Spannabis 2014
The eleventh edition of Spannabis, the largest cannabis market in Europe, was bigger, busier and more successful than ever. In three days the exhibition was visited by no fewer than 33,000 visitors! All the big names from the European green industry were in attendance, making Spannabis 2014 the most successful edition ever held.
An impressive crowd was waiting to be let inside
This year over fifty companies and 200 booths were present at the fair at the Fira de Cornella in Barcelona. New this year was the outdoor area where the area in front of the entrance of the famous glass pyramid was transformed into a true market, complete with booths, food stalls and the necessary tables and chairs. The weather was almost perfect, giving visitors and exhibitors a great outdoor chill-out area to take a break, smoke a joint or drink a beer under a beautiful sunshine. A DJ on a small stage near the entrance played uplifting dub and reggae in the background. It gave the outdoor area a festival-like atmosphere that was enjoyed by everyone. There was no music indoors this year, which was appreciated by almost all exhibitors. People could hear each other, and now also had a lot more time and space to talk to customers and visitors. The fact that the outdoor area was continuously busy somewhat lessened the pressure on the exhibition halls, making it quieter indoors than in previous years. All-in-all a great success and a solid improvement over previous years, we therefore truly hope that the outdoor area will be present again next year.
The Dutch company Zambeza Seeds brought along their own joker
It was already busy on Friday, but Saturday things really got going: in the morning there was a huge crowd waiting at the entrance to get inside, and ticket sales were in full swing. After managing to secure a ticket, a number of attractive promo girls awaited visitors with bags full of freebies or glossy brochures. A good sign, because it shows that the European cannabis industry is maturing and increasingly becoming part of the ‘regular’ horticultural industry. This was also confirmed by the composition of the visitors: we regularly encountered Chileans, Argentines and other Latinos, in addition to many Americans and Canadians. Each looking for the best deals for the emerging market in Latin America and the ever-expanding market in North America.
Also striking was the presence of many Social Cannabis Clubs from all over Europe, who literally and figuratively came to give out their calling card. They exchanged information, expertise and know-how with each other and, of course, were able to recruit members on the spot. Spannabis was the place to be for the Social Cannabis Clubs.
All-in-all Spannabis 2014 was a great edition and one that will be tough to beat. Hugo Madeira, the editor-in-chief of the Spanish edition of Soft Secrets, was a happy man. Asked for his reaction Hugo said: “I think Spannabis is the best cannabis trade fair in the world. Each year the fair gets bigger, and every year there are improvements over the previous year. I also feel that the fair is becoming increasingly professional, with exhibitors from all over the world. The companies that I spoke to were all very pleased with this edition. I think Spannabis is here to stay.”
Valencia last year, this year Barcelona: the drivers of the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour had a rough couple of days
Soft Secrets contributor and growing guru Ed Rosenthal
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