Revelry NYC 2025

In my twenties, a good friend of mine and I went to New York City to check it out. Neither of us had ever been, which we thought was odd since we both traveled a lot our entire lives. Her dad was even a commercial airline pilot! Fast forward more than 15 years, and that still was my only trip to NYC, until last week when I crossed the country to attend Revelry.

I’ve heard a lot about Revelry over the past couple of years, and everything I’ve heard is that it is THE event in New York. The market is one of the newer and most exciting US markets, and after having a rough start, it’s starting to be one of the most interesting and fastest growing. But it is a B2B event that is focused on brands presenting to retail buyers and attendance is tightly curated.

Though I would have loved to attend, I am not very well connected to the New York market, and after already experiencing similar struggles getting a ticket to Hall of Flowers in California, I didn’t think going this year was in the cards. So I started to look at New Jersey and other shows on the East Coast and tried to figure out what made sense to do this fall. Before I made any decisions, I had a call with Peter Su, who has been my banker since I started Grass Goddess Consulting, and he offered me a ticket. Who would say no to that?? Not me, I jumped on the opportunity, and I am so glad that I did.

Revelry in NYC was the most energetic and special event I have attended since joining the industry, and I am so excited to share some of my experiences from my trip and some of my takeaways from the event.

A smooth direct flight into Newark was how I kicked it off, so that set the right tone and the weather report was pretty much perfection, so things were looking good. The show didn’t start until noon, and I was able to sleep in (well, sort of, thanks jet lag) and then walked over to event stopping at a bench to join a meeting I didn’t want to miss. Arriving at the show shortly after it started, there was a very long line of buyers waiting to get in. Fortunately, Peter met me with a wristband, and I didn’t have to wait and got right in before the floor got too crowded. And boy, did it ever!

As I made my way by a number of brands before they were flooded with buyers, something stood out to me. It started with a brand called SASS, which had a unique and very appealing booth with a cooler of non-infused popsicles. The guy handing out the popsicles told me that SASS is queer and womxn owned, and how he makes the edibles, which include the popsicles and also confections. The popsicle was delicious and refreshing and really hit the spot. But the thing that stood out to me and continued to show up as a theme was that each brand is so unique, and they all have a story to tell. In California, we are flooded with brands, and not many have stories that stick. Don’t get me wrong, we have some, and we have aesthetically beautiful brands, but what’s happening in New York is on another level.

It got me thinking and also talking to people about it and I think there are a few reasons why this might be happening. First of all, over half of New York licenses are designated social equity. This allows for smaller operators, many with a story to tell, and keeps the market from getting flooded with MSOs. In addition, as legalization progresses, and people in newer markets see what works and what doesn’t, they will discover that consumers want to connect to a story. Not all of them, some will want what’s cheap, what has a high percentage, or many other reasons, but in the end, we are all human, and humans want to connect.

I have a speculation on what might be another difference, and this one might piss some people off, but I honestly think it’s likely. New York has a deeper sense of culture compared to California. And I don’t mean cannabis culture, though it runs deep there (despite me always talking about the importance of Cali weed culture), but real culture from people, their beliefs, their nationalities, and their lifestyles. California is a relatively new state that is spread out, and culture doesn’t seep out of our pores the way it does in other places. We also have three major cities that are very different, so it’s different than states with one main metropolitan area. And don’t get me started on Hollywood, it adds a layer of superficiality that, in my opinion, masks real culture.

New York’s brands impressed me. I had already seen my friend, Marianne Cursetjee’s brand, Alibi, which started in Oregon and expanded to New York. The brand imagery is beautiful, the story is one many can connect with, and the product is high quality. Marianne was also at her booth sharing her passion and energy for most of the day, which made it special, and that was evident by the buzz around the booth. When I first stopped by the booth, my friend Lucia Cifonelli wasn’t there, but she quickly found me and insisted she get me high before I carried on. You don’t have to ask me twice.

Another standout for me was Alchemy Pure, which is New York sun-grown cannabis! This was a pleasant surprise for me because I smoke a lot of sun-grown cannabis from the Emerald Triangle in California, and it’s something special. I figured with the climate in New York, they wouldn’t have amazing sun-grown flower, but apparently they do. Now I actually didn’t smoke it, so I can’t say for sure, but based on appearance and smell, my guess is people should give it a try.

Some other brands that I was impressed with and took pictures of are Highland Goat with delicious gummies, Honey Pot Treats with hard candies and honey stir sticks, and Reunion with CBD products, including topicals and tinctures that don’t smell/taste like medicine. Honestly, there were so many, and the people I spoke with were genuine and kind. I loved learning and sharing with them what I do in the industry.

