Illinois Sets New Cannabis Sales Record in July with Lollapalooza

Adult-use cannabis sales in Illinois set another new monthly record last month, driven, in part, by the Lollapalooza music festival, the Chicago Tribune reports. Sales in July reached $127.8 million—10% higher than the previous record set in May.

It was the first time cannabis was legal during the festival’s 30-year history; although public cannabis consumption is not legal in Illinois.

Sales at retail dispensaries in the River North and West Loop neighborhoods around the festival were up by as much as 50%, shop owners and operators told the Tribune. Jason Erkes, spokesman for Cresco Labs, whose Sunnyside Dispensary in River North was the closest to Lollapalooza, indicated the retailer had its “biggest weekend to date.”

According to state data outlined by the Tribune, sales to out-of-state customers rose 16% from June to $42 million in July; in-state residents spent about $85 million over the course of the month.

“Summer tourism and the Lollapalooza attendees were strong contributors to July’s out-of-state sales.” — Erkes to the Tribune

Jane, the e-commerce cannabis platform also reported a sales increase during Lollapalooza, with sales at 18 Chicago stores up about 6%, compared with the previous four weekends. Despite a ban on smoking at Grant Park, Jane reported a 27.5% increase in pre-rolls sales, the highest increase of any product category.

Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, told Marijuana Moment in May that he believed the state would “blow past” a billion dollars in cannabis sales this year—a feat the state accomplished with combined medical and recreational sales last year.