2018 is unfolding to be an even more exciting year than 2017 as cannabis continues to permeate the cultures of North America, South America, Europe and other pockets of the world. Needless to say, cannabis is something that is enjoyed in each corner of the globe, from sea to sea, and is one of the most powerful forces for uniting people.
For the cannabis community, the international sphere offers some of the finest cannabis-themed events, conferences, and festivals that the most enthusiastic of cannabis connoisseurs don’t want to miss.
Here’s an overview of 10 International cannabis events happening in 2018 to check out:
Europe
Spannabis Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
March 9-11
Now in its 11th year, Spannabis will be held in Barcelona on March 9, 10 and 11. Spannabis is three days of exhibition, where people in the area can meet some of the industry’s biggest players. The day is full of conference style activities and has lively music to keep the vibe strong. The approach of this conference is to begin looking at cannabis legalization as an international movement.
This year’s event is done in conjunction with World Cannabis Conferences and is sponsored by International Cannabis Business Conference.
International Cannabis Business Conference
Berlin, Germany
April 11-13
Considered one the premier events of the global cannabis world, the International Cannabis Business Conference is around the corner again, with events held in the USA, Canada and various countries in Europe. The next ICBC event will be held in Berlin, April 11-13.
New reports estimate that the global cannabis industry will be worth $57 billion by 2027, making conferences like the ICBC crucial for global networking.
This year’s Berlin event is attended by some great industry leaders, including our company Highlife Media, who will be in attendance and looking forward to meeting existing and new collaborators.
Event highlights include a keynote speech by noted personality Henry Rollins, and some other engaging keynote events that discuss international business and investment opportunities. This conference will help people who are working in their own countries increase their own scope towards thinking globally in terms of cannabis. Get your tickets here!
CannaTrade
Zurich, Switzerland
April 27-29
Held in Zurich April 27-29th, CannaTrade is one of the oldest hemp fairs in Europe. This high-end trade show showcases all aspects of cannabis, paying particular attention to the emerging and growing CBD market in Switzerland.
Visitors will benefit from different streams of knowledge from hemp growing, to how cannabidiol is being used in medical contexts, and emerging accessories and paraphernalia like pipes and vaporizers that brings style and convenience into using CBD.
Exhibitors will be invited to participate in the Canna Swiss Cup for a chance to be rewarded best strain, voted on by conference participants. An engaging educational presentation schedule will invite attendees to learn from other industry leaders through engaging and interactive discussions, presentations and lectures.
Food and drinks are an added highlight, with refreshments being enjoyed throughout the conference.
Be sure to RSVP your attendance to the event, and be sure not to miss the official afterparty at SpaceMonki in Zurich on the 27th.
Mary Jane Berlin
Berlin, Germany
June 8 – 10
For the third year in a row, thousands of people will be congregating in over 8,000-square-meters of indoor and outdoor space in celebration of cannabis for therapeutic events at Mary Jane Berlin.
Over 200 national and international exhibitors will attend this event June 8 – 10 at Area Berlin. The focus of the event is cultural entertainment through art and music, while engaging in informative lectures and discussions about cannabis and its therapeutic uses and benefits. Cannabis will be talked about as a medicine, beauty product, food, building material, and much more.
United States
Hash Bash
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
April 7
This will be the 47th (yes, 47th) year that Hash Bash will be running in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Always held on the first Saturday of April of every year at the University of Michigan (this year on April 7), Hash Bash has been a long-loved festival and celebration of the power of cannabis.
Featuring vendors, celebrity guests, glass blowers, and food galore, this is a guaranteed annual crowd pleasure, made even more exciting with buzz being that 2018 will be the year that Michigan legalizes cannabis.
World Medical Cannabis Conference and Expo
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
April 12 – 14
Held in Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, a state that has recently broken new ground in legal medical cannabis, the 2018 World Medical Cannabis Conference and Expo April 12-14 will bring several topics to the forefront, including children and cannabis, cannabis for veterans, cannabis for athletes, cannabis education strategies, social media for cannabis, cannabis banking, cannabis branding, and cannabis research, and that’s only scratching the surface.
With a focus on bringing world-class athletes to the table in support of cannabis, and discussing the spread of medical cannabis across the state, this is a huge event, open to the international cannabis business, where participants are guaranteed to leave with tons of actionable takeaways and new knowledge around medical cannabis.
National Cannabis Festival
Washington, DC, USA
April 22
On April 22, hundreds from around the USA and abroad will descend upon Washington D.C. for the National Cannabis Festival. If the event being headlined by Cypress Hill isn’t enough to entice you, perhaps it’ll be the Grow School on site, or the Education Pavillion full of events packed full of cannabis knowledge. A Munchie Zone will give you some of the best delicious delicacies to snack on while participating in some of the events.
The CannaTank is an opportunity to vie for funding to start up a new cannabis business idea. While the deadline for participation in CannaTank has passed, it’s sure to be an enlightening event highlighting some of the newest and brightest minds in cannabis.
Seattle Hempfest
Seattle, Washington, USA
August 17-20
Now in its 27th year in one of the most developed cannabis states in the USA, Seattle Hempfest calls itself a “Protestival”, as a cannabis policy reform event. It’s responsible for pushing forward critical conversations about cannabis across Washington and the United States.
The event, happening this year on August 17, 18 and 19, will have a constant stream of speakers, over 400 vendors, and 5 stages with various artistic, musical, and informational events.
Canada
420 Events in Canada
Various Locations
April 20
While legal recreational cannabis won’t be hitting the dispensary shelves until a projected August 2018 will be the year for national cannabis legalization for Canadians.
Known as a nation who has always loved their cannabis, 420, or April 20, has always been a highly celebrated event among Canadians. From Vancouver to Calgary, to Ottawa, Vancouver, and Montreal, cannabis will be smoked in droves across Canada in both official and unofficial events.
Toronto’s event is usually one to note in Canada, with participants regularly showing up to smoke their cannabis at Toronto’s City Hall in Nathan Phillips Square. The day is packed full with a schedule of music, speakers and cannabis advocates guaranteed to keep the vibe flowing positive for cannabis in Canada’s big city.
MJBizCon International Toronto, Ontario, Canada
August 14-16
Likely happening just after recreational cannabis will be available for purchase in Canada, MJBizCon International is a spin-off of the other annual events held by Marijuana Business Daily, MJBizCon, and MJBizCon NEXT.
MJBizCon International, held in Toronto August 14-16 is focused on uniting the global cannabis business through practices, sharing knowledge, and working on collective strategies to make the cannabis industry accessible worldwide.
The event includes pre-conference sessions that the participants can opt in to, including a Canadian Marijuana Business Crash Course.
Choose Your Conferences Wisely
This list of 10 destinations for cannabis enthusiasts and business representatives shows an exciting growth in the existence of regular events that celebrate cannabis. As we get to a point of international acceptance, we can look forward to these events sustaining themselves and growing well into the future, when shifts in policy will continue to offer much to celebrate over the years.
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