January 6, 2025
In the competitive cannabis retail landscape, understanding and capitalizing on key sales periods can make or break your annual revenue targets. While six major peaks drive over 30% of annual revenue, successful operators know the secret lies not just in maximizing these established holidays, but in creating their own opportunities throughout the year.
Major Cannabis Retail Peaks
Super Bowl & Playoffs Season (February through October)
The Super Bowl has emerged as a significant cannabis sales event, combining America's biggest sporting event with social consumption. Cannabis consumers increasingly incorporate products into their game-day celebrations, making this a crucial date for retailers to prepare for increased demand in snack-friendly edibles and shareable products. This sports-driven consumption trend continues through the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs (mid-April to mid-June), NBA Playoffs (mid-April to mid-June), and MLB Playoffs (early October through early November). The baseball season is particularly notable as it spans the summer months and culminates in the World Series, providing consistent sales opportunities from Opening Day (late March/early April) through the Fall Classic. Retailers typically see 25-40% increases in traffic during big game days, with particular demand for convenient consumption methods like vapes and edibles that can be enjoyed discreetly during viewing parties. Value-sized packaging and party bundles perform especially well during these sporting events, with multi-pack edibles seeing up to 60% sales increases on game days. Successful retailers align their promotions with local team schedules and create sports-themed bundles during playoff runs.
420: Cannabis Retail's Highest Holiday (April 20th)
April 20th stands as the cannabis industry's single biggest sales day of the year, with roots tracing back to 1970s California when a group of high school students would meet at 4:20 PM to smoke. Today, it's evolved into a mainstream celebration that drives massive retail sales, with dispensaries often seeing 2-3x their normal daily revenue. Data shows a 100-150% increase in sales compared to regular days, with peak times hitting between 2-6 PM. Popular categories include flower (40% of sales), followed by vapes (30%), edibles (20%), and concentrates (10%). Customer traffic typically begins ramping up 3-4 days before 420, with many retailers extending promotions across the full week. Successful retailers start planning 2-3 months in advance, focusing on deep discounts (often 20-42% off), limited edition products, bundle deals, and increased staffing. Brand collaborations and community events are also key drivers, with dispensaries reporting 50-75% new customer acquisition during 420 promotions. The holiday has become so significant that many retailers report 420 week accounting for up to 8-10% of their annual revenue.
Summer Sales & 710 (July)
July brings a variety of sales opportunities depending on what country you operate in.
710: The Concentrate Connoisseur's Holiday (July 10th)
710 (which spells "OIL" when turned upside down) has emerged as a significant date in cannabis retail, celebrating concentrates, extracts, and oils. While not as widely recognized as 420, this holiday has gained substantial traction among concentrate enthusiasts and presents a valuable opportunity for retailers to boost mid-summer sales. Since its grassroots beginnings in the early 2010s, 710 has evolved from an inside joke among dabbing enthusiasts to a legitimate retail event. The holiday reflects the growing sophistication of cannabis consumers and the increasing popularity of concentrate products, from live resin to rosin. Product categories to spotlight include Live resin, Live rosin, Shatter, Wax, Badder/Budder, Diamonds and Hash along with Cartridges, Disposable vapes, Dab rigs and equipment and Portable concentrate vaporizers. Concentrate sales typically spike 35-50% on 710, Premium products see stronger performance compared to value offerings, Dabbing accessories often see a 2-3x increase in sales and Educational content gets higher engagement during this period.
May 24, Summer Season & Victoria Day through Labour Day
Summer's cannabis sales surge kicks off with Victoria Day weekend (known colloquially as "May 2-4" in Canada), a cultural milestone marking the unofficial start of cottage season. This long weekend traditionally sees 40-50% sales spikes as Canadians stock up for their first summer getaways, with particularly strong performance in easily transportable products like pre-rolls, vapes, and edibles. This robust sales momentum continues through the warm months, with June through August typically seeing 20-30% higher sales compared to winter months. Consumer behavior shifts toward daytime consumption and social sharing at cottages, camping trips, music festivals, and outdoor gatherings, with multi-packs and larger formats seeing up to 40% sales increases. Portable and discrete products like pre-rolls, vape pens, and beverages dominate summer sales, while temperature-sensitive items like chocolates see decreased demand. The season culminates in Labour Day weekend, traditionally one of the year's top 5 sales periods, as consumers stock up before returning to regular routines. Music festivals and local events throughout the summer create additional promotional opportunities, with successful retailers aligning their inventory and marketing with local event calendars. The "summer Friday" phenomenon drives consistent end-of-week sales spikes as consumers prepare for weekend activities.
Green Wednesday: The New Black Friday (November)
This pre-Thanksgiving celebration has quickly become the industry's second-biggest sales day. In 2023, the industry reported a 43% increase in orders compared to the previous week, with total holiday sales reaching $116.4 million in 2022. Key considerations:
December Holiday Season
The winter holiday period offers multiple sales opportunities through Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's. Retailers that choose to stay open during these holiday dates will see increase traffic as their local competitors are likely shut down or operating on reduced hours. Gift-giving drives unique buying patterns, with consumers seeking:
Creating Your Own Peaks with Marketing Strategy
During peak periods:
During off-peak periods:
Best Practices:
Conclusion
While major cannabis holidays provide guaranteed sales opportunities, the most successful retailers create a comprehensive calendar that maintains momentum throughout the year. By combining strategic planning for peak periods with creative solutions for slower months, dispensaries can build a more stable and profitable business model.