The free West Cape May gathering returns to Rea’s Farm on September 26 with New Jersey cannabis brands, longtime consumers, first-timers, and a live High Times broadcast.
In West Cape May, NJ, on a stretch of farmland that’s been worked by the same family for over 100 years, something wonderful happens every fall: Shore House Canna throws a party, and the Jersey Cannabis community shows up.
This year, Shore House Canna’s Fall Fest returns to Rea’s Farm on Saturday, September 26th for a day of cannabis connection and community spirit. Expect engaging vendor showcases, hands-on demonstrations, and mingling with like-minded folks while enjoying the crisp autumn air.
Fall Fest is about connection, exploration, and fall-themed fun, and, best of all, it’s free!
Events like Fall Fest play a critical role in helping the cannabis community maintain a sense of the movement that built today’s thriving industry. At its core, cannabis fosters connection, but that’s easy to forget when laws restrict us to consuming in private residences and licensed lounges. Fall Fest allows all kinds of cannabis lovers to come together; whether you’re a longtime medical patient, a first-time consumer, or an old head who’s seen it all, you will enjoy the wonderful feeling of sparking up amongst friends on a beautiful and historic Cape Island farm.
For Shore House Canna, Fall Fest isn’t just goodwill towards our community. When we gather to celebrate the plant, we’re claiming our right to consume joyfully and openly, after decades of stigma and propaganda. There’s an incredible sense of freedom in lighting up without fear of arrest or scorn. Combine that with the feeling of togetherness in a stunning setting, and you’ve got the definition of Good Vibes.
The Last Farm Standing
The venue for the fest is an important part of the magic. Rea’s Farm is one of the last working farms in West Cape May. The family-run farm has been operating since 1922 and is home to the “Beanery,” a top birdwatching site. In the fall, you can expect to see migrating birds, songbirds, and enormous flocks of sparrows. You may even see a kettle of raptors swirling in a thermal like smoke from a joint.
Five generations of resilient, innovative, and land-loving Rea family members have worked the farm. The Rea family continues to withstand the real estate pressure that has turned most other farms into subdivisions and shore houses, but it’s no small feat. They host events like Fall Fest to showcase Rea’s as a gathering place where folks can experience the wonder of a working farm.
This scenic backdrop represents another layer of community, with a cannabis business and a century-old farm supporting each other with a level of trust that money can’t buy.
Edibles, Elders, and First-Timers
Ask Shore House Canna what surprised them most about last year’s crowd, and the answer isn’t the sponsors or the swag. It’s about who showed up for the event. Fall Fest draws an older, more diverse crowd than the typical canna-curious millennial demographic. A striking number of people who had never set foot in a dispensary before attended last year’s fest, along with plenty of retirees and Cape May locals.
Edibles were a curiosity for many of them, perhaps because low-dose gummies, high-dose topicals, THC beverages, and tinctures can seem more approachable than flower. Not everyone knows how to roll a joint! Fall Fest is designed for people to wander around, sample things, and ask questions without a hard sell. It’s not a trade show; vendor booths function sort of like a farmers’ market, with brands on hand to talk about their products and cannabis-themed carnival games.
That welcoming approach is intentional. Shore House Canna isn’t trying to create a smoke fest that feels like a spectacle; they’re opening a door for people to learn, share, and experience cannabis products in a safe, consumption-friendly environment.
“Fall Fest is a totally unique cannabis event. It draws the cannabis community from all over the state and beyond but It is not just a gathering of the heady culture. Fall Fest brings out the locals, the newbies from Cape Island and neighboring South Jersey towns. It is truly a “Community” event with young and old coming out to the farm to explore a showcase of New Jersey’s best brands, the latest product innovations and the biggest personalities in Cannabis. You have to experience it first hand to get it!” – Dave Christian/ Shore House Canna
What to Expect This Year
This year’s festival, set at the farm’s 400 Stevens Street grounds, will bring back everything folks have loved in past years. Fall Fest is a full day of vendor showcases, carnival-style games, hands-on product demos, and a lineup of sponsors spanning everything New Jersey cannabis has to offer, from vape makers to edible companies and accessory brands. This year, the fest welcomes back Ethan Zohn for his third year as Master of Ceremonies. Ethan is an international cannabis advocate, two-time cancer survivor, winner of the TV show Survivor: Africa, and the star of High Times’ new cannabis docuseries, Kicking Back.
The fest is a 21-and-over event, with ID checks and a waiver that attendees need to sign at the gate. Guests will receive a commemorative Fall Fest tote and an event map identifying locations of every vendor. Guests can win prizes by visiting each vendor to complete a game or challenge while receiving cannabis education, swag and goodies (hence the tote). Come as you are, fall fest is pet friendly. You don’t need to know anything about terpenes to have a good time; you just need to be curious.
Celebrating the industry that spent decades underground is the real achievement here. Fall Fest is about bringing cannabis newcomers and old-timers together to sample, share, and leave feeling a sense of community and care.
High Times will simulcast the 2026 Fall Fest LIVE to 300K subscribers around the world. The broadcast will be anchored by Mike, “The Dispensary Guy” (@thedispensaryguy). Mike is back for his third year. This year, Mike will be joined by special guests, Cough Country TV. The media broadcast will feature a star-studded cast of industry veterans, brand ambassadors and NJ cannabis educators and influencers. If you can’t make the event, tune into YouTube Saturday, September 26th 12pm-4pm at:
www.youtube.com/@thedispensaryguy
www.youtube.com/@coughcountrytv
Images courtesy of Shore House Canna.
Content Disclosure: High Times is an official media partner of the 2026 Shore House Canna’s Fall Fest.
