated to the cultivation and sale of hemp and hemp-derived products.

What to See or Experience: There is a wealth of knowledge to be taken from Cannabis Conference for emerging entrepreneurs, with sessions like “Create A Winning License Application”, “What’s Your Company Worth? How To Build A Business Valuation” and “Marketing 101: A Step-By-Step Guide To Building A Cannabis Brand.”

The Cannabis Leadership Awards, presented by Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Conference, with the support of FOHSE – Future of Horticultural Science + Engineering, will honor five cannabis industry professionals who exemplify the leadership qualities needed to inspire and empower those around them and who work toward the betterment of the entire industry. Honorees will be recognized at a special awards reception at Cannabis Conference 2022.

Where to Learn More or Purchase Tickets: All the information you need to attend or exhibit can be found at https://www.cannabisconference.com/

3 Fall Conferences to Schedule into Your Calendar

The conference circuit definitely doesn’t stop at the end of summer. In fact, in many ways, it’s only really ramping up.

On October 17-19, BIPOCANN will have a role at the Cannabis Quality Conference & Expo in Parsippany, New Jersey. There, on October 17, BIPOCANN founder Ernest Toney will be moderating a panel called “The Future of East Coast Cannabis: Social Equity, Justice & Legalization”. Stay tuned to our member newsletter for a promo code for 15% off Cannabis Quality Conference & Expo tickets. 

November 3-5 will see the return of the Black CannaBusiness Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Black CannaBusiness  Conference and Expo focuses on the acceleration and success of Black businesses in the cannabis industry. Join hundreds of cannabis business leaders to network and learn from the most influential Black voices in cannabis today.

This leads up to the largest cannabis conference of the year, MJBizCon, to be held in Las Vegas. Celebrating its 11th anniversary in 2022, the award-winning show is held at Las Vegas Convention Center and showcases over 250,000 square feet of exhibits, a 3-day conference, pre-show forums, and over 140 speakers plus extraordinary networking and partnership-building opportunities. More than 30,000 cannabis executives are expected to attend in 2022.

MJBizCon 2021 panelists. From left to right: Ernest Toney, BIPOCANN; Kristi Kelly, Sozo Companies; Tom Nolasco, National Association of Cannabis Businesses; Tahir Johnson, U.S. Cannabis Council and Marijuana Policy Project

BIPOCANN participated in Associations Day last year, and Ernest Toney, founder moderated the panel “Increasing Minority Participation in the Cannabis Industry’s New and Emerging Markets.” BIPOCANN will be participating at Associations Day, once again in 2022. Stay tuned to our member newsletter for a promo code for 10% off MJBizCon tickets.

Join BIPOCANN for Conference Access

BIPOCANN works on behalf of our members to secure partnerships and promo codes to ensure that these events are financially accessible. Please stay tuned to our website, blog, and our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss a chance to save some money while building your network, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the cannabis industry through these important events. Learn more about becoming a BIPOCANN member and the benefits of joining our network.