This year, the California State Fair features a new cannabis competition and exhibit. The award categories have been expanded to reflect the diverse market of California.
This is the fourth year that California’s annual event has invited marijuana entrepreneurs and consumers to join the festivities—and, for the second year in a row, on-site sales and consumption will be permitted during the 17-day fair.
Lauren Carpenter, the co-founder and facilitator of the sale component at the State Fair said, “We made history last year by integrating the cannabis consumption and sales into the State Fair. We are excited to be back in 2025.” We’re bringing the brands of cannabis that are shaping and reflecting cannabis culture to California through an immersive education experience.
This year, 150 medals are available. The submission period will run from March 1 to May 4, 2019. The winner will be revealed at the beginning of the fair, July 11,
The categories for this year have expanded to include chocolates, cannabis hash, and blunts.
Tom Martinez, the CEO of the California State Fair said, “For over 170 years, the California State Fair’s longstanding tradition has been to celebrate the best in the Golden State. This includes those individuals who represent the agricultural excellence of California.” We’ve been able to witness first-hand, the passion and dedication that California cannabis growers have shown in creating some of their best products not just for the Golden State, but also the whole industry.
There are also categories for indoor, outdoor, mixed-light flowers, beverages, cartridges concentrates edibles pre-rolls wellness and wellness.
James Leitz is the executive producer for the Cannabis Competition and Exhibit. He said, “Cannabis has been a part of this fair since just a few years ago.” “This year, we’re elevating the experience—expanding the competition, celebrating more product categories, and connecting consumers with the farmers and producers behind the cannabis products.”
The California Exhibition & State Fair is an independent state agency established by law under California’s food and agriculture code. Gov. Gavin Newsom is a non-voting member of Fair’s Board of Directors, along with several other state legislators.
Last year, the addition of on-site sales and consumption marked an historic change in the history of this fair. Before then, the event’s marijuana component was largely limited to cannabis competitions and educational booths.
While the expansion was new for California in 2024, on-site cannabis use and sales were allowed at the New York State Fair in 2021 after adult-use legalization was enacted. However, the fair stopped permitting public consumption at its 2023 event—though attendees could buy marijuana products from nearly a dozen local growers at a cannabis farmers market held in conjunction with the event.
Meanwhile, last year Minnesota’s former governor Jesse Ventura called on people to boycott the State Fair for prohibiting marijuana use at the venue while at the same time allowing attendees to consume alcohol and tobacco—even though the state enacted a cannabis legalization law in 2023.
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California State Fair. Photo by California State Fair.