New York's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) began accepting applications for Cannabis Showcase Events on May 4, 2026, the first time licensed dispensaries could apply to sell cannabis away from their own storefronts. The permits cover temporary pop-ups, farmers' markets and public markets, and they come with a long list of conditions, starting with sign-off from the local government.
This article is a practical guide to how the permits work under the final rules. Our earlier piece on the law that opened the door to pop-ups and farmers' markets covers how the idea got through Albany.
Where the program came from
Showcase events were authorized by legislation Governor Kathy Hochul signed in March 2025. The Cannabis Control Board then had to write regulations, which became Part 117 of its rules (9 NYCRR 117.1–117.6). In April 2026, OCM told the board the rules were finalized but not yet in effect; they took effect in time for applications to open on May 4, according to OCM's launch release.
Acting Executive Director John Kagia described the program as adding flexibility for businesses "while preserving public health safeguards and local authority."
How a permit works, step by step
According to OCM's permit page, the process runs in this order:
- Pick a site. The applicant identifies the market, fair or pop-up location.
- Get municipal approval. The host city, town or village must approve in writing, using OCM's municipal approval form (a separate form exists for farmers' and public markets). In New York City, applicants go through the city's Cannabis NYC office. Without local approval, OCM cannot issue a permit.
- Apply to OCM at least 45 days before the event, with exceptions only for good cause.
- Receive the permit if OCM approves.
Who can apply: licensed adult-use dispensaries, and microbusinesses authorized for retail sales. A dispensary can partner with licensed cultivators and processors, who may display their products but cannot sell them or hand out samples. Every item sold must come from the permit-holding retailer's inventory.
The limits that apply on site
- Time: up to 14 consecutive days per event, and no more than 45 event days per calendar year at any one location.
- Distance: at least 500 feet from schools, 200 feet from houses of worship, 200 feet from other licensed cannabis retailers (unless the event holder owns that store), and 500 feet from public youth facilities where a municipality has adopted that rule.
- Age: no one under 21 may enter the sales area or buy, and ID checks are required.
- No consumption at the event, and no free cannabis or giveaways.
- No tobacco, alcohol or items that appeal to minors.
- Security: a written security plan and staff, no overnight storage of cash or cannabis, and incident reports to OCM within 24 hours.
For shoppers, the practical upshot is that a showcase booth is a licensed sale in the same way a storefront is. Possession limits follow the normal adult-use rules; our guide to how much cannabis you can legally buy and carry in New York applies here too.
Update: October 2026
The biggest change since applications opened came from Albany. On August 6, 2026, Hochul signed S.10113/A.11217, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Donna Lupardo, to let licensed microbusinesses take full part in showcase events, according to the governor's office. Microbusinesses grow, process and sell under one small license, so the original structure, which assumed a retailer partnering with separate growers and processors, did not fit them well. Hochul said the law gives microbusinesses and dispensaries "a real chance to succeed in New York's legal cannabis market."
Coverage after the signing (Spectrum News) highlighted small farms hoping to sell directly to customers the way they sell produce. One trade outlet noted on August 8 that OCM's published guidance had not yet been updated for the new law, so microbusiness applicants should confirm current forms with OCM before applying.
What we could not find: OCM has not published a count of showcase permits issued or events held, and none of its monthly board releases from June through October reported one. If you see a cannabis booth at a market, the permit-holding retailer should be on OCM's dispensary verification list.
What comes next
- Cooler weather: most farmers' markets wind down or move indoors after October, so the first full season of showcase events is likely to be spring and summer 2027. The 45-day lead time means applications for early-season events would need to be filed by late winter.
- Local decisions: because each event needs municipal approval, expect town boards and city councils to vote on individual requests. Municipalities that opted out of dispensaries are a separate question from event approval; check with your local clerk.
- Consumption: showcase events still bar on-site use. On-site consumption licenses remain a separate, unfinished piece of the program, covered in our story on why New York's cannabis lounges still haven't opened.
Until then, licensed storefronts remain the main way to buy; you can compare licensed dispensaries on High Today. For adults 21+.