CannaFest is set to return to The Lowlands in St. Paul on Thursday, Nov. 12, from 6 to 9 p.m., and for the first time, organizers are opening a designated outdoor area where attendees can legally smoke cannabis on site. More than 45 hemp businesses from across Minnesota are expected to set up shop, offering samples and sales of THC and CBD products ranging from flower to foods and beverages.
The new feature, called the Puff Patio, marks a shift for the event, according to Minnesota Monthly, which describes it as a place where guests can “legally consume cannabis onsite” in a newly designated consumption area. The event's FAQ page spells out the boundaries of that change: smoking cannabis will be permitted only in the Puff Patio, while it remains prohibited everywhere else at the venue, Minnesota Monthly's cannafest FAQ notes.
Who Can Get In, and What's for Sale
Organizers say all guests must be at least 21 years old and present valid identification at the door, per the event listing. Beyond the smoking area, attendees can browse and buy cannabis flower and other goods directly from participating vendors, with the roster of more than 45 hemp businesses expected to sell and hand out samples of THC and CBD foods, beverages, and healing products, according to the same listing.
CannaFest is presented by Island Peži, the event's organizers note, and tickets to the gathering are non-refundable once purchased. As reported by CBS News Minnesota, the event brings together dozens of brands under one roof at The Lowlands for an evening centered on Minnesota's hemp and cannabis industry.
The Regulatory Backdrop
Hemp-derived edibles sold to adult consumers 21 and older in Minnesota fall under Minnesota Statutes, section 151.72, according to guidance published by the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management. That guidance addresses how the state regulates sales of such products generally, though it does not speak to whether any particular event, including CannaFest, meets all applicable requirements.
For now, the draw for attendees is the chance to browse a packed vendor floor and use the new outdoor smoking area, a first for an event that has built its reputation around bringing Minnesota's hemp businesses together under one roof at The Lowlands.
