Hall of Flowers Ventura 2026 has officially come and gone. Held over two days just steps from the Pacific Ocean, the event draws a wide range of cannabis brands jockeying for position in California’s retail market. Buyers and press perused booths, cracked jars, and snapped selfies at eclectic activations.
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This year’s show was more subdued in terms of the scale of activations; there was far less flash and more substance. In this market, there’s no room for fluff. Retailers want compelling products at price points customers are actually willing to pay.
That’s not to say there weren’t intriguing products and tasty smells across the show. Here’s what stood out to the GreenState team.
The hype train is still humming
The cannabis market still mostly runs on hype, so let’s start there.
One of the longest lines at the show was at Maven Genetics, where the brand was dropping several new strains and infused pre-roll products. The standout aromas came from the Chrome Dome, a delightfully sweet cross of Lemonheadz and Eye Candy, and the ultra-dank Dirty Laundry, a cross of the brand’s cease-and-desist–hit French Laundry (now called FKAFL) strain and Prizm.
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Over in the B hall, the LAX booth saw a line that stretched an entire row, with wait times of up to 45 minutes. Those who made it to the front carried comically large totes around the grounds, showing off their haul.
CGO, short for Connoisseur Grade Only, drew steady lines for the Sacramento roller’s high-end hash holes. The Raw Garden booth was also extremely busy on day two as more budtenders and consumers flocked to the show, hoping to score some sweet deals.
Making waves
While the well-known big players were indeed busy, there were plenty of fresh faces gaining attention.
San Diego-based Wavvy Supply Co. was one of them. Co-founded by singer-songwriter Nathan Williams of the indie band Wavves, the booth’s Nintendo-inspired aesthetic and mysterious preshow social media posts drew curious attendees who explored the activation at a steady clip.
Williams told GreenState he’s developing a Duke Nukem-style video game based on the brand’s mascot. And while many flashy booths don’t have the flower to back it up, the jars at Wavvy smelled perfectly pungent. The GreenState team tasted the Super Boof and can attest that this brand could soon put San Diego weed on the map.
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Other brands on the come-up include Big Farma, known more for wholesale flower but ready to hit the market with their own brand. The company’s Ultra Violet was particularly pungent. Another standout was Betty Jane from Oakland, California. The team told GreenState it had two of famed breeder Champelli’s original cuts, including a Gelato 33 that was quite outstanding.
There were also plenty of old favorites, sprouting exciting terps and updated packaging that are worth noting. San Francisco-based Snowtill had a Keylime Slushie that was an instant punch of nostalgia to the nostrils, while the brand’s Screamberry was a fruit-forward delight. At the Globs booth, buyers couldn’t wait to get their hands on a line of afforable 510-thread vape carts while the extensive menu of high-quality BHO featured several fresh flavors.
Another Bay Area favorite, Fig Farms, was getting ready to launch its new packaging within a couple of weeks (with the same dank flower inside). Meanwhile, the folks at innovative vaporizer company Halara are also undergoing a full brand refresh, getting major attention at Hall of Flowers.
Sustainable packaging was also a clear focus. Oil brand Errl Hill had compostable mylars, while MOCA Humboldt’s pre-roll boxes can be fed right to your backyard worms.
Back to the classics
Around the show, it was clear that classic strains are making a comeback. Go-bags included samples of White Widow, OG Kush, and perennial favorite Blue Dream. Jack Herer, another quintessential strain, was also on several menus. But only one brand has the activist and cannabis icon’s true namesake.
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At the Sluggers Hit booth, Herer’s son, Dan, was on hand to help launch a collab with the brand’s popular Juiced infused pre-roll line. The Jack Herer joints come with a baseball card featuring the legend’s likeness; the booth sold out of the packs within the first two hours.
At the Bohemian Chemist, buyers were hungry for Big Sur Holy Weed, the mythical strain that has seen a resurgence in popularity after a revelatory SFGATE* article. Staff told GreenState that demand for the variety has exploded in the wake of the piece.
The best is yet to come
The most intriguing stuff the GreenState team saw at Hall of Flowers isn’t even on dispensary menus yet. This includes an infused lip gloss by Pretty Dope and eye-raising effects-based tinctures from partners Yummi Karma channeling vibes like Sex Kitten.
Caleb Chen, the respected cannabis researcher and connoisseur known as The Highest Critic, was carrying around a jar that was literally making heads turn. Inside was some of the most unique-looking flower out there. Instead of densely packed nugs, there were long stems with small calyces protruding off.
From a distance, it looked like a male plant with seeds ready to shake. But no, this was a new variety called Destroyer (also known as the Pearls for its bead-like structure) from Budularo, a brand known for its long-flowering varieties. Most commercial cannabis spends eight weeks flowering; this one spent 18.
The cross of Meao Thai, Mexican, and Colombian landrace sativas smelled distinctly of haze, but the smoke was not the high you might expect. It was pure euphoria and energy, putting the GreenState team in just the right headspace for a long trade show day. The flower is about to hit the market in April with only 150 jars available, so interested parties should take note if they wish to give it a try.
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The most exciting find of the entire show for the GreenState team was a papaya rosin from Humboldt Terp Council (HTC). While there are plenty of papaya strains out there, this one stood out as it was 1:1 CBD to THC variety.
CBD dabs are incredibly rare because the strains are usually difficult to wash, and most demand is driven by high potency. However, the HTC team found a plant that produced an incredibly delicious rosin with an earthy fruit aroma and perfectly balanced effects. Heady but not racy, chill but not stoney, it’s the Goldilocks of resin.
For people who need the benefits of CBD medicinally, a dab is one of the best options since they’re so fast-acting. The GreenState team is hopeful that HTC partner CannaCraft will bring this beauty to market soon.
The papaya rosin wasn’t the only CBD at the show. Spiritual Plants, the latest project from Papa and Barkley cofounder Guy Rocourt and partner Craig Gross, has several CBD products, including a drink enhancer and sleep capsules, that the GreenState team is excited to try. Beard Bros Pharms had CBD RSO syringes at the ready. Humboldt Family Farms also had its Cherry Tsu pre-rolls, another smooth sailing blend perfect for a chill night. At the A Good Witch after-party, Moon Made Farms had its Sapphire Tsu, a one-to-one favorite.
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There were also lots of CBG, CBN, and even mushrooms present. White CBG tablets from Emerald Bay Extracts and CBN hash rosin softgels from AbsoluteXtracts caught eyes. Over at the Space Gem booth, the popular ice water hash gummies brand was showcasing its line featuring ingredients like cordyceps and lion’s mane. As functional ingredients continue to gain popularity, the crossover with cannabis cannot be denied.
The continued emergence of mixed ratios and blends showcases discernment in the market, as consumers seek specific products to meet their individual needs. Whether it’s better sleep, recovery after a workout, or greater productivity throughout the day, there’s a cannabis product out there for them. And as we saw at Hall of Flowers, if it’s not on the market yet, it’s coming soon.
(SFGATE and GreenState have the same parent company but operate independent newsrooms.)
