Sacramento, CA – June 1, 2025 – Buckle up, California. Fat Nugs Magazine (FNM) is officially teaming up with the California Cannabis Awards (CCA) as an Official Media Partner for what promises to be one of the most culturally charged happenings of the year July 11–27, 2025 right in the heart of the California State Fair.
Yes, you read that right. For the second year in a row, California’s State Fair is going full-send on cannabis: celebrating, buying, selling, and consuming on-site, in broad daylight, legally and proudly. And this year, it’s bigger, louder, and more real than ever with Embarc (goembarc.com) curating the official cannabis marketplace, and Fat Nugs bringing their acclaimed Faces of Cannabis project to life, live and on-site on the opening weekend July 11 – 13.!
The Faces of Cannabis – Live and Unfiltered
Backed by Canopy HR https://canopyhrsolutions.com/ (formerly Greenleaf HR) – an official Brand Partner of FNM and a growing force for connection in the cannabis space led by Joel Pearson – the Faces of Cannabis experience is more than a photo op. It’s a living, breathing love letter to the real ones:
“A celebration of the people who make the cannabis industry special. It’s our living archive of the real ones; those who grind, grow, create, and advocate for the plant, the community, and the culture that surrounds it. Through striking visuals that tell stories, the idea is to capture the soul of our community, one face at a time. It’s a movement, a mirror, and a tribute to those shaping the future of this space with passion, grit, and dirt under their nails.”
The entire Fat Nugs team will be onsite all weekend of the awards curating, photographing, and showcasing Faces of Cannabis in a fully branded activation lounge, with a photo booth built by CCA and interactive elements that span across the fairgrounds.
Saturday: California Cannabis Awards – 600+ Entries. One Big Night.
On Saturday, July 12, the main event lights up: the California Cannabis Awards, where over 600 entries across flower, concentrates, edibles, and more will compete for the coveted Golden Bear trophy. It’s a green carpet, community-driven, no-corporate-BS celebration of the best of California cannabis, judged by a team led by Budist, one of the most trusted names in consumer-powered product evaluation. More on the judges at budist.com.
Sunday: Joint Wars – Let the Rolling Begin
On Sunday, July 13, things get downright rowdy with Joint Wars, a high-energy, head-to-head joint rolling competition created by Gary Adler of Odd One Out (jointwars.tv). Expect smoke. Expect flair. Expect the best damn roll you’ve ever seen happen in real time.
Beyond the Weekend: The Partnership Lives On
This partnership extends far beyond the fairgrounds. As part of the deal, Fat Nugs Magazine will publish three months of full-page advertisements promoting the CCA in its Weekly Digital Magazine leading up to the event, followed by a special post-event edition dedicated entirely to the California Cannabis Awards & Experience which will highlight winners, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and collaborative content with CCA, Embarc, and others.
Come Through. Be Seen. Be Celebrated.
This isn’t just another cannabis event. This is California history in the making, and Fat Nugs Magazine is proud to help document it in real time, on the ground, and in full color.
Websites:
Media Inquiries & Interviews:
- Dustin Hoxworth (FNM): dustin@fatnugsmag.com
- James Leitz (CCA): james@calcannabisawards.com
- Gary Adler (Joint Wars): gary@oddoneout.tv
- Courtney Zalewski (Embarc): courtney@goembarc.com
- Jocelyn Sheltraw (Budist): jocelyn@budist.com
