Back in September with Governor Abbott’s signature ink on House Bill 1325 still being damp, Texas Cannabis Collective provided a small preview into a convention centering around hemp and CBD that by their descriptions and through our correspondence, is destined to be historic for the state’s burgeoning hemp industries and businesses and show the scope of how tremendous the possibilities for hemp production in a state so heavily involved in agriculture could be.
Arriving to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center on January 28-30th, 2020, The Texas Hemp Convention is being hosted by pioneers in cannabis business networking, event planning and relationship building, Kush.com. For over half a decade, the company has been defining the capabilities of cannabis-based professional events across the country, from states whose recreational cannabis programs are already toddlers to states who’ve only recently legalized hemp.
When discussing the aspects of the convention with Kush.com founder Chase Nobles, the festival promised “an expected 10,000 people to attend, with over 300 hemp/CBD Exhibitors ready to present and an estimated 50 live shows and demonstrations.”
And staying as true to their word as CBD is true to hemp over the last four months since our last conversation, the Kush.com’s predictions came true and then some. To receive the latest update on the event planning process and more specifics that’ve been confirmed for the Texas Hemp Convention, Texas Cannabis Collective spoke with Kush.com’s Vice President of Marketing Alex Hodschayan.
JK: It looks like the process of creating Texas Hemp Convention has grown quite a bit since I spoke with Kush.com in September. What have been some of the biggest updates in the event planning process?
AH: Since we last spoke we have been proud to welcome our headline sponsor, Precision Extracts. With their help, we have grown the size of the Texas Hemp Convention to nearly 3x what we first expected. The largest change would be the huge increase in educational opportunities. When we originally planned the event, we were hoping to offer 50-55 quality sessions from a total of around 100-125 speakers. After an influx of applications, we are proud to announce that we will host more than 150 sessions covering everything from the history of hemp to harvesting/extraction techniques to hands-on demos and everything in between.
JK: Of the over 150 educational sessions, what are some good examples of sessions that will be beneficial for consumers and business owners alike? Also, what are other special education sessions?
AH: You can see a full schedule of speaking sessions on the site here: https://texashempconvention.com/speaker-schedule.
Our keynote speakers include Texas State Representative Tracy King who authored the bill bringing legal hemp to Texas, and icon Paul Stanford (founder of The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation) who famously stood by Woody Harrelson’s side as he planted the infamous seed in 1996. Other highlights include hearing from experts at High Times, POLITICO, the US Hemp Building Association, National Women in Cannabis and so many more.
JK: The website mentioned business attendees from across the world. Internationally, where are some confirmed locations that business owners are travelling from?
AH: As of right now, we have attendees joining us from the United States, Uruguay, Israel, Australia, Venezuela, Zambia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico.
JK: Given Kush.com’s experience in cannabis/hemp networking and business creation, do you believe that Texas has either an economic or agricultural benefit for the CBD/hemp industry that other states don’t possess?
AH: It is hard to say what advantage might exist in Texas, given that the regulatory process has been long and drawn out. With the amount of expansive land space available, there seems to be a viable market for hemp farmers. While the focus might be on CBD at the moment, I could see Texas becoming an industrial hemp capital specializing in hemp fibers rather than smokable hemp or high CBD biomass.
JK: What are some innovative ways that Kush.com will be utilizing the vastness of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center to host a meaningful and impactful event?
AH: We have packed our convention center floor with machinery, heavy equipment and more than 300 exhibitors from across the country. In addition to that, our premiere VIP lounge will be an escape from the busy floor with complimentary drink service. Also on the trade show floor is an exclusive educational opportunity at the Kush.com booth. We will have free sessions for all guests throughout the event including live cooking demos from Chef Sebastian Carosi and a live investor pitch series!
JK: Tell us a little about the after party for Texas Hemp Convention? How was the process to organize that and can attendees expect to hear “Funky Cold Medina”?
AH: On night one, all guests are invited to stay late and enjoy our networking reception on the trade show floor. This is a great chance for business attendees to network, showcase their products at their booth, and browse the uncrowded show floor. On night two, we kick off the VIP Afterparty with free drinks, appetizers, and entertainment from Tone Loc! This official afterparty is exclusive to our VIP attendees, limited tickets are still available.