OCHBS 2026 Recap

October 12, 2026
By Dustin Hoxworth

When I think about places where legal cannabis has managed to build both a business and a community and culture worth a damn, Ohio isn’t exactly the first state that comes to mind. Call legalization “successful” if you want, but I’m looking for more than a tax receipt from giant corporations. I’m looking for thriving independent businesses, fat doinks, well-loved bongs, and the kind of hash and live rosin that makes you forget whatever point you were trying to make.

OCHBS 2026 Recap

I’m a big fan of being surprised, proven wrong, or put in my place, especially when it means a city has more going on than I gave it credit for. When I travel for a conference these days, I’m holding my breath for an experience that hits me the way Kurt Cobain did when I was 16. I want something to grab my attention, get under my skin, and make sure I never forget what I just took in. Cannabis, food, drinks, a hike, art, a conversation. Whatever it is, I want it to hit hard enough to knock me out of autopilot and maybe even stay with me forever.

A Strong Return to Ohio

This was my second year at the OCHBS (Ohio Cannabis Health & Business Summit). Founder Lenny Berry decided to move the event from Cleveland to Columbus, essentially on the Ohio State University campus. I’d never spent time there before, so I arrived with two good reasons to pay attention: a city I hadn’t explored and a cannabis community that likely has a few things to teach me.

There’s something about stepping into a city you haven’t experienced, finding your way around, seeing what it has to offer, and making new memories with people you meet and care about. I got to do that with my photographer and best friend, Chris Birdsong. We came to work, but Bird and I weren’t about to experience Columbus through a conference badge and a hotel window. We got out, wandered the campus area, and let an unfamiliar city give us something beyond another event recap. That’s what keeps me going: finding something I didn’t know I was missing in a place I’d never been. Thanks for that, Lenny!

The new location was a win. Columbus has good energy and interesting people, especially in and around Ohio State. There are plenty of places within walking distance to grab food, have a drink, meet someone for a quick conversation, network after the sessions, or just take a breath outside of the conference. The hotel and convention setup made everything simple and convenient, which matters more than people realize when you’re attending a multi-day event.

No one in this industry wants to spend half the day trying to figure out rides, paying for Ubers, or deciding whether it’s worth leaving the hotel to find food. Everything felt super convenient and easy to access. You could be in the conference, walk to lunch, head back for a panel, then meet someone for a smoke, drink or dinner without turning the whole thing into a logistical nightmare. That kind of convenience makes it easier for people to participate, stay engaged, and enjoy themselves.

The timing of this event is spot on as well. Columbus was easy to get to, flights were relatively inexpensive, and the early fall weather made walking around feel like part of the experience rather than something you were forced to do. It was one of those conferences where the city added to the event instead of just being the place where it happened.

A First-Time Moderator Moment

One of the main reasons that OCHBS 2026 will always stand out is because I finally got to moderate my first panel. Deeply grateful to Lenny for giving me that opportunity. I’ve participated in many panels and even closed out entire conferences on stage by myself, but no one had ever asked me to moderate a panel before. Sharing the stage with Stella Morrison, Dustin Steerman, Amy Larson, and Blake Brandon gave me a chance to help steer the conversation and learn a few things myself about what it takes to market cannabis in Ohio. My hope is that we provided some value and helped people take home a few ideas they could put to work in their own businesses.

Outside of our panel, OCHBS 2026 felt solid. It seemed about the same size and level of activity, if not more as it did two years ago, which is an excellent sign, IMO. People seemed positive, engaged, and genuinely excited to be there. The panels had a nice mix of people and topics, and there was enough happening throughout the event that it felt like a full experience without becoming overwhelming.

The conference floor was lively too. In fact, it was big enough that I couldn’t make it all the way through until the very last moments of day two. That’s usually a good sign. It means there were conversations to have, booths worth stopping at, and enough people in the room to keep things moving. For an industry event, that matters because the best conferences are not just a stack of panels and a room full of vendors. Everyone is looking for the right opportunity to connect, network, talk business, shoot-the-shit, and maybe, hopefully, even get a chance to smoke together.

A City Worth Exploring

One of the other highlights was getting to visit COSI, the science center in Columbus. Look, it’s definitely not the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but I appreciate what it is and the history and science inside it. I spent at least an hour walking through exhibits, reading about dinosaurs, and doing the VR experience, which I thought was dope AF. I’m always going to appreciate a chance to learn something, be curious, and step outside the usual conference routine for a little while–that itch was scratched.

I also want to give credit to Lenny and his team for all the work that goes into creating that full experience. The food, drink tickets, music, décor, programming, venue coordination, and all the little details people sometimes take for granted take a ton of work. Pulling off a summit like this is not easy. It takes planning, patience, relationships, and a real commitment to doing it right.

OCHBS 2026 and Beyond

Overall, I am super grateful to be part of the OCHBS. I feel lucky to work alongside someone like Lenny and his team. They’ve been building this event the right way, for the right reasons, for a long time now. And being able to support the show, support Lenny, and be a small part of what the OCHBS is building is a true pleasure for our Fat Nugs Magazine team. So, here’s to new cities, first-time moments, great conversations, and continuing to build this industry with people who actually care about it!

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