Important Dates, Origins, and Effective Promotion Strategies for Dispensaries

April 20th – aka 420 – has long been revered as the highest of all cannabis holidays. But as the market has evolved over the years, plenty of other holidays have become more closely associated with our favorite plant. Of course, for dispensary owners, that means more opportunities to boost revenue, increase brand engagement, and foster customer loyalty. . 

In this blog post, we’ll explore the key holidays you need to be aware of, including their origins, meanings, and some celebration ideas. We’ll also look at some of our top tips, tactics, and strategies for executing memorable holiday promotions and events so your customers can enjoy a top-shelf experience.

Let’s get into it!

Cannabis Holiday Calendar: Dates, Origins, and Opportunities

Here’s a rundown of the most popular weed holidays you need to know – including brief histories, their cultural significance, and ideas for dispensary owners looking to capitalize on these celebrations.

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th)

While traditionally celebrated with green beer and Irish festivities, St. Patrick’s Day has expanded to include green in all its forms. This day offers a chance to incorporate themed promotions like “Luck of the Irish” discounts or green-colored product bundles. Dispensaries can also consider partnering with local events or pubs to offer joint discounts and spread brand awareness.

420 (April 20th)

Viewed as the official weed holiday, 420 is deeply rooted in cannabis culture and folklore. Many dispensaries offer steep discounts, exclusive product launches, and community events to celebrate the day. For more 420 insights, you can check out our ultimate 420 retail guide right here.

Jack Herer Day (June 18th)

This day commemorates the legendary Jack Herer, the “Patron Saint of the Global Cannabis Movement” and author of the seminal weed book, The Emperor Wears No Clothes. Known for his advocacy for cannabis legalization and hemp awareness, Jack’s legacy makes this a great day for dispensaries to celebrate by promoting educational content and highlighting any Jack Herer strains you have in stock. It doesn’t have to just be about sales, either; for instance, you can honor Jack’s impact by hosting educational sessions on cannabis history or legalization milestones.

4th of July (U.S.) / Canada Day (Canada)

National celebrations like the 4th of July and Canada Day (July 1st) have become more and more popular as cannabis-related sales days. In fact, in Canada, July 1st has now surpassed 4/20 as the day with the country’s highest cannabis sales. People often look to enhance their holiday experiences, and these long weekends offer a natural fit for product bundles and outdoor-friendly items like pre-rolls, beverages, and edibles. Dispensaries can run “Independence Deals” or “True North Specials” to draw in customers looking to elevate their celebrations.

710 / OIL Day (July 10th)

Known as “OIL Day” because 710 spells “OIL” upside down, July 10th – also known as National Dab Day – is celebrated primarily by fans of cannabis concentrates. Dispensaries can take advantage of the 710 holiday by showcasing dabs, wax, and vape products, catering specifically to your concentrate crowd. Consider bundling concentrate-related products like vaporizers or offering limited-time discounts on all concentrates to draw in dedicated customers.

National CBD Day (August 8th)

A relatively new addition, National CBD Day acknowledges the rising popularity of CBD products and provides an opportunity for dispensaries to educate customers on CBD’s benefits. This day is perfect for promoting CBD products, offering discounts, and running informational sessions. Many dispensaries create themed wellness bundles that include CBD tinctures, topicals, and capsules for a “CBD Sampler.”

Labor Day (First Monday in September)

Labor Day is another great opportunity to attract customers with end-of-summer promotions and relaxation specials. With many people hosting gatherings or enjoying a final weekend of outdoor activities, Labor Day aligns well with cannabis products suited for kicking back and chilling out. You can promote items like pre-rolls, edibles, or ready-to-go bundles that are ideal for social settings. Consider offering “Labor Day Chill Deals” with discounts on relaxing or mood-boosting products, and run promotions on outdoor-friendly options like vape pens or beverages.

Victims of Prohibition Commemoration (October 5th)

December 17th is a day to honor those affected by cannabis prohibition, including those incarcerated for nonviolent cannabis offenses. Dispensaries can use this day to advocate for social justice, hosting fundraisers or donation drives for organizations that support cannabis equity and criminal justice reform.

Halloween (October 31st)

With cannabis more mainstream than ever, Halloween has become a fun, themed event for dispensaries to engage customers with costume contests, spooky-themed strains, and trick or treat promotions. Discounts on edibles, themed bundles, and festive giveaways can help create a memorable experience your customers will go batty for.

Legalization Day (November 6th)

Observed primarily in Washington and Colorado, November 6th commemorates the day these states voted to legalize recreational cannabis in 2012. This holiday offers a chance to celebrate the progress of cannabis legalization with themed promotions and community events. Highlight legal milestones in your state to foster a sense of pride and camaraderie among your customers.

Green Wednesday (Day before Thanksgiving)

Green Wednesday marks the unofficial start of the cannabis holiday shopping season, serving as a precursor to the Black Friday frenzy. As families gather for Thanksgiving, Green Wednesday has become a high-traffic day for dispensaries. You can use early-bird specials, flash discounts, and extended store hours to maximize sales, and consider pre-bundling products for customers preparing for a long weekend surrounded by relatives and plenty of food.

