The 3rd annual 420 Expo cannabis convention event was held in Edison, where they announced the winners of the first legal NJ cannabis cup and held a great party.
It is the biggest cannabis consumer event in New Jersey every year by far. The vast majority of the cannabis conferences in New Jersey are geared toward business.
1st Legal NJ Cannabis Cup Winners Announced
The 420 Expo this year featured a cannabis cup awards ceremony.
Cannabis cups are popular contests and conventions held throughout the state legal cannabis markets. Some, like the Emerald Cup in California, are very popular. A great variety of them are held.
Voters bought kits at Honey Grove (Heady NJ is advertising their quality place full disclosure) in Clementon in South Jersey and NJ Leaf in Freehold in Central Jersey.
Garden Greens swept the NJ cannabis cup.
Gardens Greens won in every category of flower first or place. They were first place for best Hybrid Flower. The team was in a very good mood afterward.
“Thank you New Jersey. It means a lot to us, being Jersey boys,” their representative said.
Clade 9, a small cannabis corporation that is a Multi-State Operated (MSO) from California based in Plainfield, won 1st place for Best Sativa Flower.
Gardens Greens won 2nd place for it.
Full Tilt Labs won 1st place for Best Indica Flower. Gardens Greens won second place.
Gardens Greens won first place for best Hybrid cannabis flower, and Brighterside Farms won second place.
More NJ Cannabis Cup Winners
Timeless Vapes won first place for vapes and explained they have a deal with the large MSO MPX NJ/iAnthus, which makes their vapes. The large MPX NJ itself won 2nd place for vapes.
The next award was for infused pre-rolls. Mudd Brothers won 1st place. The large MSO Acreage and their brand Superflux won 2nd place.
Hillview Farms won 1st place in non-infused pre-rolls. They converted from the medical market. Hamilton Farms won second place.
“We’re really happy the New Jersey market has been loving what we have been putting out,” their representative said without identifying himself.
New England cannabis promoters and advocates Bobby and Bailey Nuggz hosted the ceremony.
Bobby Nuggz said that 16 brands competed, and some had just finished their first harvest.
Most of the brands that competed have been on the market for less than 12 months.
Bobby noted that 300 members of the public voted for the nominees.
Party Outside
The real party was outside, where everyone was legally consuming cannabis within the fenced-off area by food trucks and tables and music as well.
The crowd was diverse in age and ethnicity. There was a chill vibe and music from the stage heard throughout the convention hall.
It was a party representative of the blooming New Jersey cannabis market and community that has taken a while to establish with some good local independent companies.
Clerks Star Brian O’Halloran Interviewed by Heady NJ
Movie actor Brian O’Halloran from the movie Clerks and other local Indie Film Director Kevin Smith movies, was at the 420 Expo. He was signing autographs near a re-creation of the Clerks storefront with some local Jersey weed logos on the window.
Heady NJ interviewed O’Halloran. He explained getting into the movies, his movie experience, and his consumption habits.
He said he auditioned for the movie out of the 1st Ave Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands and got the part after coming back for two more rounds.
“The rest is history,” O’Halloran added.
He explained said he moved from the Bronx to Palisade Park in North Jersey to Old Bridge in Central Jersey while a kid and grew up there.
Central Jersey, while sometimes criticized, is the setting of most of the Kevin Smith movies.
O’Halloran described his relationship with cannabis.
“In my early 20s, I smoked more than I do now. I do occasionally now. The films with Jay and Silent Bob were obviously cannabis friendly. I’m cannabis adjacent,” he said.
Acting in the Kevin Smith Movies
O’Halloran has appeared in most of Kevin Smith’s films as different characters. He noted he was in Clerks III, which was released in 2022.
In addition, O’Halloran noted Kevin Smith has a new movie in theater called 4:30, which he described as a love letter to the movie industry set in Jersey in the 80s, where he has a cameo.
O’Halloran noted Smith plans to make Jay and Silent Bob III soon.
In the movie, the underground legacy operators Jay and Silent Bob set up a legal dispensary next to the Quick Check and have a rival since it’s nicknamed Store Wars after Star Wars.
In real life, Middletown Township, where the store is, doesn’t allow dispensaries. But there are definitely many store wars in Jersey going on.
“Hopefully we’ll get to see these characters yet ago. Being at a cannabis convention is always a fun time in general. I’m glad the fans have come out,” O’Halloran said.
I’m glad the states are recognizing not only the need for the medical applications of cannabis but also the stress relieving and fun part of cannabis as well,” he explained. “A lot of people enjoy it when regulated properly. It’s a big economy boost, and B, it’s a great way to relax.”
Cannabis Basics for Newbies Panel Moderated by Heady NJ
At the 420 Expo, I moderated a panel on adult-use and medical cannabis consumption basics. It featured Lefty Grimes and Chris Valesquez of Sativa Cross and Roll BJT.
We discussed many of the basics of cannabis, like what’s sativa, what are terpenes, and tips for getting into cannabis consumption, along with other issues.
420 Event Expo Hall Fun
Inside, the crowd was very calm and enjoyed themselves. The MC on stage joked about how calm the weed crowd was. A drunk crowd is a lot rowdier and loud so it’s a different energy.
The 420 Expo was a great market full of vendors of glass, bongs and pipes, jars for weed, and all the other paraphernalia you need. There were also vendors selling new-age crystals, clothes, toys, pickles, beef jerky, and tarot card readings, among other things.
In addition, there were dispensaries on the floor with hemp shops and other sorts of operators. Among the exhibitors were newer dispensaries like the Dispensary of Union owned by Frank Catania of the Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Many of the vendors on the floor were legal Delta 8-THC intoxicating hemp sellers likely to be affected by the new law banning its sale in 30 days.
Also, the activist group Sativa Cross set up their podcast on the floor, and Mike Vintzileos, as Bongholeo, discussed the need to legalize the home gardening of cannabis.
There were also some fun games and a mechanical bull to ride.
In addition, several leading and enterprising businesspeople at the 420 Expo were also at the NECANN Cannabis industry conference in Atlantic City last weekend, where I moderated a panel on legalizing cannabis home growing.
Many were enjoying themselves throughout the 420 event.
Federal marijuana prohibition is still making it hard to hold a big 420 event like the Expo. Big Tech platforms have extreme prejudice against marijuana, which makes it hard to promote cannabis and plant medicine news, information, and legal products.
Despite that, the energy and magic of the cannabis community made it a successful and fun 420 event.