In addition to checking out all the brands, one of the best parts was the people I ran into while walking the floor or chilling in the outside area. Some of the amazing people I got to spend time with include Sara Gluck, Jessica Ferranti, Jeanne Sullivan, Angela Bradway, Sarah Kubik, Bill Levers, Steph Woods, Tyler Herold, Rick Bashkoff, Annie Davis, and Karen ‘KMesh’ Meshkov. I saw most of the people I expected from the NY area and also a handful who traveled in for the show, which made it a great mix but still focused.

Before I move on to the evening festivities, I wanted to share a few key takeaways from the Revelry Buyer’s Club. It’s like Hall of Flowers but different. Hall of Flowers has a very specific aesthetic and it’s different from Revelry. The vibes felt different, but otherwise, they are very similar. The floor was loud and crowded, which encouraged short, pointed conversations and kept things moving. And finally, it works. These types of shows are needed. It’s the most efficient way for retailers and brands to interact and get deals done. I heard from several people I spoke with that deals were happening fast and furious, and it’s what they need to connect.

After soaking in all that I could, I called it a day and decided to check out the Flamer afterparty that Rick Bashkoff invited me to. It was sponsored by Lit Alerts and also SASS, and Weed Auntie. It was at a rooftop bar that had a designated smoking area where we could consume. I chatted with a number of people there and really enjoyed the atmosphere and vibes. Andrew Watson from Happy Cabbage was one of them, with another Andrew I just met from Nabis, Andrew Campbell, and I got to spend some more time with Marianne and Annie Davis. Also had a great time chatting with Rick and met Tracy Hay, which turned into a great conversation. One of the highlights was reuniting with Solonje Burnett, whom I hadn’t seen in probably a year. It was so lovely to see her, catch up, and learn how amazing the fit is with her new job leading SASS’s marketing. I really enjoyed my time and then called it a night and went back to my hotel.

The second day of Revelry is the festival day that’s open to the public, and a lot of the industry doesn’t attend since it’s more consumer-focused. I wanted to check it out but wasn’t planning to spend a ton of time and it worked out perfectly because I was invited to a very special brunch by Marianne and Lucia. We met up at noon at Mother’s Ruin in the Little Italy area and enjoyed food, drinks, and conversation with some amazing women (plus Tyler!). Lucia’s longtime friend, Ayesha Dillabough, took care of us and was a badass. I should actually say Ayesha took amazing care of us on the other side of the sidewalk from the restaurant with the NYC hustle and bustle. And at one point started moving a table and chairs to open a hatch to the basement stockroom for a delayed delivery that shouldn’t have showed up while they were open. All with grace and style in a Smoke Show top!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, these meals are really the highlight of any event that I attend. We had long, in-depth, personal and professional conversations in a supportive and energizing environment. I am very grateful for these gatherings and so appreciative to Marianne and Lucia for putting it together and inviting me. The others in attendance were Annie Davis, Jeanne Sullivan, Amy Chin, Kelly Riddle, Allie Carney, Steph Woods, Tyler Herold, and Lulu Cohen.

After brunch, we walked over to Revelry, and I spent a little time experiencing the festival day. It’s such a different vibe. It wasn’t as crowded and felt a lot more laid back. There were carnival games, a stage with speakers, and a lot more people outside just hanging out and consuming. Working in the industry, I go to a lot of events with consumption, but also recognize how new and uncommon it is still to be openly consuming in public. Seeing people not in the industry who just enjoy cannabis being able to have this freeing experience is so cool, and it doesn’t get old for me. I wanted to share a video so you can feel the energy too.

That evening, Kmesh made a dinner reservation for me and Annie Davis. I know Annie well but didn’t know Kmesh and it was lovely to connect and get to know each other on such a deep level. She picked a French restaurant in the Tin Building in the new Seaport area of the Financial District, which was just a short few block walk from my hotel, and was gorgeous. After dinner, I walked over to an Irish bar where Steph and Tyler were and ended the night with them. Two people I’ve spent a lot of time at conferences with, and we can just be real. It was perfect.

That was my NYC Revelry experience. It did not disappoint; in fact, it exceeded all expectations. New York, I’m impressed. You’ve fought through a lot of hurdles and are showing up in an authentic way. What I really hope is that this continues on a growth trajectory for many years to come. Cannabis is hard, but New York has some really cool potential, and I’m optimistic about the market.

To cap off the trip, I had a day to explore and decided to take a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, so I could maximize my time and see as much of the city as possible. It was just what I needed. The weather was not great the last time I was in NYC, and this time it was perfect. As a girl from Chicago, who also lived in Boston, and is a longtime San Diegan, New York City is starting to grow a special place in my heart. Can’t wait for my next trip back and all that it will bring.