Marc Fogel, the Butler native who returned to the U.S. in February after more than three years of wrongful detention in Russia, is embraced by the fans before he threw out the first pitch at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home opener Friday against the New York Yankees at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Friday April 4, 2025. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle

Marc Fogel, a Butler County native previously detained in Russia, will attend the 2025 Pennsylvania CannFest scheduled Oct. 4 and 5 in Kutztown to advocate for marijuana reform, according to the event organizers.

Organizer Zick Pro, an event management company, said the biannual celebration at Renninger’s Farmers Market will be a landmark event in advocating for cannabis law reform in Pennsylvania. It will also be Fogel’s first public appearance where he will advocate for marijuana legalization, the company said.

His first public appearance was April 4 at PNC Park when he threw out the first pitch at a Pittsburgh Pirates game. Fogel was detained in Russia for almost 1,300 days after carrying a small amount of prescribed medical marijuana in an airport.

“His case, which garnered national attention, underscores the harsh consequences of outdated (marijuana) laws globally and locally,” Zick Pro said in a statement. “Despite his release, Fogel’s story remains a rallying cry for reform, as he was not classified as wrongly detained by the U.S. government, leaving him overlooked in high-profile prisoner swaps.”

The U.S. Department of State eventually declared Fogel wrongfully detained in October 2024.

The festival will also feature a Marc Fogel Lounge where guests can sample vendor products.

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with more than 200 vendors spread across the 20-acre property. Entry is reserved for adults 21 and older with a general admission ticket of $20 plus taxes and fees.

The festival will also include discussion panels, medical card certifications and hemp product demonstrations.

Zick Pro said it also invited Gov. Josh Shapiro to the festival, but it is not on his public schedule. Organizers said their advocacy aligns with Shapiro’s calls for criminal record expungement and social equity for people charged with crimes related to marijuana.

“Marc’s ordeal is a stark reminder of why Pennsylvania must modernize its laws,” said Trish Johnson, Zick Pro’s chief financial officer. “Governor Shapiro’s leadership is crucial to ensuring no one else faces such injustice for using a substance that is legal for medical purposes here and recreationally in neighboring states.”

Tickets can be purchased at penncannafest.com.