cannabis and culture

With summer in full swing across Western Massachusetts, the high season for travel to the Berkshires for Tanglewood, Shakespeare & Company, the natural splendor of the rolling Berkshire hills, Gilded Age mansions like the magisterial Edith Wharton home, The Mount, and more brings adults of all ages ready to cut loose and take it all in.

And at The Lenox Collection, a trio of stunning restored Victorian homes converted into cozy B+B’s with a modern attention to all that’s good and new in the area. And this summer marks the launch of a season-long series of weed and wellness events combining woman-owned local wellness businesses like yoga and audio sound baths, as well as the #1 award winning independent woman-owned dispensary in the region, Canna Provisions.

Their partnership with locations like the Mount, the Chambery Inn in Lee, and the Lenox Collection’s crown jewel, The Constance, has ushered in a new day for wellness experiences combining cannabis, education, relaxation, and cultural experiences immersed among stunning natural Berkshires landscapes.

Jeff Bourdon, General Manager of The Constance and Lenox Collection, was keen to take the locations into the modern era with these experiences aimed at all adult ages and helped spearhead the half-dozen 21+ events happening through August.

Inspired by one of its early owners, a British carpenter who invested years of craftsmanship into his home, The Constance exudes artfulness and care, proclaiming: “From our beginnings as a tavern in 1825, our door has always been open to visitors seeking rest and refreshment. Today, our guest rooms offer a glimpse of Victorian living while attending to the needs of modern travelers.”

With a keen eye on the middle-aged children continuing on in family traditions of vacationing at The Constance and its sister properties while in town for summer 2023, Bourdon, a veteran of Canyon Ranch and other wellness staples of Berkshire County, knows a thing or two about catering to the desires of his guests by going above and beyond for unique experiences.

THE CONSTANCE AND ITS PROPERTIES HAVE A LONG LEGACY IN THE BERKSHIRES. WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CLIENTELE REGARDING THE CURRENT DEMOGRAPHIC INSTILLING THE NEXT GENERATION A SENSE OF RELEVANCE AND YEAR ROUND ATTRACTIVENESS?

Jeff Bourdon: The existing legacy clientele still holds strong roots in The Berkshires. It is their children and

TOP: JEFFERY BOURDON

CONSTANCE GENERAL MANAGER

ABOVE: CANNA PROVISIONS SNACKS AND EDUCATION TABLE AT THE MOUNT PRESENT AT ALL THEIR WELLNESS EVENTS

RIGHT: ZEN AND THE ART OF WELLNESS MAINTENANCE AT THE MOUNT grandchildren that are the future wave of The Berkshires tourism market. As our local community partners target a more youthful audience through relevant cultural programming, we will continue to see a shift in the demographic, with a bit of a hybrid model during the transition phase; which I feel like we are currently in. The quintessential Lenox Collection of inns, which includes The Constance, offers travelers a modernized, lifestyle boutique hotel experience, with an authentic nod to the historical importance of the properties and genuine hospitality. Given our location, and recent renovations to meet the needs of the modern traveler, I feel like we are positioned nicely to lead the way into the next chapter of The Berkshires history book.

HOW DID THIS WEED AND WELLNESS SERIES COME TO BE FOR THE CONSTANCE?

I am continually looking for new avenues to build partnerships, for outside of the box ideas, all while seeking to evolve and improve our guest experience at The Lenox Collection. After a brief meet with the incredible Canna Provision team, it was clear that their passion and dedication, as it relates to the wellness and education component that exists within proper cannabis usage, was a perfect fit to help move the needle in the right direction when attracting new clientele to The Lenox Collection. We look forward to future collaborations as they are truly a fun group to work with.

IF YOU WERE GETTING AN OLD FRIEND YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IN YEARS TO BE EXCITED FOR THESE EVENTS, HOW WOULD YOU PRESENT IT TO THAT PERSON? IN OTHER WORDS, WHY THESE EVENTS, AND WHY NOW?

Once they took a moment to see the gorgeous property of The Constance, inside and out, and chatted with one of the Canna experts, it wouldn’t be a hard sell. It’s a perfect marriage of beauty, wellness, and relaxation. Also, who doesn’t love the energy that downtown Lenox brings to The Berkshires?

HOW DOES THIS PLAY INTO YOUR OVERALL APPROACH TO HOSPITALITY AND OFFERINGS FOR YOUR GUESTS?

Variety is key. We have to continue to evolve in order to stay relevant with the ever changing needs of today’s travelers.

LOCAL COLLABORATIONS ARE THE KEY TO UPLIFTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS COLLABORATION TAPPING INTO THE HIGH TOURIST SEASON IN LENOX?

Both The Lenox Collection and Canna Provisions have a great reputation locally. This partnership will only be mutually beneficial to each of our success stories, and a success in terms of what we are providing attendees. As we grow this web of bright minds, bringing individuals together to game plan the future of The Berkshires, it will be nothing short of a win for both locals and travelers alike.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THE LINKS FOR SIGNUPS VISIT: cannaprovisions.com/blog/wellnesscannabis-event-series-dates-info