SACRAMENTO, Calif., (December 7, 2022) – The CA State Fair today announced the second annual, state-agency sanctioned cannabis competition is set to take place in conjunction with the 2023 CA State Fair. Following the first year’s success, cannabis will again be celebrated alongside California’s rich agricultural industries on the official state fair roster, including wine, craft beer, olive oil, and cheese. The CA State Fair Cannabis Awards and Exhibit will be on display at the CA State Fair from July 14-30, 2023, at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento, California.
“The 2022 Cannabis Awards and Exhibit were an overwhelming success for Cal Expo and the State Fair, and the 2023 edition promises to be even better,” said Cal Expo Board of Directors Chairman Jess Durfee. “We are here to support and celebrate the best of California, and we are always looking for new programming to inspire and delight our guests for the 17 days of the CA State Fair.”
California and cannabis have been culturally intertwined for decades. From the Beatnik era and the Summer of Love to the War on Drugs and the medicinal impact of cannabis during the AIDS epidemic, California has always been at the center of the cannabis conversation. In 2018, cannabis became legal for adult recreational use in the State of California, and since that time has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry. California leads the nation in cannabis cultivation, craft, and genetics, and these Awards are a celebration and recognition of those deep agricultural roots.
The CA Cannabis Competition and Awards have been developed in partnership between the California Exhibition & State Fair and Cultivar Events, a California-based marketing and events agency that specializes in the creation of programs that continue to move cannabis into the mainstream.
“Cultivar Events Is thrilled to be part of this historic moment for the cannabis industry,” said Cultivar Events CEO James Leitz. “We are grateful for all the industry support from the participating farmers, sponsors, cannabis ambassadors, and the 85,000 fairgoers who enjoyed the inaugural California Cannabis Exhibit.”
The competition is open to all licensed cannabis growers in California. Entrants will be classified into three primary divisions for submission by light source: indoor, mixed light, and outdoor. The competition will award medals for the cannabis flower only, showcasing the primary cannabinoids and terpenes expressed in the cannabis flower. Eight individual cannabis plant compounds will be tested and identified for awards, including five terpenes and three cannabinoids, as well as a co-dominant terpene profile and overall terpene abundance. More than 60 silver, gold, and double gold medals will be awarded, including 11 coveted Golden Bear trophies for the “Best of California.”
“Greenshock Farms is honored to have been a participant and double Golden Bear Winner at the first-ever CA State Fair Cannabis Awards,” said Greenshock Farms Founder and CEO Mark Greyshock. “We are excited for the opportunity to defend our titles and represent our legacy region, with its unique terroir, and show the world just how good California’s sun-grown flower can be.”
Once again, the competition will be scored objectively through science-based analysis performed and certified by SC Labs, California’s premier cannabis and hemp testing lab. All entrants will receive an in-depth PhytoFacts® chemometric report that will identify the unique compounds of cannabis flower submissions to determine the award winners.
The submission window will be open from January 10 to May 19, 2023. Award winners will be announced in June 2023. For more information, visit www.castatefaircannabisawards.com.
