Each summer, Sacramento is buzzing with excitement around the California State Fair. Next year will be extra special since the fair was canceled for the last two years due to the pandemic, plus there’s a new event taking place which is all about the green goddess. The annual fair normally holds a diverse range of local California-based food and product competitions in categories such as craft beer, cheese, olive oil, photography, baking, FFA ag mechanics, livestock, and of course, wine, so it’s no surprise that cannabis is now added to the list. Though the state has seen a number of popular cannabis contests pass through town, the California State Fair Cannabis Awards will be the very first state-sanctioned weed competition. This is a huge step forward for the golden state’s legal cannabis industry, proving that pot is a big player in California’s economy and culture.
You can’t talk about marijuana without bringing up West Coast weed, especially iconic strains like OG Kush, Blue Dream, Sour Diesel, and GSC. Just like Napa Valley is recognized for its high end wine, Humboldt County in Northern California is the epicenter for high quality bud. With hundreds of the top Golden State cultivators entering the competition, the California State Fair Cannabis Awards is sure to bring out some of the dankest herb in the country.
Visiting the California State Fair
After a two-year hiatus, the annual fair will be held at the Cal Expo in Sacramento from July 15 through July 31, 2022. If you’re planning to visit the CA State Fair, you are allowed to bring in your own food and non-alcoholic beverages, though we recommend trying at least one of the insane dishes that local vendors serve each year. Smoke one or two giant bowls before entering to prepare your appetite for over-the-top eats like deep fried nachos, rainbow grilled cheese, bacon pecan cinnamon rolls, spicy chocolate covered bacon, deep fried chicken skins, or the stoner favorite, hot cheeto chicken burrito. Tickets to the CA State fair are $14 for adults.
California State Fair Cannabis Awards FAQ
According to the official website “The CA State Fair Cannabis Awards is a celebration of our cultivators, large and small, and represents another step towards normalization and a new conversation about cannabis.” Contestants are entered into one of three divisions based on the light source used (indoor, outdoor, or mixed light).
How will cannabis strains be ranked?
Every entrant needs to pay for a certificate of analysis by SC Labs that will break down the concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes, which will be used by judges to evaluate each strain. There are dozens of trophies to be earned in the categories of highest THC/CBD concentration, unique cannabinoid or terpene profile, or “double gold” for any submission that receives two or more gold medals in any category.
Will visitors be able to try or purchase the winning strains?
The cannabis competition is set up in a way that there will be no cannabis products at the fair itself, though hopefully this will change in the next few years since sampling award-winning ganja is one of the main draws for other weed contests. However, the fair will have a cannabis industry area where visitors can speak with contest winners, check out the latest products from California cannabis businesses, and learn about pot from sponsors and stage agencies.
How to enter the California State Fair Weed Contest
The brand new cannabis competition opened for submissions at the beginning of November and will continue to accept entries from any cultivator licensed in the state of California until March 2022. Winners will be notified in May 2022 and will go on a promotional tour in June before heading to the state fair for the award ceremony in July. One huge drawback of this weed contest is that all cultivators must have a business license meaning there is no homegrown category, which is one of the most exciting divisions with many up-and-coming growers.
Entries are on the pricier side in comparison to other cannabis contests since each contestant needs to pay for a certificate of analysis per strain, however there are huge incentives for cultivators small and large. Winners will have a lot of publicity surrounding their award-winning strain including social media amplification, official website placements, and the usage of logos and medals for their packaging and website.
Fees to enter:
- Submission Fee (1 cultivar) – $250
- 2 cultivars - $225 (each)
- 3 cultivars - $220 (each)
- 4 cultivars - $210 (each)
- Certificate of Analysis Testing Fee - $420
Thinking about visiting the California State Fair in 2022? Head to our online smoke shop before then for water bongs, glass pipes, dab rigs, vaporizers, rolling trays, herb grinders, bubblers, blunt wraps, carb caps, dab tools, e-rigs, rolling papers, and more!
