From March 14th to 16th, Barcelona hosted the largest cannabis festival in Europe — Spannabis 2025. This year marked the 22nd edition of the event in the Catalan capital, but sadly, it also served as the final one held in Barcelona. The organizers announced that, starting in 2026, Spannabis will relocate to Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country.
In this article, we dive into the key highlights from the 2025 event and explore the reasons behind the move to Bilbao.
Highlights of Spannabis 2025
- Spannabis 2025 brought together over 25000 attendees — cannabis enthusiasts, professionals, and industry leaders from around the world. This is a record number in the history of the festival.
- Around 500 companies participated in the exhibition: seed banks, cannabis clubs, grow shops, CBD and hemp producers, equipment producers, among others.
- The 12th edition of the World Cannabis Conference has been held within the Spannabis Festival. 20 speakers from governments, businesses, healthcare and public organizations of the European countries discussed the most pressing issues: cannabis legalization, regulation, and medical usage. In light of the increasingly intense political debates surrounding the future of cannabis in Europe, the importance of such public discussions grows with each passing year.
- Beyond the business and political conversations, Spannabis 2025 delivered a stellar entertainment lineup. Firstly, the non-stop DJ performances added a festival atmosphere that kept the energy high throughout the event. Also, the festival offered a wide range of master classes, live-music, after-parties, chill-out zones. Among the most exciting experiences were cannabis-infused cooking masterclasses, where experts showed attendees how to cook with cannabis in creative and delicious ways.
- One of the standout features of Spannabis Festival is the 19th edition of Spannabis Cup 2025, a prestigious cannabis competition that showcases the best strains, concentrates, and cannabis-related products. The winners of the year are listed below:
- Best Indica: Banana Cooler presented by Selva Club
- Best Sativa: Cherrymosa presented by Perfect Tree
- Best Rosin: Bask Triangle presented by Dochazed
- Best Hashish: Danup presented by The Powerpuff Farm
- Best CBD: Legendary presented by Loud
Why Spannabis Is Moving to Bilbao
In a major development, Spannabis 2025 also marked the last year the festival will be held at the iconic Fira de Cornellà de Barcelona. Due to the venue's closure, event organizers made a decision to relocate the festival to Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country, starting in 2026.
In emails that were sent to exhibitors on March 6th, the organizers explained that no other venue in or near Barcelona could meet the scale and needs of Spannabis.
The decision to move comes with several advantages: Bilbao boasts a state-of-the-art infrastructure that is well-equipped for large-scale events like Spannabis, and the city offers a more favorable environment for negotiating with local authorities. Additionally, the cost of hosting the festival in Bilbao is reportedly more competitive, ensuring that Spannabis can continue to grow while keeping ticket prices accessible.
A Brief History of Spannabis
The Spannabis festival was founded in 2002 in Barcelona and has since grown into one of the largest and most significant events in the cannabis world. Initially starting as a small exhibition focused on the cannabis industry, Spannabis quickly gained international status due to the growing interest in cannabis legalization and medical use, attracting thousands of participants and industry representatives from across the globe.
In 2018, the first international Spannabis Club Championship was held as part of the festival, becoming a key component of the event and drawing attention to the finest cannabis producers.
In recent years, the festival has taken on even greater significance, given the rising debates around cannabis legalization both in Europe and globally. The conference sessions at Spannabis tackle crucial topics such as cannabis safety, its medical and recreational uses, and legislative initiatives in various countries.
As Spannabis prepares for this exciting new chapter in Bilbao, the festival’s legacy of fostering global cannabis culture, advocating for legalization, and showcasing cutting-edge products will undoubtedly continue to thrive.
