The world of weed lounges may be having a moment in the sun. States are slowly opening legislation and regulations to allow social lounges and public consumption, creating space for inventive events. From raves at the cannabis lounge to the biggest brand-to-consumer event in California, elder stoners surely look at this aspect of cannabis with a sparkle in their eyes.
Since its 2020 launch, Zalympix has quickly made a name for itself as a premier gathering among connoisseurs. The competition and concert are sponsored by Greenwolf Cannabis, a Los Angeles, Calif. Dispensary. This year, Zalympix enters new territory with its California Cup, opening the door to rosin for the first time. And, as usual, the post-awards celebration concert happens to feature two huge names in hip-hop.
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Zalympix marries competition, shopping, and entertainment
Fans of weed and the finest music are set to gather for the latest installment on March 1st at the BeeHive, a Black-owned event venue once dubbed “LA’s cultural hub.” The Southern California cannabis crew is set to gather not only to see who wins, but for legendary headliners legendary Gucci Mane and Bay Area darling LaRussell to light up the stage– once everyone is significantly lit, of course. However, the fun actually started earlier this month.
Los Angeles will be all green Saturday as 70 California brands pop up in the community space. Each activation promises to have premium extracts, flower, or other interesting products and experiences. Some are even set to bring never-before-seen exclusive drops. But the real fun started way back. But the party is only one piece of Zalympix; the other lies in the spirit of competition.
Judging the 2025 California Zalympix
The 2025 California Zalympix competition started with over 40 rosin and 140 flower entries. These samples were pre-judged by a panel of industry influencers, who selected 15 rosins and 26 growers to compete in the final round. These lucky competitors were combined into boxes, each available for those who wanted to buy in. It is the people who buy this box that decide the winners of the California Zalympix.
For $420, the rosin box contained a half gram of extract from 15 hopeful winners (7.5 grams total) and two VIP tickets to the awards ceremony. The flower box offered the same VIP deal alongside two grams from each finalist (two ounces total) for $550.
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None of the entry information is revealed until the crowning. The products are displayed in identical packaging aside from an identifying number. The blind testing process isn’t new to this competition, but this is the first time California Zalympix Awards have featured a rosin category. However, the Michigan arm of the event series included rosin in its 2024 cup.
GreenState sent a request to Zalympix regarding this year’s categories and is still waiting for a response. In 2023, winners were sorted into Best Overall, Best Terps, Best Tasting, Gassiest Flower, Heaviest Hitting, Most Unique, and Best Looking. There were three rankings under each category. The same judging rubric is used in Michigan, indicating a high probability that flower will continue being ranked to these standards.
Last call…
Over the last month, connoisseurs who bought in to judge have been tasting and testing everything in their boxes. On March 1st, they will meet at the Zalympix awards and, after the winners are announced based on their feedback, enjoy top-tier entertainment. We also requested information on how the flower and rosin are scored; we will report back once Zalympix does.
The Gucci Mane and LaRussell performances will be supported by Demrick and Scoop Deville, as well as Keznamdi. Those who missed out on the judges boxes can still buy in online with general admission ($55 + fees), Fast Pass ($82), or VIP ($135 – $268) tickets while supplies last.
