Founded in 1999, CHAMPS has spent more than two decades as the country’s leading B2B counterculture trade show. This year’s summer show returned to the Las Vegas Convention Center August 26-28, bringing brands, retailers, artists and buyers together for three days of networking, product launches and deal-making.
But the longstanding event looked a little different than in years past. Cannabis Now Founder and CEO Eugenio Garcia, who has attended CHAMPS for more than 10 years, was on the floor to see how exhibitors and buyers were navigating a changing market—and whether the show’s smaller footprint made a difference.
One Level, Same Energy
In previous years, CHAMPS spread across two levels of the Convention Center. This time, the entire show was consolidated onto a single floor, a change Garcia said worked in the event’s favor.
“CHAMPS was definitely smaller this year, but it didn’t feel empty,” he said. “Consolidating everything onto one floor actually made the show feel full, energetic and very business-focused. There were a lot of real conversations happening.”
William Rekel, founder and CEO of Denver-based Blazy Susan, has attended CHAMPS for the better part of a decade and echoed that sentiment from his booth on the floor. “I love the smaller footprint. I’ve been coming here for seven or eight years now, and it feels a lot better when there’s not too much space,” Rekel said. “It feels condensed, it feels busy, so I think it’s going to be a good show.”
With the booths concentrated onto a single level, the tradeshow had a more compact feel, putting exhibitors and attendees closer together and keeping the action concentrated in one place.
New Brands Still Placing Bets
Part of what shaped this year’s floor plan was the ongoing uncertainty around hemp regulation, with a federal ban on hemp-derived THC products set to take effect in December. Several hemp companies that might have exhibited in past years sat this one out while they wait to see how the rules shake out.
Even so, Garcia said the brands that did show up brought real momentum with them.
“You could see the uncertainty around hemp reflected in who wasn’t exhibiting, but what stood out to me was who was still showing up,” Garcia said. “We met new brands entering the market for the first time, particularly in beverages, with a lot of optimism about where the industry goes next.”
Among them was Jolly, a CBD and hemp company whose president and co-founder, Zach Gleason, stayed upbeat about both CHAMPS and his company’s future regardless of how the regulatory picture develops. Jolly has already built out East Coast distribution, including availability through DoorDash in select markets.
Dallas-based Lantana, a THC-infused seltzer brand led by owner Brad G., made its CHAMPS debut this year, a first-timer’s bet on a category other brands are bracing to defend. Show veterans like Blazy Susan are entering the hemp beverage sector, too. The brand, known for its fun, bright pink rolling papers, trays and accessories, launched its first hemp-infused drink, simply called Blazy, on the show floor. “Everything’s going down, but hemp beverage is this one ballooning category. I would hate to see it shut down,” he said. “I feel that cooler heads will prevail.”
Business as Usual
That same measured optimism carried over into conversations about Nevada’s broader retail landscape.
Julie Winter, chief revenue officer at Ayr Wellness, which operates six Nevada dispensaries, including The Dispensary Henderson, said the company’s approach to the coming hemp changes is straightforward. “We’re focused on controlling what we can control, which is providing an incredible assortment of trusted and tested products at a great price point for our loyal customers and anyone else who wants to come visit us,” Winter said.
That philosophy shows up in how Ayr runs its community-facing stores. At The Dispensary Henderson, longtime staff—some with nine-plus years at the location—have built real relationships with regulars, Winter said. An express area and drive-through pickup also give customers the option to get in and out in minutes.
Legacy Brands, New Collaborations
Established names made their presence felt, too.
Smoke Odor Candles brought in influencers who drew steady crowds to its booth and unveiled a new collaboration pairing its candles with BIC lighters. It was one of several examples of established brands finding new ways to create buzz on a show floor that has always been as much about relationships and discovery as it is about products.
The Bottom Line
Taken together, this year’s CHAMPS offered a snapshot of an industry adjusting in real time. There were fewer exhibitors and clear signs of regulatory uncertainty, but that didn’t translate into a lack of optimism. New brands were making their debuts, established companies were launching products and collaborations, and buyers and exhibitors were still having the conversations that make a trade show worthwhile.
“The biggest takeaway for me was that despite all of the challenges facing the industry, people are still doing business,” Garcia said. “New brands are launching, legacy companies are finding new ways to engage consumers, and entrepreneurs are continuing to make bets on the future.”
CHAMPS may have been smaller this year, but the hustle was still there.
The premier B2B counterculture tradeshow and expo heads to Austin next, October 13-15, before closing out the year in Fort Lauderdale, November 17-19.
The post Smaller Floor, Same Hustle: CHAMPS Vegas Summer Show 2026 appeared first on Cannabis Now.
Read More: Smaller Floor, Same Hustle: CHAMPS Vegas Summer Show 2026
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.