Across generations from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, something is shifting in how people choose to spend their nights. Cannabis isn’t just competing with alcohol anymore. In a lot of rooms — and one very notable South Boston brewery — it’s winning.
BOSTON, April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Native Sun Cannabis — a vertically integrated Massachusetts cannabis company operating dispensaries in South Boston, North Attleboro, and Hudson, with a 60,000+ member loyalty program — is announcing the launch of Parfait Live Resin Gummies and the release of the third annual terpene-infused hazy IPA in a collaboration with Castle Island Brewing Co. The limited collab beer drops April 19th at the Dead Day 4/20 celebration at Castle Island Brewing’s taprooms in South Boston & Norwood — noon to 7 PM.
Both announcements arrive at a measurable inflection point in American consumer behavior: adults under 35 are choosing cannabis over alcohol for social occasions at rates, Gallup News describes as historically significant, and the cannabis edibles category in Massachusetts grew 18% year-over-year in 2025, even as other segments plateaued. With the 420 Cannabis holiday coming up, it’s a great time to tap into Native Sun’s full April 2026 event calendar, running April 17–30 across South Boston, North Attleboro, Hudson, Quincy, and Norwood.
The Night Out Has Changed. Nobody Sent a Memo.
Picture a house party in 2010. The beer pong table is the centerpiece. The empty bottles outnumber the guests by a ratio that will make someone regret the morning. Fast-forward to 2026, and something measurably different is happening at gatherings across America. The cooler still has drinks in it. But so does the kitchen counter — with gummies in a little amber jar, a vape pen passed between friends on the porch, maybe a cannabis-infused sparkling water next to the seltzers.
This isn’t a coincidence or a California trend. It’s a generational shift showing up in the data as clearly as it shows up in living rooms, rooftop bars, and backyard bonfires from Boston to Los Angeles — and in places that, not long ago, would have seemed like the last holdout for the old order.
Places like breweries.
51% of adults under 35 say they prefer cannabis to alcohol for social occasions — Gallup, 2024
72% of cannabis edible consumers report actively reducing or replacing alcohol use — MJBiz Research, 2025
18% year-over-year growth in the cannabis edibles category in Massachusetts, even as other segments plateau — BDSA, 2025
When a Brewery Names a Beer After a Cannabis Strain for the Third Year in a Row, That’s Not a Trend. That’s a Philosophy.
Here is perhaps the most telling sign that the relationship between cannabis culture and alcohol culture has fundamentally changed: Castle Island Brewing Co. — one of South Boston’s most beloved independent breweries — has spent three consecutive years collaborating with a cannabis company to release a limited 4/20 beer.
Not a gimmick beer. Not a one-off. Three years running — each one inspired by the terpene profile of a particular Native Sun strain. 2024 was Larry Berry, 2025 was Emergen-C, and this year is Meowzers, a strain grown in-house by Native Sun at its Fitchburg cultivation facility. The brewers at Castle Island study the aromatic chemistry of that specific strain and build a hazy IPA around it: terpene-forward, botanically expressive, and released each year on 4/20 weekend to a crowd that comes specifically for it.
That is not a brewery hedging its bets. That is a brewery saying: we see where culture is going, and we want to be part of the conversation.
It’s also two independent Massachusetts small businesses finding the overlap in their communities and building something together that neither could build alone. Castle Island’s customer and Native Sun’s customer are, in many cases, the same person — they live in South Boston, they appreciate craft, and they want authentic experiences. The Meowzers collab exists because that overlap is real.
“The cannabis and craft beer communities share the same DNA — curiosity, craft, local loyalty, and a love of complexity. The Meowzers collab is our way of celebrating that, for the third year running.”
— Native Sun Cannabis
The beer itself is a hazy IPA built around the terpene profile of Meowzers — a cultivar whose aromatic character translates naturally into the citrus-forward, resinous, tropical-edged territory that hazy IPAs already inhabit. If you’ve ever held a fresh cannabis flower and a cold hazy IPA next to each other and noticed they smell like distant cousins, that’s not accidental. Myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene — the terpenes that define a strain’s aromatic identity are the same family of compounds that hop-forward beers have been chasing for decades. The Meowzers IPA doesn’t just reference cannabis culture. It’s built from the same botanical language.
This year’s collab release happens on April 19th at Castle Island Brewing in South Boston — the day before 4/20 — at what has become one of the defining 4/20 events in Boston.
