Every year, the cannabis community hosts dozens of events celebrating the people, products, and progression of the industry. To get you ready for 2023’s events, we’ve listed 14 of the best cannabis events that you can look forward to annually.
Top Cannabis Events in 2023
Emerald Cup
The Emerald Cup is one of the most renowned cannabis awards you can get as a marijuana grower. Each year, cannabis farmers from across the state of California get together to compete to see whose bud is the best. This competition has been going on for 19 years now, and the event shows no sign of slowing down.
2023 Events: 19th Annual Emerald Cup Awards: May 13, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Woody Harrelson, Abdullah Saeed, Tommy Chong, Matt Barnes, Wanda James
MJBizCon
MJBizCon is arguably the biggest marijuana business conference and expo in the US. It happens every year and features some of the biggest professionals and entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry. The event happens at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where you can walk through nearly 300,000 square feet of expo including vendors, speakers, and more. Truly, it’s one of the best networking opportunities the cannabis business industry has to offer.
2023 Events: MJBizCon 2023: November 28 – December 1, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Luke Anderson, Brian Applegarth, Wendy Berger, Bohb Blair, Tyneeha Rivers
Cannabis Cup
The Cannabis Cup is the High Times’ most prestigious cannabis event. And, in 2023, the people get a say in the voting process. For the first time, members of the public get to help vote for Cannabis Cup winners, allowing for a more inclusive, widespread audience and competition. The Cannabis Cup has various categories where they award winners to those who they believed deserved the title. Brands with Cannabis Cup titles are regarded extremely highly in the cannabis world, and everyone wants to be a winner of this popular event.
2023 Events: High Times Hemp Cup People’s Choice Edition: January 30 – February 3, 2023
Women in Cannabis Expo
The Women in Cannabis Expo is an event dedicated to celebrating women in the cannabis industry. The goal is to help connect, inspire, and learn from each other, whether you’re currently in the industry or are hoping to get started. The expo happens twice a year, once on the East Coast and once on the West Coast, so you have two opportunities to be involved.
2023 Events: Women in Cannabis East Coast: June 2023; Women in Cannabis Las Vegas, Nevada: September 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Amie Reinman, Dr. Jenelle Kim, Heidi Urness, Christine Gamez, Erica Danielle, Marijayne Maven
CannaTech Expo
If you’re into the technical side of the cannabis world, the CannaTech Expo is the event for you. This expo talks about the ins and outs of the “cannabis technology spectrum,” helping to drive cannabis business owners to success. The CannaTech Expo is a great opportunity for those in the retail or dispensary sphere, as well as anyone wanting to understand the economic value of the industry.
2023 Events: CannaTech Expo: February 14-17, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Duane Roebuck, Blake Schwank, Paul Seaborn, Harry Brelsford
CannMed
CannMed is known as an “innovation and investment summit” that brings together the best plant medicine innovators across the globe. The expo focuses on plant-based medicine, safety testing, cultivation, research, and technologies. CannMed helps to unite potential partners and stakeholders, making it a great marketing and business venture if you’re just getting started.
2023 Events: CannMed 23: May 15-17, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Ethan Russo, Bonni Goldstein, Eloise Theisen
SweetWater 420 Fest
Every year, SweetWater Brewing Company hosts their beloved 420 Fest. This huge outdoor festival hosts tons of vendors, different stages, food trucks, and so much more. You can shop through the artist market and support locals, check out the Planet 420 Eco Village, or even participate in the 420 5K! (And trust us, you likely won’t get that kind of an opportunity again.)
2023 Events: April 22-23, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Oysterhead, Trey Anastasio Band, The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee, Gary Clark Jr., Dirty Heads
GlassHouse Fest
GlassHouse Fest is a cannabis event unlike any you’ve been to. Hosted in a unique venue in LA, GlassHouse Fest celebrates cannabis through music and comedy, featuring some of the biggest names in the industry like Tiffany Haddish and Eric Andre. Glass House Farms is a well-known cannabis brand, and their annual festival is something that any 420 fans in LA should at least try to attend.
2023 Events: GlassHouse Fest 2023: April 20, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Flying Lotus, Duckwrth, Guapdad 4000, Tiffany Haddish, Eric Andre
Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo
Also known as CWCBExpo, the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo is a B2B trade show that’s all about the business of the cannabis industry. This business-to-business expo is great for anyone looking to make connections and further their career in the industry through some of the most elite marketing opportunities you’ll find anywhere. If you’re a cannabis business owner in New York, this is the exposition for you.
2023 Events: CWCBExpo: June 1-3, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Mayor Eric Adams, Carl Cameron, Tremaine Wright, Gia Morón, East Side Trio, Calvin Frye, Amanda Reiman
420 Hippie Hill
420 Hippie Hill is the largest free cannabis event in the Bay Area. Every year on 4/20, people from all over California state gather at Robin Williams Meadow at Golden Gate Park to celebrate their love of cannabis. The event is sponsored by huge names in the industry like WeedMaps, Stiiizy, High Hemp, Cookies, and more. While the official announcement for 2023’s event hasn’t yet come out, we’re certain we can meet you there on 4/20 next year.
2023 Events: April 20, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: N/A
Canna Pharma
The Canna Pharma Conference is a comprehensive research conference that focuses on cannabinoid-based products, development, regulations, and more. The conference features speakers of various medical backgrounds, as well as clinical research scientists, product developers, and more.
2023 Events: June 20-21, 2023
Featured Speakers/Performers from Previous Events: Dr. Ethan Russo, Marilyn Barrett, Lori Dodson, Heather Krug, Susan Audino, Scheril Murray Powell, Dale Hunt
Alternative Products Expo
The Alternative Products Expo used to be called the USA CBD Expo, but things have changed, the industry has expanded, and there’s more than just CBD out there to showcase these days. This expo features alternative products of varying types, including CBD, hemp, mushrooms, nootropics, and more. If you’re in Florida, Dallas, or Medellin, and are a fan of all things cannabis, the Alt Pro Expo is for you.
2023 Events: Madellin: May 20-21, 2023; Dallas: July 13-15, 2023; Las Vegas: September 14-16, 2023
PBC Conference
If you’re a cannabis business person, then the PBC Conference is annual must. This conference focuses primarily on the banking side of the cannabis industry, touching on payments, banking, complicance, and more. Each year, the conference hosts over 500 attendees and more than 150 organization, making it a great choice for marketing and making those invaluable connections. If you’re in Washington DC or the surrounding area, you’re in luck — you can register to join the fun today.
2023 Events: PBC Conference: September 21-22, 2023
Featured Speakers from Previous Events: Senator Jeff Merkley, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Lt. Governor & Former Congressman Denny Heck, Rodney H. Hood
Green Label Expo
Looking for a “not-your-average” event? With over 100 speakers and 1,000s of products, missing attending Green Label Expo would be a major loss. Event Director JR Richard believes that the attendee experience is just as important as the professional industry speakers – and rightfully so. They’ve curated a time and place that will not only unite many in healing with cannabis, but also continue the advocacy and research of the plant alive. So, bring yourself together with other cannabis lovers to consume, learn, and consume some more!
2023 Events: Green Label Expo: September 13-14, 2023
Featured Speakers from Previous Events: Legislators, clinicians, company owners and many others
Attending the Best Cannabis Events
From expositions to conferences and even music and film festivals, the cannabis world has something to offer everyone. No matter what you’re interested in or what kinds of events appeal to you, we guarantee that you can find a cannabis-related event that’ll have you feeling more like a part of the community than ever before.
As 2023 begins, most of these events will start to release the dates for their upcoming events if they haven’t already, so make sure to keep an eye out.