A marijuana festival took place at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Cincinnati Saturday, making one of the first of its kind in Cincinnati.

The single-day Cincy Cloud Festival calls itself the ultimate 420 experience, according to the organizer, Cannabis Chic. Tickets for the adults 21 and over event start at $30 and range to $100 and include festival goodies, merchandise, and even some “elevated” surprises. Marijuana consumption is allowed on site, the festival advertisement reads.

WLWT spoke with representatives from numerous agencies including: The Hamilton County Fairgrounds including Board President Crystal Holthaus, the Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey’s Office, the Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich’s Office, the Butler County Fairgrounds, the Ohio Attorney General David Yost’s Office, several local attorneys and legal scholars, a dispensary operator and the state regulator known as the Division of Cannabis Control.

The festival’s website advertised “high-end vendors,” edibles, and live music, with tickets ranging from $30 to $100 available online, and cash was accepted in person.

Ohio’s recreational marijuana laws are relatively new and are highly regulated, with rules defining where consumption and sales can take place. The first recreational dispensaries opened in Ohio during August 2024 following a voter-led statewide initiative. The state approved its medical marijuana program in September 2016.

The Hamilton County Fairground Board President, Crystal Holthaus, said sales of cannabis products would not take place on site and that she was not aware that consumption of marijuana would be permitted.

“It’s 99 percent chance it’s illegal,” Kent Katkin, Northern Kentucky University law professor, said. “Part of the law is what law enforcement officers are willing to enforce, and so I think there’s more interest in not enforcing it than enforcing it right now, and that may be where we are.”

“The short answer is no, this type of activity is illegal. Local jurisdictions cannot issue permits for the sale of marijuana outside of a state-licensed dispensary, such as at fairs, festivals, or other public-facing events,” said Jamie Crawford, a spokesperson for the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control. “Sales of marijuana are only permitted to occur at dispensaries licensed by the Division of Cannabis Control. Sales outside of those dispensaries are illegal and enforceable by law enforcement. For any further questions about this specific situation, I would direct you to local law enforcement agencies.”

Forty deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office were contracted to provide security for the event as of Friday morning, Holthaus said. Later that day, asking if the office was aware and if action would be taken, spokesperson Kyla Woods responded:

“From what I understand, we were not notified about the event until this week when an offduty detail was requested,” Woods said via text message. “Although cannabis consumption, possession and cultivation are legal in the state of Ohio, off duty employment by the Cincy Cloud Festival currently violates HCSO department policy. Additionally, at this late notice, the event could not be staffed.”

The department spokesperson did not say whether enforcement actions would be taken for events advertised like this. Direct requests to McGuffey Saturday were not immediately returned.

“I would interpret that as, saying, if their guys were there and they saw what was going on they would be required to shut it down but if they’re not there, they don’t have to see what’s going on and nobody has to call and make a complaint,” Katkin said. “They want to avoid making arrests that prosecutors aren’t going to want to bring the cases, or if prosecutors bring the cases, juries are going to acquit. So, a lot of those are traps that law enforcement wants to avoid.”

“In addition, the Division of Cannabis Control always reminds Ohioans that according to the initiated statute passed by voters in November 2023, the use of non-medical cannabis in a public area is considered a minor misdemeanor,” Crawford said. “It should also be noted that, like alcohol, use of non-medical cannabis by individuals under the age of 21 is also prohibited.”

In February, Ohio’s senate pushed forward a set of sweeping changes to the state’s recreational marijuana legal framework, the first since the passage of the November 2023 voter initiative. It’s now being considered by the state House.

If the bill becomes law, it will reduce the potency of THC extracts to 70 percent from 90 percent, limit serving sizes of edible products to 100 milligrams per package and 10 milligrams per serving, and allow the expungement of marijuana-related convictions that were made legal under the 2023 initiative, among other changes.

“SB 56 also imposes serious penalties for smoking, vaporizing, or combusting cannabis in a vehicle, including as a passenger,” the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio said, which opposes the bill. “These penalties include mandatory jail terms for first offenses and steep fines.”

With the exception of the statement from Cannabis Control, each agency contacted regarding this issue was referred to another agency regarding whether these events could take place. None could offer an affirmative answer.

“The marijuana is being sold to the public through an admissions fee, and that really should mean it has to be done through a dispensary,” Katkin said. “So public or private, the fact that they’re charging people to come in makes it a problem.”

Cincy Cloud Fest Organizers would not allow WLWT in the venue and denied multiple requests for an interview or comment.