Prepared exclusively for nuEra Cannabis  ·  SelassieFest 2026  ·  Chicago, Illinois
SELASSIEFEST
One Day. One Love. One Community.
A Founding Partnership Proposal — nuEra Cannabis
Chicago · July 25, 2026 · Craft Wellness Anchor

Illinois Roots
Ital Spirit

Illinois Born · Craft & Wellness · Community Proven

nuEra is what Chicago cannabis looks like when it stays independent: family-owned, community-invested, built on craft and care rather than corporate scale. SelassieFest is that same ethos made visible — a one-day immersion for conscious consumers who choose purpose-driven brands over corporate shelves. nuEra doesn't just fit here. nuEra belongs here.

See nuEra's Anchor Begin the Conversation
The Craft Consumer nuEra Deserves
SelassieFest draws the exact audience that independent operators like nuEra built their reputation for — people who read labels, ask questions, and choose with intention.
9
Cultural Districts
16hrs
Day-Long Dwell Time
20+
Ital Food Vendors
5K+
Email Subscribers
July 25
Chicago · 2026
✦ The Craft Alignment
nuEra Built Illinois Cannabis.
SelassieFest Is Illinois Cannabis Culture.

nuEra was one of the original medical licensees in Illinois — it has been in the room since before the room was legal. That kind of legacy carries weight, and it carries it differently than a publicly traded MSO ever could. It says: we were here before the money, and we'll be here after. SelassieFest's audience knows the difference between a brand that entered cannabis culture and a brand that grew up in it.

nuEra's RisEau cannabis beverages — born from a Chicago family partnership with Two Brothers Brewing — belong on the Ital Marketplace floor. nuEra's Alchemy brand — high-potency, purpose-driven, intentionally named — resonates with an audience who treats plant medicine as sacred. nuEra is not a cannabis company that does community. It is a community company that does cannabis. SelassieFest is where that distinction is finally seen at scale.

