Best Cannabis Festivals to Attend This Year... or Next Year
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Let's be honest.
A lot of us spent 2020 doing the exact same thing every day:
Wake up.
Stare at the wall.
Smoke.
Wonder what day it is.
Smoke again.
Repeat until further notice.
For a while there, your bong was your social life, your dispensary was your vacation destination, and your dog became your primary conversation partner.
Thankfully, the world has gotten a little less weird since then. People are traveling again. Concerts are happening again. Dating apps are once again convincing us that this person holding a fish is definitely our soulmate.
And most importantly?
Cannabis festivals are back on the menu.
If you've never attended one before, imagine a music festival, a farmers market, a giant smoke session, and your favorite dispensary all got together and decided to throw a party.
Let's take a look at some cannabis festivals worth adding to your bucket list.
National Cannabis Festival — Washington, D.C.
If cannabis festivals had a Hall of Fame, this one would have its own wing.
The National Cannabis Festival manages to combine education, activism, business networking, food, music, and enough cannabis culture to make your uncle's anti-weed Facebook posts spontaneously combust.
You'll find:
- Live music
- Industry vendors
- Educational panels
- Food trucks
- Advocacy organizations
- More cannabis brands than your wallet is emotionally prepared for
One of the coolest parts is that the event doesn't just celebrate cannabis—it actively pushes conversations around legalization, criminal justice reform, and the future of the industry.
So yes, you can learn something while simultaneously stuffing your face with tacos.
Growth.
420 Cannabis Festival — Michigan
Michigan wasted absolutely zero time embracing cannabis culture after legalization.
And honestly?
Good for them.
The 420 Cannabis Festival has become one of the Midwest's biggest cannabis-friendly gatherings, featuring live music, vendors, food, and enough smoke in the air to make nearby clouds feel insecure.
If your ideal weekend involves:
- Meeting fellow enthusiasts
- Listening to live music
- Eating questionable amounts of festival food
- Forgetting where you parked
...then this one deserves a spot on your radar.
Cannival — Colorado
First off, ten points for the name.
Second, if you're going to attend a cannabis festival, Colorado feels like cheating.
It's basically home-field advantage.
Cannival blends cannabis culture, live music, art, camping, and general outdoor shenanigans into one giant celebration.
Picture yourself sitting under the Colorado sky with good friends, good music, and enough snacks to survive an apocalypse.
Now picture realizing you forgot sunscreen.
That's the authentic festival experience.
Pennsylvania Cannabis Festival
Pennsylvania's cannabis community doesn't always get as much attention as some western states, but this event proves they know how to throw a party.
The Pennsylvania Cannabis Festival combines:
- Vendors
- Educational speakers
- Live entertainment
- Advocacy groups
- Hemp products
- Community events
And perhaps most importantly...
Dogs are welcome.
Let's be real.
Every event gets upgraded when dogs are involved.
The Great American Sesh In
Not everyone loves massive crowds.
Some people hear "50,000 attendees" and immediately begin looking for the nearest exit.
If that sounds familiar, events that offer virtual participation can be a fantastic alternative.
The Great American Sesh In became popular because it merged cannabis culture, entertainment, networking, and philanthropy while also making participation accessible for people who preferred staying home.
Which is great because some of us still haven't emotionally recovered from having to wear real pants again.
Bonnaroo (Honorable Mention)
Okay.
This isn't technically a cannabis festival.
But let's not pretend cannabis isn't part of the Bonnaroo ecosystem.
If you've ever attended Bonnaroo, you already know.
If you haven't attended Bonnaroo, just imagine:
- Massive music lineup
- Camping
- Art installations
- Tens of thousands of people
- The occasional life-changing grilled cheese sandwich
It's one of those events where you'll make lifelong memories, lose your friends at least three times, and somehow end up discussing the meaning of existence with a complete stranger at 2:00 AM.
Festival Survival Tips for Stoners
Before you start loading up the car, let's cover a few essentials:
Pace Yourself
Festival weed is like festival food.
You always think you need more than you actually do.
Trust us.
The strain will still be there in an hour.
Stay Hydrated
We're serious about this one.
Nobody wants to become the person sitting in a folding chair asking whether cottonmouth can become a medical emergency.
Drink water.
Lots of it.
Bring Hemp Wick
You knew we'd work this in somehow.
Between preserving flavor and avoiding the taste of butane every five minutes, hemp wick is one of those festival essentials that experienced smokers tend to appreciate more with every session.
Your terpenes will thank you.
Don't Try Every Free Sample
This applies to cannabis products, hot sauces, infused beverages, mystery gummies, and whatever suspicious thing a guy named Chad is offering from a backpack.
Exercise some restraint.
Future-you will appreciate it.
See You Out There
Cannabis festivals are one of the few places where complete strangers can bond over favorite strains, terrible rolling skills, and whether pineapple belongs on pizza.
(For the record, we're staying out of that argument.)
Whether you're looking for education, music, advocacy, networking, or simply an excuse to spend a weekend surrounded by fellow cannabis enthusiasts, there's probably a festival with your name on it.
Just remember:
Bring water.
Bring sunscreen.
Bring good vibes.
And maybe don't smoke so much that you forget which festival you're attending.
Happy smoking. 🌿💨