Consumer cannabis product education expo to be held in the Midwest
Regional Cannabis Brands And Retail Dispensaries Exhibit For General Public At Blaze: Missouri Brand Showcase, June 3 And 4, Union Station, St. Louis
This summer, a first-of-its-kind consumer cannabis product educational expo will be held in the midwest to let the general public experience what it is like to walk into a cannabis retail dispensary and shop the region’s medical and adult-use cannabis product offerings.
The interactive event is called Blaze: Missouri Brand Showcase, and will be held June 3 and 4 at Union Station in St. Louis. More than 50 of the region’s cannabis brand leaders will showcase their retail dispensaries and consumer products at the show. The two-day event also includes celebrity-led cooking demonstrations and both trade and consumer educational breakout sessions and networking opportunities. Scheduled events include a Women’s Breakfast, Patient Expo-floor Networking Mixer, and industry pre- and after-parties.
Over the two days, the priority will be on providing attendees the ability to learn about becoming authorized patients and caregivers within the Missouri and Illinois medical cannabis programs, and securing affordable and expert access to qualified healthcare specialists who can assist individuals in completing required applications, Expo producers say.
The Blaze expo plans to add about 1,000 people to the greater St. Louis region’s medical cannabis patient base. Almost 3 percent of the state’s population are certified medical patients, and St. Louis county and the city of St. Louis have the heaviest concentration of patients, at about 25,000 people. Currently, the state has authorized about 190 retail dispensaries to sell approved cannabis-infused products from among 100 consumer product brands in various consumable formats, from traditional flower to familiar foods and beverages. All consumer products authorized to be sold to Missourians are produced within the state. Missouri’s medical marijuana retail sales are predicted to reach about $360 million this year, and the state’s cannabis industry is among the state’s top 10 hiring sectors, revealed a recent report from the Missouri Department of Labor.
Blaze: Missouri Brand Expo is produced by Imaginarium Enterprises, the midwest event company that produces the cannabis industry’s MoCannBizCon+EXPO, as well as a Missouri medical cannabis edutainment series for medical dispensary personnel. Imaginarium’s Founder and CEO, Karin Spinks-Chester, said she’s designed the Blaze experience so that attendees will feel comfortable exploring and learning no matter their prior familiarity shopping for cannabis at a retail dispensary. The event provides critical exposure, education exchange, and networking for the burgeoning cannabis industry as well, Chester said.
Blaze: Missouri Product Showcase will be held both Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4. Friday’s educational focus is for attendees working in the cannabis industry; Saturday’s learning schedule includes focused Missouri medical patient and caregiver workshops and networking sessions. Cannabis products displayed at the expo will be legally compliant, non-dosed samples, and mock examples. The product packaging on display will be exact to the items sold at the region’s dispensaries. Each cannabis company will have trained staff available to orient and educate attendees one-on-one, as well. Attendees must be 18 years old or older to attend, and there will not be any cannabis sold or consumed at the event. Attendee tickets begin at $50 and can be purchased at Blaze Missouri Expo. Cannabis companies and brands can learn more about Blaze sponsorship and exhibit opportunities through the expo website.