Why This Audience Chooses Independently
The SelassieFest attendee has a very specific relationship with cannabis brands — and it rewards the ones that share their values, not just their shelf space.
— How Corporate Cannabis Sees This Audience
A Number. A Demographic. A Target.
Mass market impression: counted, reached, forgotten
Brand loyalty treated as a marketing funnel, not a relationship
Corporate banners at community events that feel like annexation
Wellness positioning without the craft or intention to back it up
No family, no story, no roots — just a SKU on a shelf
✦ What the SelassieFest Audience Actually Responds To
Craft. Story. Reciprocity.
Illinois-born, family-owned brand — nuEra's origin story is the pitch
RisEau cannabis water: craft-brewed with Two Brothers, made for mindful consumption — perfect for the Ital Marketplace
nuEra's Juneteenth South Side partnership and live music events show they already live this culture
Alchemy by nuEra — the name alone speaks to the spiritual/intentional cannabis consumer in this crowd
16-hour dwell time: nuEra's product line serves morning wellness through evening relief — the full arc of the day
nuEra's Proposed Anchor
Built around nuEra's strengths — craft product identity, Chicago independence, wellness positioning, and RisEau's natural fit in the Ital food and wellness ecosystem.
✦ nuEra Founding Anchor — Craft Wellness Partner
Ital Marketplace & Healing Grove Partner
The independent Illinois brand that nourishes the body and feeds the spirit — from the first sip to the last exhale
The Ital Marketplace flows with nuEra's craft energy all day. The Healing & Wellness Grove carries nuEra's name as the brand that understands cannabis as care, not just commerce. RisEau hydration stations anchor both zones — the most natural product integration at the most natural festival in Chicago. nuEra's presence moves through SelassieFest the way good food moves through community: nourishing, shared, and impossible to forget.
What This Dual Anchor Delivers For nuEra
Presenting naming of the Ital Marketplace — "nuEra Ital Marketplace" in all event materials and signage
Co-presenting naming of the Healing & Wellness Grove — nuEra's brand lives inside every wellness session, practitioner activation, and healing moment
RisEau cannabis water hydration stations at the Ital Marketplace and Healing Grove entrances — the most natural, high-frequency brand touch point at the festival
Alchemy by nuEra product showcase in the Healing Grove — positioned as the intentional, plant-forward choice for conscious consumers
nuEra branded vendor activation inside the Ital Marketplace — product education, brand ambassadors, and community engagement
Verbal acknowledgment by stage MCs and wellness practitioners throughout the day — organic, community-credible integration
Featured in all Ital Marketplace and Healing Grove social content — Reels, TikTok, festival recap film
Co-branded content in SelassieFest's 5,000+ email subscriber base — pre, during, and post-event storytelling
nuEra / RisEau co-branded limited item distributed in the wellness zone — the artifact that travels home
Permanent "Founding Partner" placement on selassiefest.com — nuEra logo, link, and partnership statement
Activation Concepts nuEra Can Own At SelassieFest
RisEau Hydration Station Alchemy Wellness Showcase nuEra Craft Cannabis Tasting Farm-to-Dispensary Origin Story Panel Healing Grove Sponsored Yoga Illinois Independent Cannabis Spotlight nuEra Brand Ambassador Fleet RisEau x Ital Chef Collab Pairing nuEra Juneteenth Community Table Alchemy Terpene Bar Cannabis Wellness Talk (nuEra-hosted) Social Media Takeover Collaboration
nuEra's Presence Across Every Phase
The partnership activates before the gates open and continues after the last chord fades — building nuEra's story into the permanent record of SelassieFest.
Phase 01 — Agreement Through June
Chicago Independent Story Launch
nuEra featured in SelassieFest's "Founding Partners" announcement — the independent Illinois operator anchor story stands out in a field of MSO names. Co-branded content goes out through SelassieFest's email base. nuEra cross-promotes through its own dispensary channels, in-store signage across all Illinois locations, and its social audience — activating both communities simultaneously.
Phase 02 — July Run-Up
Ital Marketplace Preview & Wellness Content Series
nuEra and RisEau featured in the "Ital Marketplace Countdown" and "Healing Grove Preview" content series across both organizations' channels. RisEau featured specifically in food/wellness coverage — a natural editorial angle. nuEra logo in all paid and organic SelassieFest promotional materials. In-store dispensary promotion of the festival partnership at all nuEra locations statewide.
Phase 03 — July 25, 2026
Festival Day — Full Craft Presence
nuEra's dual anchor activates across the Ital Marketplace and Healing & Wellness Grove. RisEau hydration stations flowing from 6 AM to 10 PM. Alchemy showcase in the wellness zone. Brand ambassador presence throughout both districts. nuEra's story — Illinois-born, family-owned, community-invested — woven into every MC acknowledgment, vendor conversation, and wellness session of the day.
Phase 04 — Post-Event
The Permanent Record & Year-Round Relationship
nuEra featured in the official SelassieFest 2026 recap film — real documentary content positioned around craft and community, not corporate production. Permanent Founding Partner placement on selassiefest.com. As SelassieFest grows annually, nuEra's founding story is anchored in the historical record of Chicago's most intentional cannabis cultural event.
Where nuEra Lives On-Site
Every touchpoint across SelassieFest's nine districts where nuEra's name, products, and people are present from sunrise to the final dub echo.
Ital Marketplace Naming
nuEra named as the presenting partner of the festival's Ital food district — the most trafficked zone all day, anchored by 20+ vendors, communal meals, and the full rhythm of Ital living.
Healing & Wellness Grove
nuEra's brand inside the festival's healing sanctuary — yoga, 8 practitioners, guided sessions, and Alchemy product showcase woven into every wellness moment of the day.
RisEau Hydration Stations
The most natural, highest-frequency brand activation at any festival — RisEau cannabis water at the Ital Marketplace and Healing Grove entrances. Every attendee, every hour.
Social & Documentary Coverage
nuEra visible across all Ital and Healing Grove social content — Reels, TikTok, Stories, and the SelassieFest recap film that documents Chicago cannabis culture for the long record.
In-Store Cross-Promotion
SelassieFest promotional presence across nuEra's Illinois dispensary network — festival flyers, in-store activations, and social campaigns that drive attendance from nuEra's existing customer base.
Signage & Print Materials
nuEra co-presenting credit on all Ital Marketplace and Healing Grove physical signage, printed programs, and wayfinding — the independent Illinois name in the most prominent wellness real estate at the festival.

Let's Build This Together

This proposal was prepared specifically for nuEra Cannabis. As a family-owned independent, nuEra doesn't have a sponsorship department — it has people who care. We review every inquiry personally, and so do we. Let's start the real conversation.