Toronto's weed fair is back next month but last year's drama lingers

Toronto's KIND Summer Fair is returning to the city from August 12 to 13, 2025 — but not everyone is lighting up with excitement.

While the annual cannabis celebration promises "immersive brand experiences," live music, and networking opportunities, many Toronto weed lovers haven't forgotten how last year's fair left a bad taste in their mouths — and not the kind that edibles are supposed to deliver.

For a festival that claims to be Canada's leading cannabis event, 2024's winter edition left many attendees feeling burnt out, ripped off, and ignored. "If I wanted to be in a mosh pit, I would've went to a metal concert like I did earlier in the month, not at a cannabis event," said one frustrated attendee after last year’s fair.

"They need to issue some sort of statement and, if they don't, it says a LOT." 

Complaints ranged from overcrowding and poor organization to bad vibes from staff and questionable ticket pricing. "All of the reps were SO f*cking RUDE!" one person wrote in a review that quickly circulated on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter). "Kind has always seemed like a blatant cash grab. Year after year people always say: 'wtf was that?'" 

One of the biggest controversies came from those in the cannabis industry who felt exploited by the event's tiered ticketing. Budtenders were given access to cheaper tickets and freebies, while others in the field were asked to cough up hundreds for less.

"This year KIND wanted to charge me $200 a ticket to 'network' for 4 hrs because I'm 'industry', but not a dispensary," wrote another user. "Absolutely not playing those games."

Others pointed out how ironic it was that an event promoting connection and conversation made that nearly impossible thanks to blasting music and a chaotic layout. "In previous years, they had music so loud you literally couldn't hear the person next to you," they said.

With the 2025 edition just weeks away at the Grand Bizarre, organizers are promising a reimagined experience — curated lounges, live panel talks, and new brand activations. But many past attendees are approaching with caution.

"Canada should be having some of the best cannabis events in the world," one user summed up. "But instead we gotta pay to get screwed." 

Whether KIND has actually learned from last year's missteps or just rebranded the same vibes remains to be seen. The event organizers did not immediately comment when blogTO reached out for more information.

So for now, one thing's clear: Toronto's weed fair might be back, but the drama hasn't gone anywhere.