This past week, the Dabbin Dad team was invited up to CannaCon Boston to experience the company’s first event located on the East Coast. We were excited to travel together as a team to see what CannaCon had to offer. It was a great opportunity for us to leave the comfort of Connecticut to see how the Massachusetts community is preparing to expand into a recreational cannabis market. The year 2017, is truly an exciting time to be alive to witness the end of cannabis prohibition.
With the car all packed and everyone ready for the journey ahead. I could not feel more plebeian driving to CannaCon Boston with Baron and King keeping me company. Personally not having visited Boston since I was a child, I was enthusiastic for the trip. With our joints blazing and dabs on our minds we set off for our short trip northward.
Boston, Here we come
It wasn’t long before we entered the Boston area with all its amazing history and architecture. Home of the Red Sox, Celtics, and the Bruins!
The Hynes Convention Center was easy to find, but to find parking proved to be harder than anticipated. Thinking we could park in the adjacent lot to the convention center would be best, was more impossible given it was Friday morning with a cannabis conference in town. Thankfully, we found an outgoing attendant. He helped us scout a spot and before we knew it, we were on our way to find the entrance to the show. It was strange to walk into a mall, looking for a cannabis conference. We turned a corner and started to see some familiar faces sporting shirts like my favorite “Marijuana is safer than Alcohol.” We kindly asked where we could check in and were pointed in the right direction.
The Walk-in
We opened the door to the Hynes Convention Center, leaving the Shops at the Prudential Center, and walked into a quiet room with a security station. We were instructed to walk down the hall and follow the signs which brought us into the check-in area to get our passes. Everyone seemed happy; I mean who wouldn’t with a job promoting the sticky stinky green? Finally, Dabbin Dad had arrived to CannaCon Boston.
Walking in, you could hear some people leaving disappointed. So I started to think what people were expecting? According to their site, “CannaCon is dedicated to creating and strengthening lifelong partnerships within the emerging cannabis industry. It is our mission to provide a global venue for Cannabis Businesses, entrepreneurs, Investors, and community partners to showcase industry products, people and innovations; to cultivate business values within the cannabis industry through education and responsible community involvement.”
Cannabis Retail Sales
This was not the type of event for people who came looking to sample and buy flower or concentrates. While Massachusetts does have recreational cannabis, it does not have retail sales at this point. There was no onsite consumption inside of CannaCon Boston, but there were plenty of discrete sessions going on outside and out of sight.
CannaCon intends to bring industry leaders together, to promote all things happening in the emerging cannabis market. There were many companies which support the various aspects of the industry. There were Genetics companies, Tech companies, Testing facilities, companies specializing in hemp based CBD products and so much more. The seminars were structured to help educate people, both new and experienced in the industry, because of this the crowd was diverse. It was definitely a great experience if you’ve never attended, but again, don’t expect a Chalice type of atmosphere.
Meeting Up…
As we walked around, we found some familiar organizations, specifically two of my favorites… Kushley and N.E.V.A. Not that others don’t. These two organizations go over and beyond to make people feel included and help educate those that need assistance.
It was exciting to finally meet in person, the Humble Family Farms crew, The House of Candy – Reds THC, and let’s not forget Dr. Uma while we wandered around checking out the vendors. I love what these groups do for the local communities. Be on the lookout for a walk-thru video of CannaCon Boston coming soon on DabbinDad.com to find out who else was in attendance.
After a few trips around the conference floor and some seminars, we decided to take a break to grab some food, medicate and freshen up for the CannaCon after party.
After Party
Sadly, if you were thinking there would be smoke billowing out of the doors and windows, you would be mistaken. We showed up a little early and found some people socializing inside with drinks; everyone was having a good time. Soon after, we decided it was time to find a friendly spot. We walked outside and walked a few feet away from the door before we started to smell that familiar aroma. What started as a few people huddling around, quickly turned into a group of what seemed to be 80+ people all standing around talking and passing around the green. No one said a word and easily one of the best nights out at a bar. We stayed for a while, before the dabs started calling and we decided to start the trek back to our rooms.
CannaCon Boston is a good experience for anyone interested in the emerging cannabis market. I can’t wait to experience the next one, this time hopefully in a retail environment. I could only imagine how amazing that could be.
