The cannabis industry has long had an equity problem. 

While white entrepreneurs continue to cash in on the same plant that has devastated Black communities for decades, the people most harmed are still fighting for a seat at the table. But there’s one Black woman who has stood committed to doing something about it. And all while having us party with a purpose.

This July, Caroline Phillips and her National Cannabis Festival will return, bringing Big Boi, Three 6 Mafia, Ty Dolla $ign, and Curren$y to Washington DC’s RFK Stadium Festival Grounds for what’s become the largest cannabis festival on the East Coast.

Set for July 18-19, the annual festival expects to draw over 35,000 cannabis advocates, policymakers, patients, and music lovers for a weekend that blends live performances with conversations about the future of cannabis in America. Now in its ninth year, Phillips created the festival to celebrate progress on marijuana legalization in DC and across the nation, but her mission goes much deeper than just throwing a good party (though it is D.C. after all, so we love a good party).

“I wanted to make sure it was affordable and accessible, and I wanted to make sure that we had a platform that reminds people that while cannabis is legal and everyone is talking about the green rush, there’s still so much work to do on the policy side to repair the damage that’s been done to our communities,” Phillips told ESSENCE back in 2021.

In addition to the headliners, the festival will also include performances from Black Folks Don’t Swim?, Black Alley, Gordon Sterling and the People, DJ Bo, Meche Korrect featuring Nag Champa, Hue, Soroche, Be Steadwell, Backyard Band, and DJ Farrah Flosscett. 

Six education pavilions will cover wellness, policy, culture, culinary arts, grower’s world, and sacred medicine, offering attendees a chance to not only listen to their favorite hip hop artists, but explore everything from the latest policy developments to sustainable growing practices.

And if you’re on the hunt for your future bae, for the first time, the festival is hosting a matchmaking competition for cannabis enthusiasts looking for romance, called “Love Is High.” Not to mention, they’ll be offering a new Zero Proof Bar concept featuring non-alcoholic beverage brands, so you can sip responsibly while looking for love.

“We’re gearing up for the most fun weekend of the summer at this year’s National Cannabis Festival,” Phillips said. “We can’t wait to bring our community back together to enjoy incredible headliners and performers, hands-on workshops, and other unique experiences that you can only find at NCF.”

Additional programming includes the Cannatank pitch competition, the Community Changemaker Award, and 420 Food Week leading up to the festival. These initiatives are a part of Phillips’ overall vision to create a space where cannabis culture, policy dialogue, and entrepreneurial energy can collide over one weekend.

The festival is sure to be one of the most anticipated events in Washington D.C. this summer with attendees from across the country and internationally all coming to (what was once known as) Chocolate City to engage with lawmakers, learn about policy, and celebrate with like-minded advocates.