With the market blossoming, 2024 is the year to attend many New Jersey weed events, including several 4/20 parties on the traditional weed day celebration along with cannabis industry conferences.
Some New Jersey weed events cater to consumers versus industry professionals and business owners.
New Jersey cannabis business conferences vary widely in quality. Some emphasize their show floor of booths and people to mingle and bargain. Others are speaker and panel-heavy in small rooms focused on cannabis industry education and insight.
The list of New Jersey weed events throughout the Garden State includes many forums, paint and puffs, networking events, underground legacy markets, and cannabis industry conferences throughout the state.
In addition, legal New Jersey cannabis dispensary grand openings will continue to be very frequent. More legal New Jersey cannabis manufacturers will likely hold parties. The opened dispensaries will likely hold promotional events around holidays as well.
There will also be periodic job fairs for jobs in licensed companies and expungement clinics to help erase criminal records.
Several Regular New Jersey Weed Events
Several noted New Jersey cannabis planners schedule them with only a certain amount of time in advance. Follow them closely, and you’ll see when. For example, the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA) throws regular networking happy hours.
NJ Smokers Club 420 weed markets and parties occur very often. They are an underground legacy to legal market and party planner that has partnered with legal dispensaries like Leaf Haus (which Heady NJ is also advertising, full disclosure) recently for an International Women’s Day party in New Brunswick in Middlesex County. They told Heady NJ they are planning a 4/20 party where everyone gets free weed.
New Jersey cannabis academia is blooming, with Stockton University, Rowan University, and Hudson County Community College leading. They periodically hold seminars and events.
A few out-of-town conferences previously held in New Jersey will probably not make a return appearance this year.
Notably, NJ Cannabis Insider does not have any planned events for 2024.
Heady NJ is planning on holding events later this year. For now, we are focused on the nuts and bolts of our operation after winning a grant last year.
Some events occur in places where it’s hard to smoke weed, which is a difficult compromise to make for legalization and normalization.
NJCRC Meetings, Hearings, and Clinics
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) has several hearings and clinics planned for the year, along with regular monthly meetings, except for November. Their meetings occur at 44 South Clinton Street in Trenton. They usually take at least an hour to start while they deliberate in private. The meetings are scheduled for the following dates:
- Thursday, April 11th.
- Wednesday, May 8th.
- Thursday, June 6th.
- Thursday, July 18th.
- Thursday, September 19th.
- Thursday, October 17th.
- Thursday, December 12th.
New Jersey Medical Cannabis Patient Registration Clinics
The NJCRC also plans to host a series of registering clinics to assist existing and potential patients and caregivers in signing up or renewing enrollment in the Medicinal Cannabis Program (MCP). The registration clinics are designed to give hands-on guidance to patients and caregivers and to answer questions.
Twelve events will be held in Trenton, Newark, and Atlantic City starting in March and running through November.
“The inquiries we received from customer service lines and by email indicate that there is a need for these clinics so those interested in finding out about the Medicinal Cannabis Program and existing enrollees can get support and guidance for navigating the platforms and processes,” said NJCRC Executive Director Jeff Brown. “The MCP remains a priority for our agency. We are actively working to ensure that those who want access to the program have a clear path to participating.”
The NJCRC MCP Registration Clinic locations and dates are as follows:
212 Washington St., Newark
- March 19th.
- June 11th.
- September 24th.
- November 13th.
1325 Boardwalk, Atlantic City
- March 21st.
- June 18th.
- October 1st.
- November 15th.
50 Barrack St., Trenton
- March 26th.
- June 13th.
- September 26th.
- November 19th.
In Newark and Atlantic City, clinics will run from 10 AM to 4 PM, and events in Trenton will run from 10 AM to 6 PM.
Patients must bring a valid provider statement to register and receive cards there.
Authorizing providers may be found on their website.
Social Equity Excise Fee Hearings
The NJCRC is also planning a series of virtual hearings on Social Equity Excise Fee spending for next week in the evening.
They will also likely be featured in more New Jersey legislative hearings in the State House.
Spring Events
On March 23rd, Cannademix is holding their Clover Clouds party. According to their website, they will transform “a Secret Location in Newark into a mystical enclave of music, magic, and merriment for “Clover Clouds” – our St. Patrick’s Day celebration with a signature twist.”
“The night will unfold in the eclectic spaces of Sesh House, a brand new venue opening up that is hosting our community. Expect a tapestry of sounds as our lineup of DJs spin a mix of techno beats, electronic rhythms, and traditional Celtic tunes, creating a pulsating backdrop for the night’s festivities.”
“Beyond the dance floor, engage with interactive installations. Artisans and vendors will showcase their crafts, offering everything from bespoke festival gear to gourmet munchies, ensuring your journey is as flavorful as it is colorful. Immerse yourself in an array of experiences designed to tantalize your senses and ignite your imagination.”
Cannademix will likely hold more New Jersey weed events throughout the year.
NJ Magic Mushrooms Conference
On March 30th, a magic mushrooms conference is being held in Newark that will feature several noted New Jersey cannabis leaders.
A cannabis cooking class is going to be held in Toms River in Ocean County on April 5th.
