The Best Of Weed: Meet The Winners Of The California State Fair Cannabis Awards 2024

The 2024 California State Fair Cannabis Awards celebrated the best of California’s cannabis industry with an expanded competition format that included six new product categories and 16 product types. The event drew over 500 submissions from some of the finest cultivators across the state. This prestigious competition, a historic first in the United States, sits proudly alongside the State Fair's annual contests in wine, craft beer, olive oil and cheese.

Read Also: Move Over Wine, Craft Beer, Olive Oil: First-Ever California State Fair Cannabis Award Winners Announced

Budist: The Key Partner

This year’s awards saw the inclusion of Budist, the industry’s first social review platform for cannabis products and brands. Budist provided a panel of cannabis experts to assess the quality and craftsmanship of each entry using a standardized methodology. Co-founded by Jocelyn Sheltraw and Claudio Miranda, Budist offers a 100-point rating system (similar to the one used to rate wine) and features reviews from certified “Ganjiers,” cup judges, journalists, tastemakers and connoisseurs.

"Our mission is to be the industry standard for cannabis connoisseurship and product appreciation. We aim to be a trusted resource for navigating the complex, ever-evolving product landscape, giving consumers the tools they need to find the right product for their particular needs and use cases," explains Budist’s website.

The competition was open to all licensed cannabis growers, manufacturers, and brands in California, with entrants vying for over 100 awards, including silver, gold, and double gold medals and nine coveted Golden Bear trophies for the "Best of California."

Sungrown Division Winners

Indoor Division Winners

Mixed Light Division Winners

Other Division Winners

The event was produced by Fair Play Ventures in partnership with the California Exhibition & State Fair. The 2024 California State Fair Cannabis Awards and Experience will be on display at the State Fair from July 12-28, 2024, at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento, California.

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Cover image made with AI