Spannabis 2024: A Whirlwind of Experiences and Reflections
Photos Courtesy of Author
Spannabis Day 0: Arrival at ICBC
My second year in Catalonia, España for Spannabis 2024 was a whirlwind of sensory experiences, professional networking, and a kaleidoscope of cannabis culture. It was a journey that began with a 5-hour flight from Jalisco, Mexico connecting one day later on a 7-hour red-eye out of New York City. After landing at 8:30 am, and getting through customs and immigration, I Ubered directly to my digs in the Gothic Quarter arriving around 11:00 am. Once quickly showered, I had a rendezvous lunch and intelligence meeting with the legendary Captain Hooter. He promptly updated me with more than one dozen Reports Of Multiple Raids At Cannabis Social Clubs Ahead Of the Annual Spannabis Show In Barcelona, including a few I visited last year like HQ, Choko, and Wizards. Needless to say, a murky cautionary vibe permeated the sunny Barcelona air.
That afternoon, I attended an event which had graciously granted me a last-minute press pass. The International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) was overall a delightful convention. Held at L'Auditori de Cornellà, the hybrid event included a live podcast by the Marijuana Industry Trade Association (MITA), around one dozen booths in a separate hall, a meetup/mixing area with complimentary drinks, and a grand symposium in an adjacent auditorium. It was a spectacle on its own, giving a big bang for the buck, and offered a tantalizing taste of what was to come. The outdoor patio was a haven for candid conversations and relaxation, a prelude to the Squash Off and the ICBC Afterparty held later that night at the 5-star Edition Hotel. This addition of ICBC to an itinerary, including the post-event soiree, is highly recommended and will help to prime for the days ahead.
Spannabis Day 1: A Detour
The first day of the main event was a different story. A friend's intelligence saved me from the daunting 100-meter queue. Instead, I found myself at Club Bless with the Jack Herrer Cup and Kingsize Takeover Smoke Out Session.
Later, the Sensi Seeds Party was a sensory delight - catered champagne, sushi, and a huge selection of cannabis products (more than any other club I’ve visited in Barcelona). The staff was truly wonderful! The posh and comfy club, with its vibrant energy, quickly became my new favorite after it debuted new strains. Uncle Stoner was hightled as a breeder of one fresh strain. He is a Veteran of both the Navy and Army, a chill friend, and founder of the Squash Off (which Fat Nugs Magazine is covering in Jamaica on 4/20).
Spannabis Day 2: La Feria
Truth be told, the second day was a breeze. Entry was smoother despite a weird flip-flop of lines and entry points for accredited press, bands were easily accessible, and the floor was much more open for exploration. There was a palpable change in the atmosphere with many couples, a higher percentage of female attendees, a shift towards feminine energy, and marketing through sex appeal. The world is increasingly sexualized, and Spannabis 2024 was no exception.
One notable example of this is the “Blazy Susan'' brand from Denver, CO, with the slogan “Smoke Pink.” Their booth was stocked with an entourage of all female Rockabilly models, and I was informed that the business is not owned by women. This type of marketing schematic, aside from organizational strategy, was clearly prevalent throughout a large portion of the exhibitors. Not that this expression of female beauty is solely a bad trend, but we should remember to do things for the right reasons and to uplift values via meritorious ethos.
My day culminated with dinner at Salamanca on the beach, with the delightful company of Captain Hooter, Raj, and Ms. Pow from Emerald Lane Recruitment. Still, the night was just beginning and far from over. While attending a rooftop party on Barceloneta Beach, courtesy of a confidential informant, I bumped into Johnny Dabs. That led to a wild night at Dr. Stavinsky’s bar and across the city thereafter with more Spannabis crew. At one point, I sat alongside a group of 8 college seniors and an ophthalmologist from Boston. Without conversing with many of them, some had zero dialogue, yet I was able to guess 8 out of 8 of their majors from philosophy and business, to engineering, and even a psychology graduate. Just another day at the office of journalism.
The 23-hour marathon of activities left me a tad weary. I decided to skip day 3, a decision that was later justified when I caught a conference cough that escalated into a gnarly weeklong upper respiratory infection. A couple 4 four-mile walks to the beach and a few full nights' sleep were eventually enough to slay the infectious beast.
Spannabis Day 3: Final Thoughts
Spannabis 2024 was a rollercoaster of experiences. It was a melting pot of cultures, ideas, and trends in the cannabis industry. The main event, while not entirely representative of Spanish politics or the unknown future it professes, offered unique insights into the evolving global cannabis culture and commerce. The extra events were genuine highlights. I forecast such gatherings will become increasingly popular and influential alongside the Goliath fair, offering intimate settings for networking and engagement. Almost all attendees, I confirmed, only went for one day, a testament to the intensity of the main event. The adventure, while exhausting at times, was a delight, and thrives as a testament to the growing acceptance and normalization of cannabis in our global society.
Looking beyond the fair, the local Barcelona social club scene, with over 300 locations, makes for a daunting prospect to cover as a journalist. Engaging even 200 tourist spots at a $20 membership fee would amount to a whopping $4,000.00. However, the trip is not about the number of clubs visited or the amount of money spent. It's about the people you meet, the conversations you have, the connections you make, and the memories you create. It's akin to Willy Wonka's philosophy - it's not the ingredients in the chocolate that make it special, it's who you share it with.
An Endnote from Spannabis (Official):
“To meet the challenge of nonstop disruption and exponential population growth and impact, we need to look for new sustainable solutions that consider society as well as the environment. This is why, in the twentieth edition of Spannabis, the world’s largest cannabis expo, issues like the advantages of building with hemp or using medical cannabis with animals (as in the case of the famous elephant Nidia), have had more relevance than ever. All this, in addition to the increase of regulations in European countries (with Germany as the most recent example), have turned Spannabis Barcelona 2024 into an overwhelming success.
In the three days of Spannabis Barcelona 2024, there were more national and international visitors than ever; more than 500 companies from seedbanks to grow shops, cannabis lawyers, or medical laboratories; more than 200 journalists and industry analysts; 5,000 accredited professionals and a total of 2,400 workers, including the 300 Spannabis employees, make this the biggest edition so far.
As a consequence of the growth of the industry, and the success of the expo, Spannabis expands its presence with a new date in 2024 that will take place in Bilbao next 20, 21 and 22 September. The Bilbao Exhibition Centre is the place chosen to host the edition of Spannabis Bilbao, that is expected to be as successful as its Catalan version.”
Undoubtedly next year will be even more massive. See you in 2025 Spannabis!
