The coveted “Super Bowl” of the California cannabis industry trade shows, Hall of Flowers, returned to the desert of Palm Springs for its first show of 2022. On May 4th and 5th, thousands of industry professionals turned out in 100+ degree weather to see new products, network, attend after-parties, and close deals. Our Hall of Flowers Palm Springs 2022 recap features some of our top product picks, interviews, and a video of our trip! While this show seemed slightly more tame than the last SoCal event back in December, it’s easy to call this another successful outing.
The last Hall of Flowers was just back in December of 2021. While it’s almost half of a calendar year behind us, it still felt somewhat close for some vendors. This honestly offered a plus in the pros and cons category from RMR’s perspective. A few vendors from last year’s show didn’t line up quickly for another activation to the same audience. This provided much-needed space for some new brands and first-time vendors.
Hall of Flowers Palm Springs 2022 Recap
The Tradeshow Experience
As is with most California events, the Gelato terp profile lit up your nose as soon as you walked into the venue. There was, however, much more to offer than just sherbet-infused terps. Our co-owner, Joey Brabo, summed up what he was looking for at the event in just a few words, “buyers, networking, relationships, and familiar faces.”
On day one, Brabo noted that he saw industry elites from SoCal, Central Valley, the Central Coast, and NorCal all on that rare day. While we were chatting towards the end of the day, I asked him what he thought separates Hall of Flowers from other B2B events. Joey noted, “While I’m standing here right now…I’m looking at buyers. I’m looking at celebrities and other sales reps. Everyone is here.”
The venue for HoF in Palm Springs offers less space than the Santa Rosa rendition. However, they used the space very well, maximizing all areas. Inside the main area, booths were meticulously lined up in rows with larger activations on the exterior touching walls. The NUG and Treez-powered dispensary was in its own nook at the northeast corner of the event hall. They did a great job managing the flow of people that wanted to either see products or go purchase said products.
Outside of the venue in the courtyard, booth activations are afforded more space to provide some “pop” of enticing aesthetics. Thankfully, there were large shade nets and misting fans that helped cool-off attendees and allowed them to escape the heat. The Hall of Flowers staff heard our cries from December and amped up the food truck offerings. They provided numerous options as well as the ability to grab even quicker meals. Unless you wanted Poke because that truck had a line at all times!
The Best Products
The first HoF of 2022 saw no shortage of quality products displayed. As per usual, the samples help set this event apart from others. RMR is still in the process of diving into and reviewing everything we picked up in the desert but here are some of the highlights we saw.
Compound Genetics
The Jokers 31 strain. Are you joking with me? This stuff is incredible, along with their line-up of other strains as well. The attention to detail with Compound Genetics is highly noticeable.
Claybourne
Their activation was one of our favorites. They were providing a tiki bar-like setting with motorcycles and action sports-branded athletes. Having their head cultivator on-site to discuss the genetics was a nice touch; the Divine Storm strain they’ve been cooking up has an incredible phenotype.
Seven Leaves
The VOVO strain was a clear stand-out in a sea of great genetics offered by the Sacramento-based cannabis brand, Seven Leaves. Stay tuned for our review of their Astro Mints strain.
Laughing Gas
This was a clear favorite for many folks. I heard the name quite a bit during day two, likely due to the scent of the terps on the Zhashimi – wow, just wow. Look out for an RMR review coming soon but Laughing Gas really showed out with the flavors.
Alien Labs/Connected
We have an inclination these guys set it up to “sell out” early each time. Regardless of that, the hype is real. The line for the Alien Labs/Connected booth was fairly long as soon as the doors opened with samples being gone within a few hours on the first day. In the last six months, their line-up hasn’t changed drastically, but do you really need to if you got the heat? That Biskanté, for example…
High 90s
High 90s have impressed us two times in a row. Back in December at the previous Palm Springs Hall of Flowers event, their flashy and colorful Mylar bags caught our attention, but what’s inside sealed the deal. If you’re skeptical of the look and feel of this brand, just take one look at their Tropical Cookies strain. The nose on each of their indoor-grown strains is diverse and the bud structures are no joke.
Gold Flora
These guys brought out some killer cultivars in mason jars. There were a couple of standouts; while they hadn’t quite picked the names for a few of them, the terps were on point and numerous Gelato mixes appeased our nostrils. Gold Flora is definitely a CA brand we’re going to keep our eyes on.
Blueprint
Sacramento-based cultivators, Blueprint Cannabis Co, have been getting a lot of buzz lately. Founded by Joe Stanger, Drew Coggio, and Jordan Aguilar, the three have decades of experience with potent weed. Jordan was formerly the head cultivator for Connected and Alien Labs and has been crafting some serious fire for this bubbling new brand.
Aims
This San Fernando Valley-based brand has been steadily drawing our attention. Aims‘ slogan is “Always On Point,” which suits them because their indoor flower hits the mark of craft quality. Their old-school, hands-on approach is evident in the final product.
Rosin Tech Labs
Few extraction brands have done what Rosin Tech Labs has done for hash. Traveling the world teaching people the importance of solventless, Rosin Tech made a name for themselves by producing hash-making equipment. By 2018 when they put out their first line of products, they were already a household name for at-home squishing. Their concentrates reflect their sheer dedication to solventless and the pioneering they’ve done in the space.
Pure Beauty
People love Pure Beauty. This is due to a combination of their products, ethos, packaging, and presentation. A female and minority-owned brand, Pure Beauty has a commitment to social reform, sustainability, and producing incredible cannabis. We always love seeing their creative activations at events.
Binske
Binske has a very artistic and eye-grabbing look that stands out in a crowd. This boutique brand produces “luxury cannabis” that smokes as good as it looks. Don’t sleep on this premium brand whose packaging could honestly be put on display after you’re done with it.
Image via @thefarechild IG
The After Parties
Back in December, there seemed to be more after-parties. We thought this might happen after coming out of a two-year lockdown. Brands were ready and had budgets waiting. Attendees were hungry for anything and everything. This Spring, the weather was hot. While things were slightly calmer, there were still plenty of networking opportunities, and “ragers” abound.
On Hall of Flowers eve, RMR went to the Curators Connect and was able to tour a great facility, sampling a good line-up of Compound Genetics flower offerings. We also slid to the Canna Pac event that was filled with C-Suite executives. Then, we called it an evening at the High Rise sesh in a lounge. Big shout out to the fam at 420 Kingdom for providing the party bus to get us around the desert.
A few folks missed the memo, as seemingly 90% of the events were on the first night of the tradeshow. When that many events compete, it’s tough for us to reach more than two to four events in a single night. While we wish a few more folks had moved their soirees to the night before and the last night, we still ended up mingling with a ton of folks.
The Farechild always throws the afterparty of the week at any event they build around and this was no different. Their takeover of the legendary Saguaro Hotel was nothing short of legendary in and of itself. The entire hotel was booked out by cannabis professionals which gave us various room parties. The main action, though, was in the courtyard and pool area. This was a huge event with plenty of activations, activities, things to do, and people to meet.
What’s Next?
The dates for the famous NorCal version of Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa are now public! Hall of Flowers’ next event will be taking place in Santa Rosa October 5-6, 2022. There are a few rumors bubbling around about HoF expanding outside of California before the year is done. But again, there is no public information as of now. We look forward to attending the next edition of HoF and will keep our readers updated with more updates as they drop!
Watch all of Respect My Region’s Hall of Flowers Palm Springs 2022 Live Interviews Here
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