Thanksgiving (Fourth Thursday in November, U.S.; Second Monday in October, Canada)

While Thanksgiving itself is a quieter sales day, it’s a good time for dispensaries to promote calming products such as indica strains, edibles, or relaxing topicals for post-feast relaxation. Thanksgiving-inspired edibles or holiday-themed pre-rolls can also be big hits with customers looking to wind down.

Black Friday (Day after Thanksgiving)

A major retail holiday, Black Friday is the perfect time to give deep discounts on high-ticket items or exclusive bundles. Cannabis Black Friday deals can look like one-day-only offers and doorbuster deals to really create urgency (think “Black Friday Dispensary Deals 2024” as a potential theme).

Christmas (December 25th)

Data from Headset shows that during Christmas, dispensary sales increase substantially, and products like cartridges, beverages, and edibles are becoming more popular as substitutes for traditional flower. That means it’s a great time for themed gift sets. Offering cannabis-infused chocolates, festive edibles, and “Holiday Survival Kits” with relaxing products can appeal to customers seeking unique stocking stuffers.

Photo by Elsa Olofsson on Unsplash

New Year’s Eve (December 31st)

New Year’s Eve celebrations often include cannabis, particularly in regions where consumption is accepted socially. Create special product bundles designed for social gatherings, such as pre-roll packs or single-serve edibles. Consider promoting strains associated with energy and euphoria to help customers ring in the new year with a celebratory high.

Major Sports Events

Sports events are significant for many consumers, especially when combined with gatherings of friends and family. Consider creating sports-themed product bundles like “Game Day Packs” with edibles, pre-rolls, and munchies. These events are perfect opportunities for “Snack & Smoke” promotions, too.

Building a Winning Cannabis Holiday Promotion Strategy

To capitalize on all these weed holidays, you’ll need a thoughtful promotion strategy that resonates with your customers and maximizes revenue. Here are some of our top tips, tricks, and best practices for crafting a winning holiday strategy for your retail store.

1. Merchandise Strategically

During the holiday season, cannabis retailers must be strategic about their dispensary merchandising to accommodate increased in-store traffic and avoid long lines. Having a warm and inviting entryway is a critical first step to attracting customers – and it’s your first opportunity to make them feel welcome with irresistible holiday displays and promotions. Another tip is to direct the flow of traffic counterclockwise and place trending gift items, product bundles, and expensive products closer to the entrance and checkout area, or in themed areas throughout the store.

2. Promotion Strategies to Drive Holiday Sales

Use limited-time discounts, exclusive bundles, and flash sales tailored to each holiday. Offering product bundles like “Holiday Survival Kits”, trick-or-treat packs, or seasonal CBD samplers can increase your average transaction values and draw in customers who appreciate themed items. Leveraging double loyalty points or special incentives for social media engagement (like taking a picture with a holiday-themed prop) can encourage repeat visits and build loyal customers.

Of course, more traffic and more sales means you’ll need more support. Onboarding seasonal staff members through the holidays is a common business practice, especially in retail. Study your data from last year (or reference industry reports, if this is your first holiday go-round) to identify peak traffic hours and make sure you are properly staffed during the coming rushes. Make sure they’re set up for success by properly training them, too; a great way to get them familiar with products and procedures is to have them shadow your regular employees. 

3. Festive Store Environment & Product Displays

A well-decorated dispensary helps get customers in the spirit. Invest in themed decor and design holiday-specific product displays to create a memorable, engaging shopping environment. You can feature holiday-inspired strains, products, or displays to spotlight relevant items. 

Eye-catching displays are just the first step in creating a festive shopping environment and getting customers in the spirit. Since most of us spend a lot of time in the digital world these days, you need to make sure your dispensary’s holiday theme is consistent and well-communicated across your website, social media channels, and any other third-party eCommerce sales channels you may be using.

4. Digital Marketing Tactics

• Email and Digital Media: Plan to launch your email and digital media campaigns early, and use visually engaging, festive content to showcase deals and holiday themes. As far as social media, make sure you’re up to speed on platform-specific restrictions so you can avoid penalties like getting your account suspended. Unfortunately, a lot of the most popular advertising platforms have strict policies against cannabis promotion. However, there are alternative channels and cannabis-specific ad networks – you can learn more here in our comprehensive guide to cannabis marketing for dispensaries.

• SEO and Landing Pages: Create holiday-themed landing pages and optimize them with relevant keywords, such as “Green Wednesday deals” or “Christmas cannabis gifts.” This approach ensures customers find your promotions when searching online.

5. 
   Gift cards and loyalty programs are essential for the holiday season. Offer incentives for gift card purchases, such as a bonus credit, and use loyalty programs to encourage higher spending by doubling points on certain holidays.

   

6. Community and Charitable Engagement

   
   The holiday season is also an excellent time to connect with your local community. Think about a local charity you could partner with, or consider hosting an in-store donation drive to build goodwill. For example, you could offer discounts for customers who donate items for local food drives.

Data-Driven Post-Holiday Review

As the holiday season winds down, conduct an after-action review using POS analytics and reporting to analyze the effectiveness of your campaigns. You’ll want to look at key metrics like sales performance, foot traffic, customer engagement, and how successful certain promotions were. Understanding what worked – and what didn’t – is how you optimize future campaigns, turning your holiday insights into actionable strategies.

By planning strategically and leveraging these cannabis holidays to the fullest, dispensaries can boost both sales and brand loyalty, transforming festive occasions into revenue-generating events that engage and delight customers all year round. 

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