Why Two Generations Are Ordering Less and Feeling Better About It
The Castle Island-Native Sun collab is a microcosm of something happening at scale. Millennials and Gen Z have been leading a measurable retreat from alcohol — not as a wellness statement, but as a straightforward reassessment of how alcohol actually affects sleep quality, next-day cognitive function, and mood. Research consistently links heavy alcohol use to disrupted sleep architecture and elevated cortisol levels—those effects compound. People notice.
Cannabis operates on a different set of levers entirely. Cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system — a network already present in the human body that regulates mood, creativity, stress response, and sensory awareness. Rather than suppressing the central nervous system the way alcohol does, cannabis tends to heighten attunement to the present moment.
This is why the shift extends across a wider demographic than most people expect. Gen Z initiated it. Millennials are driving it at scale. Gen X — the generation that watched the War on Drugs play out on television but quietly maintained their relationship with cannabis anyway — is now shopping at dispensaries openly. And Baby Boomers, many returning to cannabis after decades away, are showing up in dispensary data in numbers that surprised even industry analysts. Across all of them: more of the night, less of the regret.
“We see it every single day at the counter — people in their 30s, 50s, 70s saying the same thing: I’ve been drinking less, I want to understand my options. That conversation is happening constantly, and it’s not stopping.”
— Native Sun Cannabis
Okay, But What Do You Actually Reach For? The Format Matters More Than You Think.
The most common entry point for people making the switch from alcohol to cannabis isn’t a joint. It’s a gummy. The format makes sense: consistent dose, no smoke, familiar act of consumption, predictable enough for beginners. But here’s where the cannabis industry has done a disservice to its own customers: most of the gummies on dispensary shelves across Massachusetts are made with distillate — a heavily processed extract that strips out everything interesting about cannabis and leaves behind isolated, high-concentration THC.
Flat. One-note. The kind of product that led to a generation of people swearing off edibles after one too many experiences where they misjudged onset time and ended up somewhere they didn’t want to be — couch-locked, anxious, watching the ceiling at 2 AM, and wondering why they thought this was a good idea.
Live resin is the answer to that problem. Made from fresh-frozen cannabis harvested at peak ripeness, live resin captures the complete chemical fingerprint of the living plant — full terpene spectrum, minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBN, the whole aromatic and experiential architecture that makes different cannabis strains feel genuinely different from one another. Scientists call the interaction between these compounds the entourage effect. Consumers call it: feeling like the product is actually doing something worth doing.
A live resin edible doesn’t just get you high. It delivers an experience tuned by the specific plant it came from — layered, nuanced, complete. The difference between a live resin gummy and a distillate gummy is the same difference as the Meowzers IPA and a generic lager. Technically, both are cannabis. Technically, both are beer. But they are not the same conversation.
Enter Parfait: Full-Spectrum, Six Flavors, Built for the Life You’re Actually Living
Parfait Live Resin Gummies are available at Native Sun Cannabis across South Boston, North Attleboro, and Hudson — and they are what happens when someone actually thinks hard about what a full-spectrum edible should deliver and refuses to take the shortcut.
Six flavors, each calibrated to a different context, mood, and intention. Not because the packaging needed variety, but because full-spectrum cannabis genuinely delivers a range of experiences depending on the terpene and cannabinoid profile — and Parfait leans into that range rather than flattening it into a vague label claim. The effects are what customers come back to describe: a high that feels natural, proportionate, and complete. The kind of gummy for a walk, a dinner party, a concert, or a slow Tuesday evening.
Shop Parfait Live Resin Gummies at Native Sun → www.nativesuncannabis.com/brands/parfait/
The Parfait line extends beyond gummies, too. Live resin vapes are available now — discreet, consistent, same full-spectrum character in a coat pocket. And coming soon: infused pre-rolls and dabs that bring Parfait’s philosophy to consumption formats that flower and concentrate enthusiasts will recognize immediately. The full ecosystem is being built deliberately, without shortcuts — the same way the Meowzers IPA is brewed.
Want to try Parfait in person before you commit to it from a menu? The official Parfait Live Resin Gummy Launch Party is happening Saturday, April 18 (11AM–6PM) at Native Sun North Attleboro — free to attend, 21+, and the best possible introduction to what full-spectrum actually feels like.
