California State Fair Introduces Cannabis Sales and Consumption Area

LOS ANGELES- This year’s California State Fair, beginning July 12 in Sacramento, will feature cannabis sales and a designated consumption area, signaling the growing acceptance of cannabis in mainstream America. This marks the first time in the fair’s 170-year history that such activities are permitted.

In 2022, the California State Fair introduced cannabis with an exhibition and competition, similar to those for wine, cheese, olive oil, and craft beer. This year, the event will expand its cannabis offerings to include a broader product competition, a consumption lounge, and onsite sales operated by licensed retailer Embarc.

Tom Martinez, CEO of the California State Fair, highlighted the significance of this development. “The California State Fair took a historic leadership position in 2022 with the introduction of a cannabis exhibit and competition. This year, we’ve expanded our offerings to include onsite sales and consumption in a designated area to provide a platform to amplify California’s rich agricultural bounty and facilitate storytelling for farmers from diverse backgrounds and experiences.”

Shopping for Cannabis at the Fair

The cannabis exhibition hall, restricted to adults aged 21 and over with government-issued ID, will feature educational displays about California’s cannabis history. Visitors can scan QR codes to learn about Golden Bear award winners, add products to a virtual shopping basket, and purchase them at Embarc’s onsite dispensary. The area will include a 30,000-square-foot consumption lounge, accessible via a designated walking path, allowing attendees to try winning products from various farms and brands across the state.

Lauren Carpenter, co-founder of Embarc, emphasized the importance of this initiative for destigmatizing cannabis. “Hosting cannabis sales and consumption is a groundbreaking milestone in destigmatization by facilitating a deeper connection between consumers and the farmers who cultivate their products with such care. Joining James Leitz, pioneer of the educational exhibit and competition for the past two years, on an expanded competition and experiential dispensary is a major step forward for responsible normalization.”

Organizers expect the onsite consumption area to offer a unique experience. Described as an “oasis” due to Sacramento’s hot climate, the area is designed to be a respite, featuring a stage for award ceremonies. “Designated smoking area is the required terminology,” Carpenter told the Los Angeles Times. “But that makes it sound like people standing around outside of a building smoking. This is intended to be experiential and fully built out and produced with a stage where we will have a ceremony for our [cannabis] award winners.”

James Leitz, executive producer of the cannabis competition and exhibit, noted the initiative’s significance. “This initiative spotlights the significant role of cannabis in California’s agricultural industry, marking a major milestone in the state fair’s 170-year history. Expanding the competition to include all form factors and providing patrons the opportunity to directly engage with and consume winning brands is transformational for public understanding of the plant.”

The California State Fair runs from July 12 to July 28 at the California Exposition Center in Sacramento.