What’s up my canna-curious people! Last weekend we had the pleasure of being a part of San Diego first outdoor Hemp Expo! It was such an amazing event, the weather was perfect – sunny and just as beautiful as you know San Diego to be. We had a great turnout from both exhibitors and visitors, safe to say Hemp Culture Expo was a success! For those that missed it, here’s what went down.
What was it
Hemp Culture Expo was the very first permitted Hemp event of its kind for San Diego. Which is a BIG deal! California has always been a pro cannabis state, with prop 215 and now on the federal level with 2018’s farm bill – but despite having the legal backing, Cannabis still has a long way to go until being widely accepted and understood. It is events like these, that help push the Cannabis industry forward. Which is why I believe it is so important to get out into your local community and support a cause, whether it be cannabis or not is up to you. For me, I will always be out there ready to support all the cannabis causes within my community, whether as an exhibitor or visitor there is always fun to be had, knowledge to be dropped, and smiles to be shared. I will admit, little makes me happier then feeling the sun on my skin, music in my ears, and sharing my knowledge and experience about cannabis. It is when we come together as a community, that change occurs.
Why was it special
Not only was Hemp Culture Expo the first of its kind, but it took place at an iconic location, Liberty Station NTC park…NTC, as in Naval Training Center. That’s right, prior to transforming into San Diego’s popular shopping and dining center, Liberty Station was known for training 50,000 naval recruits per year and did so for over 60 years! Liberty Station NTC officially closed its doors in 1997, eventually selling off to private developers and becoming the fabulous town center it is today…crazy how things can change.
Who was there
Our booth was across from No Boundaries Farm, it was fascinating to see people of all ages stopping to explore the hemp plant. From the leaf structure to the smell, there seemed to be a little smile across everyone’s face as they walked past 30 mature hemp plants stopping to feed their canna-curiosity.
Another great mention was Dr. Bronner’s soap – Dr. Bronner, who has been a huge hemp and cannabis advocate for decades. Dr. Bronner’s had quite an epic space with a 7ft Mother Earth display, showcasing a huge gash exposing herself to the chaotic yet beautiful insides of the world. They also had a fun loving guy dressed in a paint splattered coverall making HUGE bubbles, definitely crowd favorite for the kids.
Hemp Culture Expo hosted a great event, providing the perfect balance of education and fun, making it exciting to learn more about hemp. There was an awesome Traveling Hemp Museum, hosted by Amy Fisher. Amy finds Hemp as such a fascinating plant, having a plethora of uses from; food, to medicine, fuel, fiber, and textiles. Her history of hemp was unmatched, as were some of her artifacts – some dating all the way back to the 1700’s.
There were also a ton of dogs! If you’re a pet owner, or just simply love dogs then this was the place for you! I saw French bull dog puppies, a Dalmatian spotted great Dane, from scruffy rescues to beautiful designer dogs – all were wagging their tails excited to be outside. Dogs are mammals just like us, they too have an endocannabinoid system and enjoy the use of CBD products just as we do.
Lastly, throughout the weekend they had a great speaker panel. One of the most notable speakers, Dan Herer, son to the legendary Jack Herer. Dan is a huge hemp advocate on a mission to change the world through his national hemp education tour. You can learn more about what Dan is doing here, through the Jack Herer Foundation.
And of course we had some fun – from Polynesian dancers to Wrestling and BBQ, there was definitely a little something for everybody.
We hope to see you all there next year!