Shop Parfait at Native Sun Cannabis → www.nativesuncannabis.com/brands/parfait/
4/20 Is in Less Than a Week. Here’s Where to Be.
April 20th is cannabis culture’s singular holiday — the day the whole industry pauses, looks around, and acknowledges that something real has happened in American culture. In Massachusetts, where legal adult-use cannabis has been running for years, 4/20 isn’t underground anymore. It’s at a brewery in South Boston. It’s on a golf course in Quincy supporting ALS families. It’s in a pottery studio in the South End. And it kicks off this Thursday, April 17th. Native Sun Cannabis is running a full slate of events from 4/20 weekend through the end of the month — here’s everything happening:
★ FEATURED EVENT
Dead Day at Castle Island Brewing: Meowzers 3rd Annual Collab Release
Sunday, April 19 | 12:00 PM–7:00 PM | Castle Island Brewing, 10 Old Colony Ave, South Boston
The main event. Three years in, the Native Sun x Castle Island Brewing collaboration has become one of the most anticipated 4/20 traditions in Boston — and this year’s edition is the biggest yet.
The centerpiece is the release of this year’s Meowzers terpene-infused hazy IPA: a limited collab beer built around the aromatic profile of Native Sun’s Meowzers strain, brewed by the Castle Island team to express that same citrus-tropical-resinous character in the glass. This is not a novelty beer. It’s a craft collaboration between two local small businesses that take their respective crafts seriously — and it tastes like it.
Surrounding the beer release: Grateful Dead-inspired live music from the legendary Spoondrift (2–5 PM), bong painting with InebriArt (sign-up required), flash tattoos from Seaport Tattoo (sign-up required), tie-dye, and the particular kind of South Boston 4/20 energy that you really just need to experience once to understand. Native Sun will be on-site with cannabis education, exclusive swag, and a few surprises.
Wear your tie-dye. This one goes from noon to 7.
Full event details & tickets → nativesuncannabis.com/event/4-20-dead-day-castle-island-brewing/
The 4 Days of 420 Celebration — North Attleboro 4-Year Anniversary
Friday–Saturday, April 17–18 | 11:00 AM–7:00 PM | Native Sun North Attleboro, 1320 S Washington St
North Attleboro kicks off 4/20 weekend early — and marks a milestone while it’s at it. Native Sun’s North Attleboro location is celebrating its 4-year anniversary as part of the festivities, with two full days of artisan markets, food trucks, community vendors, and 4/20 energy at one of the best-positioned dispensaries on the Massachusetts–Rhode Island border. If you’re in southeastern MA, this is your weekend.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/the-4-days-of-420-celebration-artisan-markets-food-trucks-more/
Southie’s Style Exchange — Boston Thrift Market
Saturday, April 18 | 11:00 AM–2:00 PM | South Boston
Local vendors, curated secondhand fashion, sustainable shopping, and South Boston community energy. The day before the main event — show up, shop local, get in the spirit.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/boston-thrift-market-with-style-exchange-native-sun/
Also on April 18 — Parfait’s official launch party lands in North Attleboro:
Parfait Live Resin Gummies Official Launch Party @ Native Sun North Attleboro
Saturday, April 18 | 11:00 AM–6:00 PM | Native Sun North Attleboro, 1320 S Washington St
The Parfait launch tour continues in North Attleboro — same full-day format, same chance to experience the product in person before committing to it from a menu. Back-to-back with the 4 Days of 420 celebration at the same location, making this one of the most event-packed Saturday afternoons in Native Sun’s calendar.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/native-sun-parfait-gummies-official-launch-party-in-north-attleboro/
Meanwhile, 45 miles west, Hudson is doing its own thing:
420 Celebration Artisan Market @ Native Sun Hudson
Saturday, April 18 | 1:00–5:00 PM | Native Sun Hudson, 37 Coolidge St
While Southie is doing its thrift market, the Hudson location is throwing a full 4/20 weekend artisan market with food trucks, live music, and a curated lineup of six local small businesses: Leelah’s Baking, Peanut Butter People, Word on the Street MA, How Sweet It Isss, Curllyfry Arts, and Craic Sauce. Two Native Sun locations. Two communities. One 4/20 weekend afternoon. This is what a dispensary with genuine local roots actually looks like — 21+, free to attend, and worth the drive if you’re anywhere in the MetroWest area.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/420-celebration-artisan-market-native-sun-in-hudson/
