California cannabis events, conventions & dates
Conferences and trade shows held in California, the state’s regulatory, licensing and tax dates, and — because they apply here too — the nationwide retail sales days and federal policy dates. Subscribe to the California feed and it all lands in your own calendar.
October 2026
- Oct 1, 2026
- Oct 7, 2026
- Oct 15, 2026
- Oct 19–21, 2026
- Oct 31, 2026
November 2026
- Nov 2, 2026
- Nov 3, 2026
- Nov 4–5, 2026
- Nov 12, 2026
- Nov 25, 2026
- Nov 26, 2026
- Nov 27, 2026
December 2026
- Dec 11, 2026
- Dec 24, 2026
- Dec 31, 2026
February 2027
- Feb 1, 2027
- Feb 14, 2027
March 2027
- Mar 15, 2027
April 2027
- Apr 1–30, 2027
- Apr 15, 2027
- Apr 16–20, 2027
- Apr 20, 2027
- Apr 30, 2027
May 2027
- May 28, 2027
July 2027
- Jul 3, 2027
- Jul 10, 2027
August 2027
- August 2027 · dates TBA
- Aug 2, 2027
September 2027
- Sep 3, 2027
- Sep 15, 2027
- Sep 17 – Oct 3, 2027
October 2027
- Oct 15, 2027
- Oct 31, 2027
November 2027
- Nov 1, 2027
- Nov 24, 2027
- Nov 25, 2027
- Nov 26, 2027
December 2027
- Dec 24, 2027
- Dec 31, 2027
June 2028
- Jun 30, 2028
KeyEventSalesPolicyRegulatoryTaxCultureDashed outline = date estimated or pending; confirm with the organizer before booking.
Upcoming in California
11 items- Oct 19–21, 2026
National Cannabis Research Conference
Research conference organised by the Institute of Cannabis Research with the National Interdisciplinary Cannabis Symposium — cannabis science, agronomy and health. Dates confirmed on the organizer's site.
- Nov 2, 2026
California cannabis excise tax return due — Q3 (Jul–Sep)
Cannabis retailers file the CDTFA cannabis retailer excise tax return and payment for Q3 (Jul–Sep). The excise rate is 15% through June 30, 2028 (AB 564).
- Nov 3, 2026
US midterm election — cannabis measures on the ballot
Statewide cannabis questions certified for November 3: Massachusetts Question 8 (initiative to end the adult-use market while letting licensed adult-use businesses apply to become medical dispensaries) and Idaho HJR 4 (constitutional amendment reserving legalization authority to the legislature). Did not qualify or were withdrawn: Florida's adult-use amendment, Idaho's medical and decriminalization initiatives, Nebraska adult-use, the Ohio SB 56 referendum, and repeal efforts in Arizona and Maine. Local measures include California cannabis tax questions (Arroyo Grande, Guadalupe) and Michigan opt-in votes.
- Nov 4–5, 2026
Hall of Flowers — Sacramento (Northern California)
Curated retailer–brand trade show in a new hybrid format: day 1 is trade-only for licensed retailers, brands and ancillary providers; day 2 opens to consumers with ticketed sales. Relocated from Santa Rosa to Sacramento for 2026; venue not yet published.
- Feb 1, 2027
California cannabis excise tax return due — Q4 (Oct–Dec) of the prior year
Cannabis retailers file the CDTFA cannabis retailer excise tax return and payment for Q4 (Oct–Dec) of the prior year. The excise rate is 15% through June 30, 2028 (AB 564).
- Apr 30, 2027
California cannabis excise tax return due — Q1 (Jan–Mar)
Cannabis retailers file the CDTFA cannabis retailer excise tax return and payment for Q1 (Jan–Mar). The excise rate is 15% through June 30, 2028 (AB 564).
- August 2027 · dates TBA
The Emerald Cup 2027
California's long-running craft cannabis competition and festival. Third-party listings put the 2026 edition at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds on August 15–16; the organizer has not published 2027 dates (its site currently serves outdated content).
- Aug 2, 2027
California cannabis excise tax return due — Q2 (Apr–Jun)
Cannabis retailers file the CDTFA cannabis retailer excise tax return and payment for Q2 (Apr–Jun). The excise rate is 15% through June 30, 2028 (AB 564).
