Minnesota legalized cannabis in 2023 and has been building its retail network since 2024/25. The CannaCon Midwest St. Paul on June 26 and 27, 2026 is the first major industry trade show in this still-young adult-use market. The event is aimed at founders, operators, service providers, and anyone who wants to understand how a cannabis market is built from the ground up – and which mistakes made by other states can be avoided.
What to expect
The trade show takes place at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, directly on the Mississippi River promenade. The exhibitor area includes companies from several industries: cultivation and growing technology, packaging solutions, point-of-sale systems, compliance consulting, marketing, and insurance. The spectrum ranges from established providers to startups specifically tailored to the Upper Midwest market.
Alongside the exhibitor area, expert talks and panels take place. Topics typically include licensing categories in Minnesota, social equity programs (an important focus for new ventures), regulatory specifics, and market developments in the region. The talks cater to both newcomers and experienced market participants.
CannaCon has established itself as particularly cost-effective and accessible – unlike some US trade shows that are prohibitively expensive. This makes the event attractive for smaller operators and solo entrepreneurs, not just large corporations.
Location and getting there
The Saint Paul RiverCentre is located directly on the Mississippi River and is centrally accessible in St. Paul. St. Paul is part of the Twin Cities and forms a contiguous metropolitan area with Minneapolis. The international airport Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) has good European connections, particularly from major German hubs like Frankfurt and Munich. From there, it’s about 15–20 minutes to the venue.
For local travel: The RiverCentre is accessible by car, taxi, or rideshare. You’ll find the exact address and current parking information on the official event page.
Tickets and prices
CannaCon typically offers different ticket categories: visitor tickets for trade show access, exhibitor tickets, and often early-bird discounts for advance bookings. Exact prices and available categories will be announced on the official website. It’s worth checking regularly – early-bird prices are often significantly cheaper.
Why this event?
Minnesota is a special case: the market is young, structures are not yet entrenched, and there are real opportunities to avoid mistakes made by other states. This makes CannaCon Midwest more than just a sales fair – it’s a guide to understanding a market in the process of being built.
For German visitors, St. Paul as the twin city of Minneapolis is an attractive travel destination with European flair and good infrastructure. If you want to see how a state is currently emancipating itself from alcohol and pharmaceutical lobbies and creating new structures, you’ll find a real-world case study here.
Networking, building business relationships, understanding regulatory requirements, learning about new technologies and services – these are the classic benefits of an industry trade show. With CannaCon, you also get to be part of a founding phase.
