The Power Players of Cannabis Events: A Guide to the Industry’s Biggest Shows

MJBizCon, NECANN, CannaCon, Cannabis Means Business, and the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference remain the most influential cannabis trade shows in the United States. For a longtime cannabis event and trade show expert, these gatherings act as pivotal meeting points where ideas take shape, partnerships form, and the next wave of consumer trends begins. Each show has its own unique footprint, but all share one mission: moving the industry forward.

MJBizCon – Las Vegas, Nevada

MJBizCon stands at the top of the cannabis trade show hierarchy. Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, it hosts tens of thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors every year. The expo floor spans the full supply chain—multi-state operators, cultivation companies, extraction tech, packaging innovators, software platforms, and emerging social equity brands. MJBizCon influences the direction of the industry more than any other event, setting the tone for new technologies, retail strategies, and product formats. Consumers eventually feel the effects when new devices, strains, and retail experiences showcased here hit dispensaries throughout the country.
Website: mjbizconference.com

NECANN – The Northeast’s Community-Driven Convention

NECANN’s strength lies in its regional focus. As a multi-city series covering Boston, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, it tailors its content to the local market. The result is a conference deeply embedded in state-level regulatory updates, patient education, and small business development. NECANN events often welcome both industry professionals and consumers, giving patients and adult-use customers rare direct access to cultivators, wellness brands, and advocacy groups. This grassroots structure makes NECANN an essential platform for operators seeking meaningful connections and market-specific insights.
Website: necann.com

CannaCon – Practical Solutions for Everyday Operators

CannaCon operates across several U.S. regions, focusing on the real-world tools businesses need to grow. Its floor combines cultivation equipment, extraction systems, branding agencies, financial services, and retail solutions. Entrepreneurs attend to compare hardware, negotiate pricing, and attend sessions on compliance, marketing, and expansion. CannaCon plays an important role in supporting small and mid-sized operators, helping them remain competitive and responsive to consumer expectations.
Website: cannacon.org

Cannabis Means Business – New York’s Executive-Level Expo

Formerly CWCBExpo, Cannabis Means Business has become a major force on the East Coast. Hosted in New York City at venues such as the Javits Center, it attracts CEOs, investors, policymakers, and multi-state operators looking to scale into New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The event emphasizes business growth, licensing strategy, financial partnerships, and retail innovation. While consumers rarely attend, they feel the impact in the form of new dispensary models, product availability, and social equity frameworks shaped by conversations here.
Website: cannabismeansbusiness.com

Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference – The Deal-Making Engine

The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is the leading financial event in the cannabis sector. Held in cities like Chicago and Miami, it brings together public companies, private startups, institutional investors, and emerging brands. Its influence is largely behind the scenes—this is where funding rounds start, acquisitions take shape, and strategic partnerships form. The consumer-facing products that appear months later often trace their origins to deals initiated at Benzinga’s networking tables.
Website: benzinga.com/events

Together, these trade shows provide structure to the cannabis industry’s rapid evolution. They foster collaboration, highlight innovation, and guide how companies shape the next generation of consumer experiences.