Photo courtesy of castatefaircannabisawards.com
The California State Fair is making headlines this summer as it prepares to become the first state fair in the nation to allow on-site cannabis sales and consumption. Held annually at Cal Expo in Sacramento, the fair takes place from July 12 to July 28.
According to organizers, adults aged 21 and older attending the fair can experience various cannabis products. While the fair has featured cannabis competitions and education before, this marks the first time permitting consumption and sales. Here’s how it’ll work:
Visitors can browse offerings by scanning QR codes. They’ll then be able to add items to a virtual shopping cart and pick them up at Embarc’s on-site dispensary. A dedicated 30,000-square-foot consumption area will also be available, ensuring a regulated environment for fairgoers to enjoy their selections. The lounge will only permit visitors to consume products purchased on-site, but rolling papers and other accessories will be provided. The dispensary and lounge will operate throughout most of the fair’s run, except for July 12 and 13 (no inhalable consumption will be allowed on those days), and July 19, when the dispensary will be closed.
Connecting Consumers with Cultivators
Lauren Carpenter, co-founder of Embarc, expressed enthusiasm about the fair normalizing cannabis and connecting consumers with farmers.
“Hosting cannabis sales and consumption is a groundbreaking milestone in destigmatization by facilitating a deeper connection between consumers and the farmers who cultivate their products with such care,” said Carpenter.
The introduction of on-site cannabis sales and consumption at the fair underscores the state’s progressive stance on cannabis regulation. It also aims to educate the public on responsible consumption. Beyond product offerings, the fair will feature educational information detailing California‘s rich cannabis history, brands, and farms. Stringent measures, including age verification and oversight by state authorities, will be in place to maintain safety and compliance.
“This initiative spotlights the significant role of cannabis in California’s agricultural industry, marking a major milestone in the state fair’s 170-year history,” James Leitz, executive producer of the Cannabis Competition and Exhibit, said in a press release. “Expanding the competition to include all form factors and providing patrons the opportunity to engage with and consume winning brands directly is transformational for public understanding of the plant.”
Cannabis Awards
In addition to sales and consumption, the fair also continued the annual Cannabis Awards competition with an expanded format. The competition will showcase three flower categories, awarding 11 chemotypes, and six new product categories, awarding 16 product types. Licensed California cultivators and manufacturers submitted their entries ahead of the fair. The fair’s organizers have already announced Gold & Silver Medalists, but they will reveal the winners of the coveted “Best of California” Golden Bear trophies at the fair’s opening ceremony in Sacramento.
This year, organizers separated flower categories into sun-grown, mixed light, and indoor. With over 250 submissions, “Gold and Silver medals will be determined through science-based testing for specific Chemotypes in each Flower Category,” according to the fair’s website, Entries will be evaluated and ranked based on terpenes and cannabinoids content — revealed through SC Labs Potency/R&D testing. Each flower category will award eleven medals.
Cal Expo CEO Tom Martinez expressed his excitement for the competition in a statement on the fair’s website. “This competition is yet another way California and our State Fair continues to lead the nation,” said Martinez. “We are excited to see the growth of cannabis as an agricultural commodity and allowing our guests to experience all this exhibit has to offer.”
§5601(f) of the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) Regulations enable the expanded cannabis offerings at this year’s fair. This regulation empowers regulators to grant temporary licenses for cannabis-related events in areas where local governments have authorized such activities. Temporary Cannabis Event applications require written approval from the local jurisdiction authorizing on-site cannabis sales consumption by, persons 21 years of age or older at the event. Applicants can satisfy this requirement by receiving proper permitting from the locality in question.
Charting the Future
Drawing parallels on the East Coast, the New York State Fair launched on-site cannabis sales shortly after legalizing adult-use cannabis. Although public consumption was not allowed at last year’s event, attendees could buy cannabis products from local growers at a dedicated cannabis farmers market.
As preparation unfolds, organizers are optimistic about the fair’s role in creating dialogue and understanding about cannabis in California. Visitors can keep track of potential updates to the plan here. The fair website posts daily hours for the dispensary and lounge, award winners, and more as they become available.
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