What can you expect from your first expo?

WHAT CAN

YOUEXPECT

FROM YOUR

FIRST EXPO

The first Hemp &CBD Expo eventin March 2019 was a resounding success, with positive feedback from countless people in the UK hemp industry. This September the team is looking to build on this, with an even bigger and better event planned around the fast-growing UK hemp and CBD sector. But whatif you haven’t been an expo before?Don’t worry, here’s a complete guide about what you can expect, with some helpful adviceonhow to makethe most of your weekend.

The Venue

The Hemp &CBD Expo is held at the Birmingham NEC, one of the UK’smost prestigious and dynamic venues. Due to popular demand, this time round we’re moving to the largerHall 17 so we can cater for even more exhibitors and visitors. Based in the heart of the UK, the NEC has excellent transport links so you’ll have no problem reaching it,no matter where you’re coming from.

If you’re coming by car, there’s on-site parking but you should book this in advance, and over 120 National Express and Megabus coach services run every day from across the UK to Birmingham airport. Once you reach the airport,simply take the free air-rail link to Birmingham International Railway Station -this train runs every two minutes and only just 90 seconds. From here, the NEC is justafiveminute walk.There are plenty of hotels nearby,at

all price points, but be sure to book early to take advantageofthe bestdeals.

Who Will Be There?

Now you’ve made it to thevenue and entered the expo.What next? The first thing to expect is a huge number of people who areinvolved in the UK CBD and hemp industries. This canrangefromindustry high-flyers, to those are simply curious about where this sector is heading.It’s a professional environment,so even the most informed hemp user can expect to learn new things, but the focus is on enjoyment as well. CBD has helped countless people across the UK and you’ll find many people willing to share their stories so prepare to make new friends as well as industry contacts.

The majority of attendees will be from the B2B world, so you canexpecttomeet people from every step of the CBD and hemp supply chains, from farmers, growers and seed providers; to distributors, clothing companies and hemp accessories; to hemp food products and paraphernalia. But B2C is also catered for, so there’ll be plenty members of the general public keen to learn more about the properties and uses of this fantastic plant.Whether you’re considering taking CBD for thefirst time, or a real aficionado,there’s something for everyone. No matter what side of the industryyou’reon, you’ll gain alot from meeting the people here.

What Can YouDo?

With over 150 exhibitor stalls, you’ll be spoilt forchoicewhen it comes to learning about and sampling products.You can test out some of the bestCBD products in the UK, including CBD oils, edibles and topicals, as well as speak to people involved in sectors as varied as compliance, machinery, investment and much more. These stands are manned by helpful staffwhocantakeyou through what’s going to workbest for you,or if there’s anything you want to know about CBD, there’ll certainly be someone who can help you understand it.It’s also an ideal way to source the very best CBD producefor your business, thanks to the hugenumber of quality brands in attendance.

Themain stage plays host to our speakers gallery. Here, you’ll be able to listen to some of the mostdynamic and knowledgeable people from the world of CBD and hemp,including major figures such as the high-profile cannabis activist Callie Blackwell, founder member of the Cannabis Trades Association Guy Coxall, medicinal cannabis expert Dr Dani Gordon, and many more. We have dozens of guest speakers lined up,from a hugevariety of sectors -nomatter whataspectofCBDand hemp you’re interestedin, you’ll find expert advicehere.

For the serious industry leaders,you can attend the Business ProSeminar for in-depth discussion on leading topics

surrounding the sector(you’ll need an additional Business Pro ticket for this, as seating is limited).

And don’t forget about the hugely popular Hemp &CBDAwardsCeremony and after-party,sponsored by Ignite. This time it’s bigger and better than ever,featuring a three course meal, black tie dress code and much more. This is for exhibitors, although a limited amount of B2B ticket-holders can attend (tickets for this are available on the website). This is where youcan discover the topCBD and hemp companies in the UK today-and tomorrow.

Dos &Don’ts

Do: Arrive in plenty of time. There’ll be alot to do,alot of free samples to try, notto

mention alot of people to speak to -the earlier you arrive, the more you can squeeze intoyourday.

Do: Bring business cards. If you run aCBD or hemp business, this is the ideal placeto network and make new usefulcontacts. But don’t wastetime scrambling for a pen, instead keep a supply of business cards to hand out so you cankeep in touchwith the people you meet.

Do: Prepare to take notes. No matter how educated you are about CBDand hemp, you’ll learn something new, whether from someone in asimilar field, or from the total opposite end of the supply chain. Don’t wake up the nextday trying to remember that useful tit-bit,make a notein your phoneoronanotepad.

Don’t: Smoke or vape inside. Some CBD vape stalls may allow you to vape at the stands but other than this the NEC is a no-smoking and no-vaping venue so you’ll need to go outsidetodothis.

Finally

Havefun! The world is waking up to the benefits of CBD, and this is only the beginning. By attending the Hemp & CBD Expo you’re part of something special, and everyone around you has their own story about how CBDand hemp have changed their lives for the better.The Hemp &CBD Expo is aplace where you can make friends and business contacts,while helping to make a difference in the world.