Crossroads in KC , MO . Although day one went off without a hitch and saw great turnouts from the public , thunderstorms rolled into the area overnight night , and on the second day , storms wreaked havoc , causing many to take shelter and deterred others from attending . “ We feel like KC Cannafest was a huge success with over 7,000 in attendance , said Vernon McClanahan with Elevated Lifestyles and Artisans of Dank , who put the festival together with the help of Zach Smith . “ We faced several obstacles , with weather being the most prominent , but in the end , the community came together .”
The state ’ s first cannabis-friendly festival grounds at Smokey River Entertainment District in River Bend , MO , also saw its fair share of weather challenges affecting two of its three events this year . BesaMe Hospitality Group ( BHG ), led by President Joey Pintozzi and Vice President Bobby Lessany , secured nationally recognized acts and artists for three of the events this year , including 420 Fest , The Missouri Growers Cup , and the October Creep Show Music Festival . Pintozzi and Lessany spent 17-plus years in the Las Vegas nightlife entertainment business and expanded to Los Angeles , Denver , Dubai , and Houston , bringing that high-end experience to Kansas City .
The first Smokey River Entertainment District event , 420 Fest , avoided bad weather conditions and brought 8,900 festival goers . It was great for its first run , but “ they say your first one is your worst one ,” Pintozzi jokingly said . “ Although we left a lot of room for improvement , it was very well-received . Overall , we feel it was a win . We did everything they said we wouldn ’ t be able to do . We showed the world that cannabis can be consumed in a large public concert setting and remain responsible . We showed the world how amazing the cannabis community is . The compliments that have poured in from the local municipalities , state agencies , performing artists , and concertgoers were plentiful . We learned so much , and we are excited to share the improvements with everyone at 420Fest 2024 .”
Unfortunately , for BHG and Smokey River , even experienced professionals in hospitality and entertainment were forced to face weather-related trials this past year while bringing cannabis events and entertainment to
▲ The festival grounds at Smokey River Entertainment District in River Bend , MO , saw good crowds for its October 27 and 28 CREEP SHOW event , despite the cold , rainy weather . Those who attend , most in costumes , enjoyed top-shelf entertainers .
Missourians . For instance , just moments after ALL the sponsors and vendors were set up at the Missouri Growers Cup in September with many nationally known music artists , as well as local acts set to take the stage , unexpected thunderstorms and tornado warnings caused safety concerns that forced Pintozzi to cancel the entire event less than two hours before gates were set to open to the public . Talk about a huge , unfortunate loss . “ The safety of our vendor partners and public guests was , and always will be , our top priority , no matter the backlash on us ,” continued Pintozzi .
In October , Smokey River held its third event , the CREEP SHOW , which went on as scheduled . But once again , the unpredictable Missouri weather reared its ugly head with never-ending rain and colder weather that adversely hurt overall attendance at what was anticipated to be one of the year ’ s biggest events . Despite the weather , the sponsors and artists persevered . “ Wakka Flakka even jumped into a rainy crowd and performed part of his set . His exact words were , “ If you got to be in the rain , I got to be in the rain .” That ’ s what it ’ s all about . “ Our vendors and sponsors are everything to us . We couldn ’ t embark on this journey without them ,” said Pintozzi . “ They see the biggest picture . They support us and push us to the future . I can ’ t say enough ; there are so many to thank . Wondergrove , Sinse , Clovr , Amaze , Dr . Smoke , Vertical , Smokey River Cannabis , and Proper have truly been the backbone of this progress .”
We wish we could have mentioned and recapped all the events that took place this year , but it would require most of the pages within this magazine . Many times , the efforts and commitment it takes to host these events get easily overlooked . “ These events take months and months and many , many people to plan and prepare . You give up a lot of ‘ you ’ time — and family time ,” admitted Pintozzi .
We thank all those in the Missouri Cannabis Industry who have dedicated their valuable time , efforts , and finances to bring first-class cannabis entertainment to Missouri , as well as all the cannabis consumers and festival goers who brave the weather to support such events . Be sure to check page 38 for The Frost Bowl , one of Missouri ’ s upcoming events in February . Join the fun and comradery , and be a sponsor , contestant , or spectator !
Keep watching for more 2024 event news in upcoming issues . Here ’ s to a great 2024 cannabis event year !
Clayton Stallings is the Director of Sales & Marketing for
The EVOLUTION Magazine
December 2023 33