Denver's cannabis party is building momentum as we get closer to every pothead's favorite month: April. That doesn't mean that March is chopped liver, though. With United States Senator Rand Paul coming to Denver to chat about cannabis and a night of nerding out on pot at the Oriental Theater, there are plenty of important discussions this week. And after you work hard, play harder at the Bug Theatre, which is offering its comic rendition of Reefer Madness: The Musical, or enjoy some drinks and yuk it up at CanopyBoulder's networking party. Keep reading for our cannabis calendar for this week...and beyond.

Dinner With Rand Paul

Monday, March 26, 6 p.m.

Maggiano's Little Italy

500 16th Street

Join the National Cannabis Industry Association and United States Senator Rand Paul for a fundraiser dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy to discuss federal cannabis legislation. Paul, who has pushed for states' rights and banking services in regards to legal pot in the past, will talk about what he's currently doing to move the Senate's acceptance of the plant forward. Tickets range from $500 to $1,000; RSVP by emailing Ivy@RandPaul.com, or call 202-681-4418.

CanopyBoulder Happy Hour

Tuesday, March 27, 6 to 8 p.m.

CanopyBoulder

1002 Walnut Street, Boulder

Grab a drink and network among friends during CanopyBoulder's next happy hour. The pot-business incubator will hold a networking session to discuss innovation and entrepreneurship in the industry, with a presentation on cannabis public relations to follow. The event is free to attend, but donations to the Marijuana Policy Project will be accepted at the door.

Nerd Nite

Wednesday, March 28, 7 p.m.

The Oriental Theater

4335 West 44th Avenue

This TED Talks-style showcase will feature chats about avalanches, propaganda and cannabis. Laugh and learn with professionals on these subjects, who will take you on a deep-dive into the science and data behind avalanches in Colorado, the history of propaganda and how it's used to manipulate, and the science behind the mind-altering effects of cannabis. Tickets (18+) are $6.

Marijuana Deals Near You

Rooster Magazine's Kickoff to April

Thursday, March 29, and Friday, March 30

Temple Nightclub Denver

1136 Broadway

Check out some of Colorado's best commercial flower, concentrates and infused products at Rooster magazine's THC Classic. Attendees can eat, drink and listen to live music as they test out some of the dopest dope in Colorado with the industry's elite. Tickets (21+) are $20.

A Night of Awareness

Saturday, March 31, 8 p.m. to midnight

Cultivated Synergy

2901 Walnut Street

PufCreativ and Sensi magazine are joining forces at Cultivated Synergy for a night to benefit the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault. There will be live entertainment, drinks, food and cannabis consumption for those who attend. Tickets (21+) are $25, with VIP and sponsorship options also available; proceeds will go toward the CCASA.

Reefer Madness last played at the Bug Theatre in 2010. Meg Ralph

Reefer Madness: The Musical

Through Saturday, April 28

Bug Theatre

3654 Navajo Street

You've all heard of the movie, but what about the play? Reefer Madness: The Musical will play Friday and Saturday nights at the Bug Theatre through April 28, turning the dated-but-hilarious propaganda film made to scare people away from cannabis into a musical comedy. Tickets are $20 each (and going fast), but there are discounts for groups of six or more.

Keep reading for more events on the cannabis calendar.

NoCo Hemp Expo founder Morris Beegle. Kate McKee Simmons

Cannabis Clinicians Colorado Meeting: Web Marketing Safety

Tuesday, April 3, 6:30 p.m.

Auraria Campus, Plaza Building, Room M203

955 Lawrence Way

Do you work in the medical field and have an interest in cannabis? Join the Cannabis Clinicians Colorado's monthly meeting to learn about current issues among physicians in the MMJ community. April's guest speaker will be Dr. Hervé Damas, a former NFL player who went on to become a physician and now treats patients with cannabis. The event is free to attend for CCC members and $15 for non-members.



NoCo Hemp Expo

Friday, April 6, and Saturday, April 7

The Ranch Events Complex

5280 Arena Circle, Loveland

The NoCo Hemp Expo returns to the Ranch Events Complex in Loveland for a fifth year. There will be vendors, symposiums and panel discussions — all focusing on hemp — as well as food and live music. Tickets range from $15 for the Saturday expo to $65 for both days and access to business-to-business events. Learn more on the expo website.

Rino Cares: Cannabis Health and Wellness Fair

Sunday, April 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cultivated Synergy

2901 Walnut Street

Hosted by RiNo Supply Co., Canna Health and Sensi magazine, this health and wellness fair will offer health screenings, care-provider signups, culinary demonstrations and professional lectures, as well as local food, goods and creative demonstrations involving cannabis. RSVP to the free event (21+) on Picatic.

Mason Jar Spring Dinner

Wednesday, April 25, 6:30 p.m.

Location shared upon registration

Mason Jar Events will hold its seasonal spring dinner in Denver's Art District on Santa Fe, with the exact location shared with attendees upon registration. There will be live music, a multi-course dinner prepared by Chef Daniel Asher and, of course, plenty of cannabis-infused goodies. To attend (21+), guests must request an invite on the Mason Jar website.

CSU-Pueblo Institute of Cannabis Research Conference

Thursday, April 26, through Saturday, April 28

Colorado State University-Pueblo

220 Bonforte Boulevard, Pueblo

Colorado State University's Institute of Cannabis Research will hold its second annual conference, a three-day forum about scientific, medical, industrial, legal, economic and social elements of cannabis research, over three days on campus, featuring leading scholars and researchers from the field. Registration is $350 until April 26, when it goes up to $400. Veterans, active military personnel, and students with appropriate ID can get in for $99.

Cannabis: A Visual Perspective

Through May 20

CU Museum of Natural History

1030 Broadway, Boulder

This current art exhibit at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History includes botanical watercolor, colored pencil, print and mixed-media illustrations from the Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists, all of which explore the diversity of cannabis. Learn more on the exhibit's web page.

Send information about cannabis-related events to marijuana@westword.com.