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Cannabis stores popping up at Alberta festivals

Published on July 25, 2025 by Pat Bulmer

Photo: Contributed

Pop-up weed stores are becoming a more common feature at festivals and concerts in Alberta.

The weed stores, similar to beer gardens, have been allowed at 18-and-over events for over a year. Now, they will be permitted at most concerts and festivals.

Plantlife Cannabis is capitalizing at events in Edmonton and Calgary this summer.

Plantlife sold cannabis products in an 18+ zone at the Rockin’ Thunder festival in Edmonton July 11-12. Minors were permitted elsewhere on the festival grounds.

Plantlife will also set up at the Country Thunder festival Aug. 15-18 in Calgary.

“By operating in designated 18+ zones with transparency, education, and full compliance, we’re showing how cannabis can responsibly exist in the same spaces as beer gardens or food trucks. We’re proud to be leading this shift,” said Ian Scott, vice president of operations.

Festival organizers were happy too.

“We’re proud to share that this past weekend’s festival marked a successful step forward in integrating legalized cannabis into the live music experience. Our on-site cannabis sales were handled with the highest standards of compliance and responsibility, working closely with regulators to ensure a safe and seamless guest experience,” said Gerry Krochak, director of corporate partnerships for the two music festivals, in a Plantlife news release.

“The feedback from festival goers was overwhelmingly positive,” he said.

“This is a huge step for the normalization of cannabis in Alberta,” said Marcie Kiziak, president of retail for Plantlife.