The cannabis conference MJ Unpacked is coming to Atlantic City. They have a happy hour planned for Monday, April 8th. The conference formally starts Tuesday and lasts till Thursday, April 11th. It was previously held in New York City in 2023 and 2022. MJ Unpacked held large conferences with a show floor and many speakers. They were very conscious at MJ Unpacked about who was allowed in.
NJ 4/20Weed Parties
There are several parties being planned across the great State of New Jersey on 4/20. It will be an especially busy and festive day since it will be on a Saturday this year. A large range of cannabis advocates and companies celebrate it and hold an event themed toward it.
There will also be the traditional NJ 4/20 Trenton State House protest by the Sativa Cross advocacy group. While the New Jersey adult use cannabis legal market has made progress, the lack of legal home grow, which remains a felony, will be noted. Since it’s often a nice day, it has taken on a leisurely atmosphere with people enjoying consuming cannabis.
On 4/20, Jersey City will see another Very Potent Festival from noon to midnight at 227 Coles Street. According to the flyer, it will have art, music, food trucks, drinks, and games. They say there will also be celebrity guests, although they are not named.
Local license applicant Haytham Elgawly is organizing the festival. He is a local clothing store owner and underground legacy to legal dispensary and lounge license applicant. Elgawly also held a weed festival last year.
4/20 in Jersey will also see The Best Budzz Festival in Atlantic City. The description says, “3 days of Fun! Bringing the best of the cannabis community together to beautiful Atlantic City for 3 days featuring everything from Comedy, to Sports, Food, & of course CANNABIS. Beer garden and other amenities & acts TBA.”
Also on 4/20, there will be a concert in Atlantic City featuring Cypress Hill.
The list of 4/20 New Jersey weed events includes a Take Off Lounge Block Party in Newark. It is the site of several underground legacy market events.
In Teaneck in Bergen County, another underground legacy event is called Pot Paradise Night.
4/20 NJ Promotions
Several New Jersey cannabis companies will market themselves with 4/20. For example, Heady NJ is advertising Brute’s Roots, which is giving away weed.
High Profile Dispensary in Lakehurst in Ocean County is also holding a 4/20 NJ promotion.
More New Jersey Weed Events
The Cannabis Connection business networking group is holding a meet and greet in Montclair on April 24th. Notably, it says in red, “no cannabis is allowed at this event.” They hold several networking events throughout the year.
The New Jersey Bar Association is throwing a legal weed and magic mushrooms conference on April 30th.
Later in spring, the Champs Trade Show will be back in Atlantic City from May 7th to the 9th. It is definitely a B2B (Business 2 Business) cannabis conference that also includes tobacco and Delta 8 smoke shop vendors. The Champs Trade Show is geared towards small business owners looking for supplies and B2B deals.
They are holding shows in Chicago and Las Vegas later in the year.
In July, Sativa Cross has confirmed they are planning another patient-centered 710 OIL Day.
Fall NJ Cannabis Industry Conferences
NECANN will be held in Atlantic City after Labor Day again on September 6th and 7th. They are a cannabis industry conference geared toward New Jersey cannabis professionals and businesspeople along with those from elsewhere. NECANN is a very show floor-centric conference with some seminar speakers and panels but no big guest speakers. Having occurred since before COVID and adult-use legalization, NECANN is one of the older cannabis industry conferences.
The 420 Expo, which featured Tommy Chong in 2022 and Cheech Marin in 2023, is returning for a third time from Sept 13th to the 15th. It is one of the few mass New Jersey cannabis consumer conferences held regularly now. They usually rent the Expo Center in Edison in Middlesex County.
The Real Cannabis Entrepreneur Conference (RCE) is being held on Oct 25th and 26th in North Jersey. Their New Jersey cannabis industry conference caters to small businesspeople looking to listen to other small businesspeople speak about some success in their niche. Notably, it often features female and minority start-up entrepreneurs who have made some progress.
2024 New York Cannabis Events
Many New Jerseyans will take the ride across the Hudson River to New York to attend some of their consumer and business-focused events as well.
For example, the annual New York City cannabis parade will happen on May 4th. It was started in the 1970s as radicals. With the passage of adult-use legalization in New York and its wild rollout, the parade is continuing.
June will see the North Jersey-based Cannabis World Congress (CWC) return to the Javits Center in New York City on the 5th and 6th. They throw a show floor-heavy cannabis industry conference that attracted New York City Mayor Eric Adams in 2022, who encouraged cannabis consumption and disgraced former Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin in 2021 who cut the ribbon to open it.
The legacy to legal operator Happy Munkey will also probably throw a party on 4/20 and 710.
Popular Cannabis Industry Conferences Elsewhere
There are also a lot of cannabis conferences outside of the state that many New Jersey cannabis professionals will attend.
That includes the Benzinga cannabis capital conference 4/16-17 in Hollywood, Florida by Fort Lauderdale. They are promoting the fact that the CEO of many cannabis corporations that are Multi-State Operators (MSOs) are attending.
Several events are planned for 4/20 in Washington, DC. For example, New Jersey cannabis businesswoman and advocate Nichelle Santos is going to be featured at the National Cannabis Festival in Washington, DC.
MJ Biz Con in Las Vegas is another that attracts many industry professionals. It will be held December 3rd to December 6th.
In addition, a great many smaller B2B cannabis conferences are held nationwide across the state-legal cannabis markets.
There is also a variety of underground legacy to legal cannabis festivals held from Maine to California.