Meowzer’s Beer Release Party @ Castle Island Norwood
Sunday, April 19 | 2:00–5:00 PM | Castle Island Brewing, 31 Astor Ave, Norwood
Can’t make it to South Boston for the Dead Day party? The Meowzer’s terpene-infused hazy IPA collab release extends to Castle Island’s Norwood taproom for a second party the same afternoon. Same limited beer, Native Sun on-site, same celebration — south of the city and easier to get to for anyone in the MetroWest, South Shore, or Route 1 corridor.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/native-sun-x-castle-island-brewery-meowzers-beer-release-party/
Make Your Own Ashtray & Pipe Pottery Class @ Clay Lounge, Boston
Sunday, April 19 | 6:30–9:30 PM | Clay Lounge, 75 Thayer St, Boston (South End)
Cap off 4/20 eve with the most hands-on event of the month. Native Sun teams up with Clay Lounge in the South End for a guided pottery class where you make your own cannabis accessories from scratch — custom ashtray, custom pipe, real clay, real kiln. The kind of 4/20 memory you can put on a shelf. Sign-up required.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/make-your-own-ashtray-pipe-pottery-class-clay-lounge-in-boston/
Pink Whale Foundation Golf Fundraiser
Monday, April 20 | 8:00 AM | Granite Links Golf Club, Quincy
Spend 4/20 itself on the course at Granite Links supporting the Pink Whale Foundation — a charity benefiting families impacted by ALS. The Sky High Drone Drop raffle offers a $4,200 cash prize. Doing meaningful things on the highest holiday of the year.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/native-sun-joins-the-2026-pwf-masters-golf-tournament-benefiting-als/
Love Your Block: Southie Neighborhood Cleanup
Friday, April 25 | 11:00 AM–1:00 PM | South Boston
Earth Day neighborhood cleanup hosted by Native Sun. Volunteers welcome. Bring gloves. Leave South Boston better than you found it.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/love-your-block-southie-neighborhood-cleanup/
Women’s Wellness Night
Thursday, April 30 | 7:00–9:00 PM | Clover Clubhouse, South Boston
Close out April with an evening built around connection, self-care, and the kind of conversation that’s better without a hangover attached to it. Curated experiences, welcoming room.
Details: www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/womens-wellness-wine-night-clover-clhouse/
The Night Is Yours. Plan It Better.
The shift away from alcohol isn’t a wellness trend that will peak and slide back into the data. It’s a generational recalibration — an honest accounting of trade-offs that people have been making without questioning for decades. Cannabis, done right, is the vehicle for something different: more present, more attuned, more connected to the night and the people in it. And the proof that this shift is real? Look no further than a South Boston brewery that named a beer after a cannabis terpene profile and has been doing it every year for three years running.
Parfait Live Resin Gummies are available now at Native Sun Cannabis in South Boston, North Attleboro, and Hudson. If you haven’t experienced full-spectrum live resin yet, 4/20 season is the perfect time to understand what you’ve been missing. And if you’re in Boston on April 19th — well, you know where to be.
Find Parfait, explore the full menu, and see every April event:
Parfait Live Resin Gummies, Vapes & More → www.nativesuncannabis.com/brands/parfait/
Native Sun April Events Guide → www.nativesuncannabis.com/native-sun-april-events-boston-2026/
Dead Day at Castle Island — Full Event Details → www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/4-20-dead-day-castle-island-brewing/
Hudson 420 Artisan Market — RSVP → www.nativesuncannabis.com/event/420-celebration-artisan-market-native-sun-in-hudson/
About Native Sun Cannabis
Native Sun Cannabis is a vertically integrated Massachusetts cannabis company with retail dispensaries in South Boston, North Attleboro, and Hudson, and cultivation and manufacturing in Fitchburg. Native Sun wholesale products are carried by 40+ licensed dispensaries across Massachusetts. Committed to full-label transparency, consumer education, and genuine community investment.
About Castle Island Brewing Co.
Castle Island Brewing Co. is an independent craft brewery in South Boston, MA, known for approachable, consistently excellent beers and deep roots in the local community. Castle Island has been a proud partner of Native Sun Cannabis for the Meowzers terpene-infused collab release for three consecutive years.
Media Contact
info@nativesuncannabis.com | (800) 851-9405
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SOURCE Native Sun
