Major Cannabis Expo hotboxed T-Mobile Center with a mix of charm and misfires

Macmo Green and MajorPac Mascot on Stage at the Major Cannabis Expo at T-Mobile Center. // Photo by Joe Ellett

The second annual Major Cannabis Expo took place this past Saturday, allowing for one of the first ever organized, recreational cannabis events to take place in Kansas City.

The event began at 10 a.m. with different vendors from dispensaries to marketing companies on display to attendees. During this time, attendees and figures in the cannabis industry got the chance to network throughout the floor of T-Mobile Center.

OG Yields, developer of Sundro Cannabis, Atta Cannabis, Bad Pony Cannabis, as well as Missouri’s first glass-roof greenhouse, was one of the vendors in attendance at the event. Unable to participate in last year’s medical-only expo, the company was happy to be a part of the affair.

“We’re really excited to be a part of it this year. Kansas City is obviously the most evolved in the market in Missouri,” David Reduzzi, sales representative of OG Yields says. “You guys are always doing some great things, so our focus in the past year or so has definitely been growing our presence in Kansas City.”

Vendors and Attendees at Major Cannabis Expo in the T-Mobile Center. // Photo by Joe Ellett

Other companies such as MEDiAHEAD, a local print and packaging company, was also at the event to network with different cannabis companies in hopes of future partnerships. Some of their current, larger collaborations are with J. Reiger & Co. and Hawaiian Bros.

“There’s a real need for local manufacturing. That’s why we put this equipment in because there’s not a lot of people that do what we do in Kansas City,” Kat McDaniel, chief innovator at MEDiAHEAD, says.

Attendees strolled throughout the venue, purchasing different cannabis glassware, checking out samples, and even purchasing weed plants. Bobby Romero, a first-time attendee, could be seen networking with different vendors at the event while wielding a marijuana plant that he purchased.

His motive for attending was to learn more about the cannabis industry through the eyes of those on the front lines, in order to begin establishing his own dispensary. “I’m pretty business savvy, so I’ve got the business part of it,” Romero says. “It’s just about the growing, learning the marijuana, and how to cure it and actually take care of it to make it some of the best quality stuff.”

Vendors and Attendees at the Major Cannabis Expo in the T-Mobile Center. // Photo by Joe Ellett

While attendees were flurrying around the ground of the arena during the beginning of the expo, there were also three seminars held to help spread awareness about the Missouri cannabis scene. The discussions consisted of topics about cannabis in real estate, law enforcement, and sports industries.

“MajorPac is built on bringing the light to sports, health, business, and entertainment,” Macmo Green, CEO of MajorPac and founder of the Major Cannabis Expo says. “And through that we came up with the Major Cannabis Expo to highlight those things.”

Being from Kansas City and working toward legalization for around 11 years, starting in California, it is important to Green to continue to help build the cannabis community in the city from the ground up. “It provides new opportunity for new things like this, for growth in the community.”

Midway through the day, most vendors hauled off their pop-up shops, leaving most of the site’s floor open for the musical acts to come. The openers for the early show kicked off at around 2 p.m. and consisted of performances from Schwem and Crew, Roblo, and Kye Colors.

Once the opening acts of the afternoon had wrapped up their presentations, members of the cannabis community gathered outside of the arena to have a 4:20 p.m. smoke session, emitting smells of fresh weed and sights of white smoke.

DWalk, Kansas City native, performs at Major Cannabis Expo in the T-Mobile Center. (Photo by Joe Ellett)

After smoking out the back of the T-Mobile Center, attendees, vendors, and staff headed back inside for the main acts to begin. Acts from KC Young Boss, KStylist, DWalk, and Joey Cool were the first four to perform the second half of the show.

Without the overall turnout that the event was expected to put on, unfortunately, Juicy J, who was scheduled to headline the event, was a no show. But the poor news did not bring down the spirits of the attendees that had stuck around all day.

That Mexican OT, originally set to open for Juicy J, ended up taking the crowd by storm as a fan favorite. Bringing out two of his good friends, rappers, PESO PESO and DRODi, they worked to keep the crowd entertained.

That Mexican OT performs at Major Cannabis Expo in the T-Mobile Center. (Photo by Joe Ellett)

With Saturday being Mexican Independence Day, That Mexican OT, as well as his Latino counterparts, were well received by the crowd of a few hundred, many of which came to strictly see That Mexican OT.

While there were restrictions on smoking cannabis inside of the building, that did not halt many of the concert-goers as the show continued. The area in front of the stage quickly became a hotbox, while That Mexican OT did his best to keep the crowd involved and entertained through his wordplay.

Looking forward to next year’s event, Green mentioned that putting an event of this size and measure is not an easy feat. “I want to grow, we need help,” Green says. “I can’t put this on by myself, I need the community to get behind us.”