Best Cannabis Festivals in the U.S. to Attend in 2022

By M. Carroll on May 6, 2022Culture
Best Cannabis Festivals in the U.S. to Attend in 2022

We are well into the first quarter of 2022, and cannabis festivals are underway. You still have time to schedule and travel to the best USA cannabis festivals and expos in 2022. These ten cannabis festivals may interest you and your friends.

  1. SXSW. Austin, TX welcomes waves of tourists from March 11 through the 20th. SXSW (South by Southwest) includes a series of events, including technology, cinema, music, and more. Thousands focus on the music segment built around A-list music acts, parties, and after-parties.Cannabis remains illegal in Texas, but policing has been very tolerant around several music venues. Austin also offers significant dining and drinking opportunities. You will need to plan travel and lodging now.

  1. CannaCon South OKC. Thanks to Oklahoma’s recent legalization of medical cannabis, the canna-business has moved into full swing in Oklahoma. This festival runs from March 31 through April 1 at the OKC Convention Center 100 Mick Cornett Drive, OKC 73109. CannaCon invites like-minded professionals, growers, breeders, educators, and more to display and discuss the industry trends and opportunities. The CannaCon festivals across the U.S. empower exchange and interaction among national interests and activists.

CannaCon meetings focus on B2B interests, but you will find fun and relaxation there. Other CannaCon events include:

  • CannaCon Midwest (Detroit, MI): July 21-22, 2022

  • CannaCon Midwest (Chicago, IL): August 26-27, 2022

  • CannaCon West (Denver, CO): September 24-25, 2022

  • CannaCon South (Richmond, VA): October 14-15, 2022

  • CannaCon South (Biloxi, MS): February 24-25, 2023

  1. Cannabis Week Denver. Many sites will host cannabis events on or around 4/20. It is only fitting that Denver presents the festival of festivals. The week runs from 4/18 through 4/24. The Denver team has booked A-list music events featuring Collie Buddz, Cypress Hill, Method Man, and others. This experienced organization puts together something for every taste, but you should book flights and hotels soon.

  1. Hippie Hill, San Francisco. The city claims rights to the oldest free 4/20 cannabis gathering. There is something sentimental and grounded about this informal party dating to the 1970s, but the community has improved the organization every year.Hippie Hill sits in Golden State Park. You will find food stands, pockets of families and friends, and music from bandstands throughout the site. Nobody worries about public consumption at this event.

  1. National Cannabis Festival. Washington, DC, features its annual National Cannabis Festival on April 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of participants gather for panel discussions, visual and graphic artists, vendors, sponsors, and musical celebrations.The festival grounds at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium have posted prohibition of cannabis use, but it will undoubtedly be in the air. General Admission runs $55 this year, including headliner Wiz Khalifa. 

  1. Freedom Through Growth. Kutztown, PA, will host the Freedom Through Growth festival on April 23 and 24. Renninger’s Farmers Market will welcome the Pennsylvania Cannabis Festival with over 150 vendors, live music, and canna-centric education.Kutztown is a university town in the rural farmland less than 25 miles west of Allentown, PA. The city sits at the edge of Pennsylvania-Dutch country and markets its best products. This date presents a great spring opportunity, mainly because it is free and welcomes pets on leash.

  1. Green Street Festival & Emerald Cup Awards. Every event is more fun since California decriminalized cannabis. You can count on that at the Green Street Festival in L.A. on May 13-14, 2022. It will also host the Emerald Cup Awards.The organization has not confirmed the Los Angeles location, but the Green Street building seems likely. Vendors, sponsors, and musicians will gather and host the “Academy Awards of Cannabis” near Hollywood.

  1. 7th Annual Native American Cannabis & Hemp Conference. Located in Southern California's vineyard-rich Temecula Valley, the conference opens conversations, meetings, and panel discussions on best practices for creating regulated, legal, safe, and high-quality cannabis products. The Pechanga Casino & Resort will welcome Tribal Leaders from June 14 to June 15.The conference hosts Native Americans and Tribal Leaders. However, Pechanga and Temecula remain canna friendly. So, this is a must-attend low-keyed event in a picturesque area, a short drive to the Pacific Ocean beaches.

  1. Terptown Throwdown. The Terptown Throwdown resumes August 19th and 20th in Spencer, MA. This festival lists reggae bands among its attractions. It lacks a website and functions mainly on Facebook. While it has hosted folks from the area and fans from New England, the popularity has grown. 

  1. Seattle Hempfest. The champion of all U.S. cannabis festivals did not run in 2021 because of COVID-19 concerns. Organizers replaced it with a city-wide Green Sweep with volunteers cleaning up parks and green areas. They have not confirmed the October dates for Hempfest 2022.You can expect over 300,00 participants at this unstructured and free event. Planning for Seattle should mean securing lodging and transportation early.

Your final trip

2022 will see scores of cannabis awards events: expos closed to industry principles, educational panels, and activist rallies. Some run with free admission or pricey tickets. Some have celebrity music, while others feature local bands. Some have dates yet-to-be-determined. And some are trying to outguess the impact of COVID-19 precautions. Most of the events have active websites to help you make plans.Because of the universal desire to get out of quarantine restrictions, you can expect large crowds and impact housing and travel. So, you should plan now! You should expect a cluster of activities around 4/20, while many other events occur in mild weather seasons.