- Sep 17 – Oct 3, 2027
California Cannabis Awards 2027
State-sanctioned cannabis competition and awards run with the California State Fair at Cal Expo. 2027 fair dates (Sept 17 – Oct 3) confirmed on calcannabisawards.com; the awards-show date within the run is not yet published.
- Nov 1, 2027
California cannabis excise tax return due — Q3 (Jul–Sep)
Cannabis retailers file the CDTFA cannabis retailer excise tax return and payment for Q3 (Jul–Sep). The excise rate is 15% through June 30, 2028 (AB 564).
- Jun 30, 2028
California cannabis excise tax — AB 564 15% rate period ends
AB 564 rolled California's cannabis excise tax back to 15% (from 19%) effective October 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. Retailers should watch CDTFA guidance ahead of this date for the rate that follows.
Nationwide dates that apply in California
10 items- Oct 15, 2026
Extended federal return due — C-corps & individuals
Extended 1120 and 1040 returns are due.
- Oct 31, 2026
- Nov 12, 2026
Federal hemp status ends for non-naturally-producible cannabinoid products
First of two federal hemp dates now fixed in statute. H.R. 6500 (the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, signed September 2, 2026) delayed most of the November 2025 hemp redefinition to December 11, 2026 — but products containing cannabinoids "not capable of being naturally produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant" lose federal hemp status on the original date, November 12, 2026. Cannabinoids the plant can produce but that are converted or synthesized outside it (much of the delta-8 market) stay covered until December 11. See the December 11 entry for the main effective date.
- Nov 25, 2026
Green Wednesday
The day before Thanksgiving — the second-biggest cannabis retail day of the year, ahead of Black Friday.
- Nov 26, 2026
Thanksgiving ("Danksgiving")
Many stores close or run short hours; the marketing moment is the Wednesday–Friday window around it.
- Nov 27, 2026
Black Friday
Third-largest cannabis retail day; doorbuster and bundle promotions dominate.
- Dec 11, 2026
Federal 0.4 mg total-THC cap on hemp-derived products takes effect
Statutory effective date for the federal hemp redefinition (Sec. 781 of Public Law 119-37, as delayed by Sec. 2019 of H.R. 6500, signed September 2, 2026). "Hemp" switches from a delta-9 THC test to a total-THC test that captures THCA, and finished consumer products are capped at 0.4 mg per container of total THC and similarly acting cannabinoids — expected to remove most intoxicating hemp-derived products (delta-8, THCA flower, hemp-THC beverages) from interstate commerce. Fiber, grain and compliant CBD products remain hemp. Products with cannabinoids the plant cannot naturally produce exit a month earlier (November 12). Congress could still amend the date or enact a regulatory framework before it lands; the same law funds the government only through December 11, so the next appropriations deadline falls on the same day.
- Dec 24, 2026
Christmas Eve
Strong gifting-season day — in Canada it outperforms 4/20 on a per-store basis.
- Dec 31, 2026
- Feb 14, 2027
Earlier in California
5 items- Feb 2, 2026
California cannabis excise tax return due — Q4 (Oct–Dec) of the prior year
Cannabis retailers file the CDTFA cannabis retailer excise tax return and payment for Q4 (Oct–Dec) of the prior year. The excise rate is 15% through June 30, 2028 (AB 564).
- Apr 30, 2026
California cannabis excise tax return due — Q1 (Jan–Mar)
Cannabis retailers file the CDTFA cannabis retailer excise tax return and payment for Q1 (Jan–Mar). The excise rate is 15% through June 30, 2028 (AB 564).
- Jul 31, 2026
California cannabis excise tax return due — Q2 (Apr–Jun)
Cannabis retailers file the CDTFA cannabis retailer excise tax return and payment for Q2 (Apr–Jun). The excise rate is 15% through June 30, 2028 (AB 564).
- Oct 1, 2026
California DCC pesticide-testing action levels take effect
The Department of Cannabis Control's rulemaking DCC-2025-03-R updates the action levels for pesticide-residue testing in cannabis products. Approved and filed with the Secretary of State July 27, 2026; effective October 1, 2026.
- Oct 7, 2026
IgniteIt Cannabis Capital Conference — California
One-day IgniteIt (formerly Benzinga) cannabis investor and operator conference in Los Angeles. Date listed on the organizer's events hub; venue not yet published.
Know a California date we’re missing?
Regulator meetings, license windows, state association conferences — send the source and we’ll add it.