Mary Jane Berlin 2026 marked the event’s tenth year and its evolution into what organizers call the world’s largest cannabis event. After a few days immersed in it, I understand exactly why. I’ve been a consumer since I was young, long before I ever worked in this industry, and I’ve only been to a couple of events here in the States. I don’t think even our larger cannabis events here in the U.S. could prepare a first-time attendee for the collective energy at Mary Jane.
ICBC Berlin felt like getting a front-row seat to where the global cannabis industry is heading. Mary Jane Berlin was a chance to join European cannabis culture on an international level. Roughly 700 exhibitors and over 80,000 tickets sold. Four straight days of cannabis culture in its fullest form: brands, operators, creators, influencers, panels, and live podcasts running throughout the day. For anyone following European cannabis events, the scale and energy were impossible to ignore. Once the sun went down, the party just moved locations. I made it to the Puffco Experience and the Doja Pak afterparty. I also swung by the Terp Up Your Life official Mary Jane pre-event party, hosted by Lance Grove from Grove Bags.
I left with a real understanding of how international cannabis brands are positioning themselves, and a full dose of the culture that drives them. An experience unlike any other. Period.
European Cannabis Culture Is Leveling Up, and Not Just on the Business Side
My favorite part of the whole 700+ exhibitor experience was observing which brands could clearly communicate who they are and what they represent. That’s the through-line I keep coming back to. In European cannabis markets especially, paid advertising is heavily restricted. So the brands winning right now aren’t winning because they’re running ads. They’re winning because they’ve positioned themselves as culture makers. That shift is one of the clearest cannabis industry trends in Europe, and it’s one every brand should be paying attention to, restricted market or not.
The culture itself is layered, eclectic, and lived in by everyone in that room. Mary Jane is a place where this community gets to exist fully, out loud, together, and show the world what this industry really is. You could feel the intention from people who’ve put years into growing something real, with roots, a story, and authenticity behind it. Actual substance.
My read on why the energy is so distinct: In Europe, cannabis isn’t trying to prove itself. It’s not fighting to be seen as legitimate or cool. It just is. The culture is already there – rich, layered, unapologetic. And because it’s not coming from a place of defensiveness or novelty, the brands built inside it carry that same confidence.
The curiosity and cultural connection people brought to this show say something real about where European cannabis markets are going.
Hash and Concentrate Culture – and Conversations That Matter
Looking around Mary Jane, I saw U.S. and international players, Canadians, and companies from markets I never expected, all taking the European cannabis industry seriously. Not testing the waters. They’re building something lasting inside a culture much bigger than any single brand. It’s proof that the best ideas in this industry are already crossing borders, and if you want to be part of what’s next, this is where you show up.
While I can’t predict the future, I’m keeping a close eye on hash and concentrate culture. If you love dabs, Mary Jane is where you need to be, hands down. I say that as a concentrate gal through and through, and I felt like I was in hash heaven the whole weekend. The appreciation people have for it and the craftsmanship behind how it’s made – none of that is new over there. With 710 having just passed here in the States last week, it’s worth pointing out that Berlin has been celebrating dabs long before it became a holiday for the rest of us.
I sat in on panels where people talked about how important that groundwork is and what it actually takes for a company to succeed in this space. On the first day at Mary Jane, I sat in on the opening podcast with Duc Anh Dang, founder of Mary Jane, and Josh Kesselman, founder of RAW, one of the most recognizable names in cannabis culture. Two completely different paths, yet neither of them had a roadmap for what they’ve now built. Super cool to hear this conversation firsthand.
Throughout the weekend, I also caught panels like The Future of Cannabis: A Good Witch’s Tarot Reading, with Shelley A Good Witch, Roger Volodarsky, founder of Puffco, and Simón Espinoza of En Volá. All I’m going to say is I had goosebumps by the end of it. Shelley has been, and continues to be, such a light in the community, and I feel so lucky to have been able to sit in on this one.
I definitely want to highlight the panel High Function, Not Just High: Cannabis, Workplace Wellness & Women in Professional Leadership, with Adam Windish, Dounia Farajallah, Deepak Anand, Luna Stower, and Olivia Frwenike, moderated by our partner Heidi Whitman with the Women’s EmpowerHer group, which I’m now so grateful to be a part of. It was one of the most relevant conversations I heard all weekend about cannabis workplace wellness and women in the cannabis industry. They dug into how women tend to keep quiet about chronic pain, migraines, and other health challenges and reframed cannabis as something we use to function, not check out. The more women talk openly about what’s working for them, the less power that silence has.
Why Immersing Yourself in European Cannabis Events Pays Off
Genuine connection. A sense of community that isn’t transactional or performative. The intention behind the booths, the way people preached freedom, challenge, and education, felt like a perfect balance of science and play, business and pleasure, learning and just genuinely having a great time.
That balance is what’s helped European cannabis culture grow the way it has, and it’s a reminder that there is no substitute for immersing yourself in it. Every conversation and panel only added to who I am, and those grounded perspectives now guide the way I’m able to show up for the people I work with. It’s the kind of return on investment you can’t put a number on, but you’ll feel it in every meeting after.
As someone who has only been in this industry for a few years, I know I am only beginning to understand what cannabis markets around the world are becoming. Being in that room changed how I see the work. If you’re deciding which cannabis events in Europe belong on your 2027 calendar, take this as your sign: Mary Jane Berlin returns June 3-6, 2027.
Need more convincing? Check out the experience for yourself below!
