What Is Budtender XP? NYC Education Nights for Budtenders

Budtender XP is a series of education nights for people who work behind the counter at licensed New York dispensaries. Brand teams come to teach their products in person, and budtenders leave knowing what to tell their customers the next day.

Work'n'Roll has run eight Budtender XP nights in 2026, from Manhattan and Brooklyn to Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse and the Hudson Valley. The ninth is set for October 28 in Brooklyn.

What happens at a Budtender XP night?

Brand teams set up and walk budtenders through their products: how they're made, what's different about them, and which questions customers actually ask. Budtenders can ask anything and hear the answer from the people who make the product.

Nothing is sold: the nights are only for product education. Every edition has its own theme. At Equinox in Syracuse, guests got zodiac badges at the door and used them to meet people. Haunted Dreams, on October 28 in Brooklyn, is a Halloween edition.

Who can attend Budtender XP?

Budtender XP is for verified budtenders and cannabis industry professionals, 21 and older. You register through WNR Pass, our event app, and your dispensary employment is checked before you get in. That keeps the room focused on people who talk to customers every day.

Where has Budtender XP been held?

Each night happens in a different place:

• Manhattan: The Night We Gardened (February) and Her XP at Lume Studios (March)
• Brooklyn: In Terps We Trust at One Hanson Place (April), the Pride Edition (June) and Haunted Dreams at 1896 Studios (October 28)
• Albany: Catch Me If You Can Pt. 2 at Albany International Airport (April)
• Saugerties: Equestrian Club (July)
• Buffalo: The Buffalo Premiere at Shea's Seneca (August)
• Syracuse: Equinox at SKY Armory (September), where more than 300 people registered

How do I register for Budtender XP?

Open WNR Pass, create a profile and verify that you work at a licensed dispensary. Upcoming events show up there with the date, address and theme. Each event you check in to adds XP to your profile.

Why do brands take part?

In New York, most paid ads are closed to cannabis brands, so recommendations at the counter matter more than almost anything else. Budtenders recommend products they understand. Our post on how brands earn a budtender's recommendation covers why that conversation decides so much.

If your brand wants to join an upcoming Budtender XP night, we'd love to hear from you. Take a look at our services or get in touch when you have a moment.

Budtender XP: quick answers

Is cannabis sold at Budtender XP? No. The nights are for product education only.

Who runs Budtender XP? Work'n'Roll, a New York events and experiential marketing team.

How often does it happen? About once a month in 2026, each time in a new location.

Source: Work'n'Roll event records, WNR Pass. For persons 21 and older. General marketing information, not legal advice.