Paint Louis is an all-ages event lasting three days, over Labor Day Weekend, September 2-4,  featuring 300 local, national, and international artists and canvases over 2 miles of flood wall.

For decades creativity and cannabis have gone hand in hand. As society grows increasingly comfortable with the cannabis plant, much of the stigma and rhetoric surrounding it falls away.

The cannabis plant’s ability to ease the mind and relax the body has made it a powerful tool for treating a plethora of ailments, leading to legalization of medical marijuana in more than two-thirds of the country. 

The ability for cannabis consumers to function without pain, or to ease a neurodivergent mind, are the same qualities that have made marijuana popular with creatives.

This weekend the worlds of cannabis and art blend once again at Paint Louis. For 25 years, the events has been a celebration of self-expression through art. Through graffiti, dance, and music, Paint Louis creates a welcoming environment to celebrate urban culture and the culture of St. Louis.

Over time the event has grown, and with thousands of spectators and participants attending the three-day event, Paint Louis has become a staple of both the city and state. 

Recognized in 1998 by Guinness as the longest graffiti mural in the world, Mural Mile has become a mecca for artists and muralists from around the world.

This weekend, Paint Louis will welcome thousands of spectators, supporters, family and friends, to partake in the one-of-a-kind live paint festival. 

“The flood walls have transitioned from an ‘if you know, you know,’ destination to a tourism-promoted spot – it’s definitely worth checking out when in St. Louis! The energy that the walls bring is inspiring and we’re excited to support the vibe,” explained Rachael Herndon of A Joint Operation.

This year, with the help of Cannvocate, some of Missouri’s most renowned cannabis brands will make their mark on the Mural Mile. Conte, Elevate Holistics, Midwest Magic, and Missouri’s Own Edibles have partnered with Cannvocate to support the event and the artists. 

“This is about aligning with a culture in an organic way to ensure this is part of a community effort and not just an advertising piece,” Douglas Hall, President of Cannvocate, said. “Paint Louis has been going on for 25 years. It is probably the single most grassroots and organic event that happens in this region, much less state, because it’s really about the artists. It was built out of community gatherings.”

Community partners

For Hall and Cannvocate, that community spirit is the backbone of choosing the right partners for the event.

“The companies we partnered with were able to offset costs for the event and provide paint and income for the artists while aligning with the mission of the board of Paint Louis, which is to maintain that artists have revenue opportunities and supplies and the opportunity to express themselves,” Hall continued. “These brands are putting their trust and faith into the artists to represent them in a way that aligns with the rest of the pieces going on the wall, no one just wants a giant logo slapped in the middle of an art piece.”

“Both Midwest Magic and Conte are thrilled to sponsor Paint Louis. Not only does Paint Louis give us the opportunity to have a lasting presence at a cultural hub in St. Louis, it’s a fantastic event that brings the city together around local artists. As brands, we’re committed to supporting the community through active engagement,” Herndon said. “We’re so excited to see a long lineup of local (and a few national) names in music. Anyone considering the event needs to check out the event Facebook page – it’s incredible what the Paint Louis and Cannvocate teams have brought together. Seriously, KRS One will be at this event,” she declared.

The team at Missouri’s Own Edibles is also enthusiastic about the company’s ability to support the event.

“Paint Louis is an iconic tradition that has become synonymous with STL culture over the last two decades,” said Cole Brents of Missouri’s Own Edibles. “As a Missouri-owned and operated brand, we are grateful for the opportunity to promote local artists and uplift the community that has been so supportive of Missouri’s Own Edibles.”

“Paint Louis is a special event that uplifts artists and beautifies our city- which aligns closely with the mission of Missouri’s Own. The combination of our partnerships with local businesses like Old Vienna and The Coffee Ethic, collaborations with locally renowned artists like Jayvn Solomon and Brock Seals, and supporting local traditions like Paint Louis aim to elevate Missouri as a whole,” explained Tony Billmeyer.

A mindful approach to business

For Cannvocate and its partners, Paint Louis is another example of how cannabis companies are seeking to engrain themselves into the community rather than simply pander to propspective audiences.

“Cannvocate has taken the guesswork out of community engagement..” Herndon explained. “Their collective decades of experience has them right at the pulse of industry and community events. Their professionals make things easy, but their personalities make it fun. Dollars and cents count in this industry – we can rely on the Cannvocate team to create value-based opportunities that are an effective use of the marketing budget.”

Hall explained the Cannvocate approach, “Any activation that we have there’s a different demographical reach or audience, but there’s also a message with each one.”

Combining data with purpose is what has made Cannvocate, and by extension the brands they partner with, unique within the industry.

“With Songs for Soldiers, we look at that and understand that one-third of the audience is coming from a certain South County region and we look at that and map out to see which dispensaries and products are going to be most influential, but at the same time we also look at the event being 100% for soldiers, we want to allign the event with the charitable giving of our partners,” Hall said. “We try to think about the narrative as well as the point of sale.”