MJBizCon & Budist Expand MJBowl Cannabis Competition for 2026 to Include Colorado

Submissions open August 3

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, August 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- After a successful inuagural year, MJBizCon is once again teaming up with professinal review platform, Budist, for the second annual, first-of-its-kind cannabis product competition, MJBowl. Designed to spotlight the industry’s best products across state lines, the 2026 competition is expanding its reach to include Colorado alongside California and New York while expanding key categories from five to six, now including Wellness (ingestible, topicals).

MJBowl brings together licensed producers from across the country for a cross-market showcase of craft, innovation, and product excellence. The competition window kicks off on Monday, August 3 and runs through Wednesday, September 30.

Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals will be awarded onsite at MJBizCon and Best of Category winners will be announced at the Emjays on Thursday, December 3, during MJBizCon Week in Las Vegas. Winners will receive recognition at MJBizCon, expo passes and award show tickets, along with post-show spotlight on MJBiz, Budist, and partner channels.

Budist, the cannabis industry’s first professional review platform, will lead judging with its panel of Budist critics — including certified Ganjiers, longtime competition judges, cannabis journalists, and industry tastemakers — using a standardized scoring rubric to ensure a consistent and credible process.

Categories this year include Flower (indoor, outdoor, mixed light), Pre-Rolls (infused, non-infused), Concentrates (solvent, solventless), Edibles (candies, chocolates, and baked goods), Cartridges (solvent, solventless) and now Wellness (ingestibles, topicals). Nabis will serve as the exclusive distributor of judging kits in partnership with The Artist Tree dispensaries in California and Dazed Cannabis dispensaries in New York, and Social Dispensary in Colorado.

“The MJBowl’s inaugural contest last year was extremely well received by the cannabis industry. Trusted partners like Budist continue to raise the bar on inclusion and innovation. We are thrilled to continue this new tradition for producers and brands across state lines,” said Harrison Radie, Vice President, MJBiz Brand Leader.

“MJBowl unitfies one of the largest constellations of market-leading companies and thought leaders in North America. Our expansion across three of the nation’s most influential cannabis markets—California, Colorado, and New York—marks an important step forward,” said Jocelyn Sheltraw, Co-Founder and CEO of Budist. “The work we’re doing together is not only laying the foundation for universal quality standards, but it’s also breaking down the state barriers imposed by federal prohibition. What we’re building with MJBowl is unprecedented.”

"Colorado helped pioneer the adult-use cannabis industry, and it's exciting to see MJBowl expand here for the first time. Bringing together brands, retailers and consumers in one trusted competition is another sign of how far this industry has come. At Social Dispensary, we're proud to serve as the Colorado retail partner and help showcase the innovation, quality and community that continue to define cannabis in our home state," said Sher Joudeh, Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Social Dispensary

"Partnering with MJBowl is a proud moment for Dazed,” said Partner, CTO, Keshawn Warner. “Becoming one of the most powerful events in cannabis, MJBowl is bringing brands, consumers, and culture together around quality and community. Collaborations like this are how our industry matures—we grow stronger by lifting each other up. Most of all, this competition culminating at the Emjays during MJBizCon, shines a spotlight on the local markets we serve across New York, celebrating the cultivators and customers who make Dazed who we are."

"The MJBowl celebrates the true art of cannabis production by giving exceptional cultivators and manufacturers the spotlight they deserve. Likewise, The Artist Tree promotes creative cannabis innovation, and we're thrilled to return as the California retail partner for a second year. Witnessing the passion of the winners and the caliber of products that emerged from last year’s competition, we are incredibly excited to build on that momentum.” said Lauren Fontein, Chief Compliance Officer and Co-founder of The Artist Tree.

About MJBiz
MJBiz is the leading B2B resource for the cannabis industry. Founded in 2011, it is the most trusted publisher and event producer serving cannabis industry entrepreneurs and investors from around the globe. MJBiz produces MJBizCon, the longest-running and largest cannabis trade show in the world. The 2015-2019 events were each named to Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50 list and ranks on the Gold 100 list of largest tradeshows in the U.S. The 2026 event will return to Las Vegas December 1-4, 2026 (Pre-Show Certifications are December 1). The MJBiz team also produces news and analysis of the marijuana and hemp industries via MJBizDaily, MJBiz Factbook. For more information about MJBizCon or MJBiz, please visit www.MJBizCon.com and www.MJBizDaily.com.

About Budist
Budist is the cannabis industry’s first dedicated ratings and review platform, bringing transparency, professionalism, and community to how cannabis products are evaluated and discovered. Often called the “Wine Spectator of cannabis,” Budist combines expert evaluations from a diverse team of trained critics with consumer reviews to deliver credible product insights across all categories. The app allows consumers to rate and review products, access expert perspectives, and discover standout brands with confidence. Budist also hosts educational and experiential events, including guided tastings, to build a community and culture of connoisseurship. For more information, visit www.Budist.com.

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