FIND YOUR CANNABIS FRIENDLY VENUE
We know finding the perfect cannabis friendly venue can be tricky, so Irie has compiled a list of things to consider and ways to research potential venues in your area.
The most important things to know are the local details and regulations to make sure it’s legal and possible to host your cannabis-friendly event.
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All photos are of cannabis-friendly venues that Irie works with!
1. DOES IRIE SERVICE YOUR AREA?
Irie Weddings & Events can provide our cannabis bartending services in any recreational state! Our teams are located in the following areas:​
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Arizona
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California
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Colorado
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Michigan
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New York
Your delivery/travel fee will be based on mileage from our local hub to your chosen venue. If you location is out-of-state, flight and lodging fees may apply.
2. ARE RECREATIONAL DISPENSARIES OPEN IN YOUR AREA?
All cannabis must be purchased from a recreational dispensary, NOT a medical dispensary. ​
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Recreational cannabis can be “gifted” from you to your 21+ guests. Cannabis CAN NOT come from a medical dispensary because it’s considered to be your medicine, which by law is deemed “non-transferable”.
3. VENUE REQUIREMENTS
Venues without liquor licenses have the most potential. Choose a venue that’s privately owned AND on private property.
LOOK FOR:
- Private event venues
- Family owned farms and estates
- Art galleries
- Privately owned museums
- Zoos or botanical gardens
- Family or friend’s private property
- Private mansions or vacation villas
- Luxe property rentals
AVOID:
- City, county or state owned buildings
- Public organizations
- Country clubs with directors or community board
- Educational or college properties
- Place of worship
4. VENUE LAYOUT
Make sure the venue has an outdoor space available (especially if you want to offer a smoke friendly option).
Choose a venue that has a flexible layout and offers different potential locations for the cannabis bar. View the venue on Google Earth to get a birds-eye-view of the whole property.
5. TIME TO SEARCH!
Start off with good old Google! Searching "private venue CITY" will pull up a lot of results. You can also look through these venue listing sites:
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herecomestheguide.com is hands down the best resource for venue filtering​
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weddingwire.com is a top trusted website for finding wedding venues
eventective.com - shows you EVERY type of venue imaginable
peerspace.com - offers both artsy spaces and DIY blank slate style venues
splacer.co - lots of unique spaces, rooftops and non traditional locations
thevenuereport.com - a small directory, but a variety of venue types
venuesandestates.com - listings for gorgeous private mansions and estates​​
VENUES + ALCOHOL
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Look for “Approved Bartenders/Alcohol Companies” on their preferred vendor list, which is a great indicator that they do not have a liquor license.
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If the venue has their own “in house” bar services, they likely have their own liquor license making them OFF LIMITS. (Look closely under their FAQ section to see if they allow “outside alcohol”. This will let you know if the alcohol must come from the venue or not.
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If the venue has “in house” bartending through a partnered catering company which is a positive sign because it typically means that the third party catering or bartending company is the one that holds the liquor license, not the venue.
FOUND YOUR VENUE, BUT THEY HAVE QUESTIONS?
​If you find a venue that meets these requirements and they aren’t sure about allowing cannabis on their property, Irie team members are more than happy to give them a call. We can explain exactly how our services work, answer their questions and put them at ease!
FOUND YOUR VENUE, AND YOU'RE READY TO BOOK?
You've done the research, found your venue, and they're on board! Now it's time to fill out Irie's booking form and add insured cannabis bartending services to your event.