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Vermont marijuana regulators have announced that the first lottery for the state’s new marijuana event permit program will take place December 16, with applications scheduled to open later this month.
The Vermont Cannabis Control Board confirmed the timeline in a November 2 announcement summarizing its October 28 meeting, when members approved the final procedures for a pilot program allowing licensed marijuana retailers to sell products at specially permitted public events.
According to the Board, applications will open in November, although an exact opening date has not yet been announced. The lottery will take place during the Board’s regularly scheduled December 16 meeting.
The new schedule establishes a timeline for the pilot program following the Board’s recent approval of its operating procedures, which The Marijuana Herald reported on October 28.
Authorized under Act 176, the program allows regulators to issue up to 10 event permits annually to licensed marijuana retailers in good standing. The permits allow marijuana sales at approved public events, although on-site consumption remains prohibited.
Under the previously circulated procedures, qualifying applicants would participate in a regional lottery covering five geographic regions. Businesses selected through the lottery must still complete the permitting process, including obtaining local approval, before they can operate an event.
Applicants must demonstrate compliance with existing marijuana regulations, provide required security and operating plans, and satisfy other eligibility requirements. The application fee is $500, with half distributed to the municipality hosting the event.
The pilot program is authorized through June 2028, giving the state an opportunity to evaluate marijuana sales at temporary public events before lawmakers decide whether to extend or modify the program.
With the December 16 lottery now scheduled, participating retailers have a specific selection date as the state prepares to begin accepting applications this month.
