The California cannabis industry has seen its fair share of ups and downs. With a growing number of companies surrendering their licenses and a looming tax increase that some fear could lead to an even bigger “extinction event,” many operators are on edge. But at this week’s Hall of Flowers in Ventura, any worries were set aside in favor of creating opportunities.
The biannual B2B event sees a wide array of brands and ancillary service providers presenting their latest and greatest to a rabid crowd of retail buyers, press, and influencers. At this year’s SoCal gathering, many companies sampled directly from their booths via compliant point-of-sale rather than the usual on-site dispensary.
From bulk flower to packaging, there’s something for everyone at Hall of Flowers. In addition to a large number of white-label solutions, the amount of rosin products continues to increase every year. It was also great to see more wellness brands and CBD-forward SKUs. Functional mushrooms are also en vogue; award-winning edibles brand Space Gem debuted its new line of effects-based gummies featuring a blend of cannabinoids and extracts of ‘shrooms like lion’s mane and reishi.
2025 also brought the addition of extraction equipment and other large-scale manufacturing solutions in the newly minted Blueprint section, which saw a steady crowd throughout the two-day event. The special section was specifically curated to help promote collaboration, a key theme at this year’s SoCal show.
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Women show out at HOF
One welcome surprise in Ventura was the prevalence of women-owned brands, many of whom had the most impressive displays in the bustling expo halls. In a fiercely male-dominated industry, the fact that the female-centric booths were among the biggest and best did not go unnoticed by attendees.
Over at the Yummi Karma/Pretty Dope/High Gorgeous booth, a wall of adorable swag had attendees clamoring while a whimsical hanging swing saw many pics snapping. A summer camp theme complete with a fishing motif at Halara won the award for the cutest booth of the year. CaliLily‘s new wellness-centric edibles piqued the curiosity of many. Meanwhile, the woman-founded brand CAM easily had one of the longest (and most consistent) lines of any booth, selling out of their popular strains within hours.
Another crowded spot was the activation from self-care darlings Kush Queen. An ultra-sharable flower-filled spa motif courtesy of the Flower Daddy drew many an eye (and camera). But it was the brand’s new bath bomb collab with Connected that really had people talking.
Lauren Fontein, founder of Los Angeles-based dispensary The Artist Tree, specifically called out the new line when telling GreenState about her stand-outs from HOF.
“We’re always on the lookout for new, innovative things that we think will resonate with our particular customer demographic,” Fontein said. “I think people will really love it because it’s kind of breaking the mold of what their brand identity is and tying it into this really well-known and respected legacy brand.”
Meanwhile, newcomers Juāna had a never-ending line at their botanical-laden booth. Taste tests of their incredibly delicious effects-based gummies kept bystanders coming back for more. The brand’s vapes, flower, and cannabis-centric candles were the icing on the cake.
“It’s good energy,” said Juāna founder Rachel Xin of the brand’s Hall of Flowers debut. “We got a lot of traction because we’re different.”
Outside, the feminine energy continued to flourish at the Grown Womxn Good Weed activation. Anchoring Hall of Flowers’s haze-filled consumption area, the booth saw a steady stream of women in weed enjoying henna tattoos, raffles, a photo booth, and engaging conversation. A “burn book” at the center coffee table encouraged visitors to share moments when burning the plant was especially impactful.
The high profile of women in cannabis at HOF wasn’t the only thing making GreenState smile. Familiar faces from up north also kept the vibes high.
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Legacy in Los Angeles
The Ventura Hall of Flowers had plenty of LA energy with Coachfella-level fit checks, booth babes, custom cars—you get it. A mysterious booth with a male model acting as a sullen and vengeful Ken doll had a lot of people talking, some confused, some disturbed by the potentially violent and unstable energy. This event always keeps people guessing.
But among the shiny objects, one could find tinges of old-school craft cannabis culture. And with so many challenges befalling the legacy farmers in the Emerald Triangle, it was a sight for sore eyes.
Redwood Roots, a collective of several Northern California farms, was a busy stop. As distributors of flower from award-winning growers like Ridgeline Farms and Mendo Dope, it made sense that buyers wanted to see the company’s latest drops. Founder Chris Anderson was busy doling out samples early on day one, stopping quickly to tell GreenState the energy was high (no pun intended).
“This is a great place for us to be present because I feel like we really stand out amongst some of the bigger, more corporate, plastic, flashy types of things,” Anderson said. “It’s been a really strong event so far. I’m really surprised—and it’s just the beginning.”
Craft cannabis was definitely keeping pace with the hype indoor at HOF this time around. According to Budist flower critic Caleb Chen, Budularo was among the best flower at the entire show. GreenState can confirm the Mendocino-based grower’s African Haze #11 was immensely special. Fan favorite Sol Spirit Farm’s Headband over at the Equity Trade Group booth was another must-smell.
At Solful, the retailer was busy fielding inquiries on its new wholesale program with the award-winning Greenshock Farms. The dispensary chain is known for its commitment to small farmers, partnering with several sustainable craft growers for its in-house brand while also carefully curating its wider dispensary menus. When asked about the launch, Solful founder Eli Melrod noted the benefits to the craft cannabis community.
“This is a really exciting moment because we’ve been able to build a model that actually works for small farmers,” he told GreenState. “A lot of them have the challenge of actually getting their product to market consistently and having marketing and distribution support.”
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We all do better when we all do better
While it might be trying times in cannabis, Hall of Flowers always brings an energy of community. Maybe it’s the organic seshes that pop up throughout the fairgrounds, or maybe it’s the realization that we all do better when we all do better. Either way, Ventura 2025 certainly had more of everything we love about the cannabis space and provided a welcome break from the drama and strife.
It’s a sentiment Dustin Moore, co-founder of retail chain Embarc, shared with GreenState post-show.
“Hall of Flowers is always an awesome excuse to see friends from throughout the industry, so a big thank you to their team for making it happen,” he said. “What stood out most to me is that those who are still standing seem committed to working together so all ships rise.”
It can only be hoped that things will be even better when Hall of Flowers returns to Santa Rosa this fall and makes its New York debut soon after.
