Top 10 Takeaways from the 2026 Network Show - California's Biggest B2B Trade Show

The 2026 Network Show was a warm welcome back. I hadn't been back to California for a show since High Supply in April, around the time I was leaving Long Beach. There was a lot going on then. High Supply felt like a beautiful send-off. Network Show felt like a welcome return.

It was great to see everybody, see the growth of the show, and hear brands feeling excited and hopeful. The space felt twice as big as before. More than the size, though, it was the energy. This show carries a different vibe, and I think collaboration over competition has a lot to do with that.

My ten takeaways from the 2026 Network Show go beyond what came home in my bags. They're about the people, the products, the experiences, and what brands can do to make showing up count.

1. Collaboration Over Competition Wins at the 2026 Network Show

Talking with different brands—those who had been before and those there for their first year—one thing kept coming up: how accessible the show felt.

Making it affordable for brands to participate means they can put more into their booth experience, bring buyers over, and work toward getting orders. That is the point. After years of higher-ticket booths at other shows, being able to show up matters.

I saw people talking about collaboration opportunities, and coming together to share collaborations they'd already created. Shows like this are important for relationship building and exploring what we can do together. We are stronger together.

2. Women Are Making Their Mark—and Making Room for Each Other

We saw more pink than ever this year, certainly with the launch of Galaxy Girl. Robin Khalil has been working with her female team, her Galaxy Girls, for ten years in Oklahoma and California. Now she's creating products for them and all the girls across the galaxy.

The flower, infused pre-rolls, and lavender balm were exciting to see. That balm? Incredible. Out of this world. I'm looking forward to seeing more from Robin and her team.

Pretty Dope, of course, always has a beautiful, glammed-out booth. This year was no exception. We got to make our own lip gloss and get permanent jewelry. I got a beautiful gold bracelet with a moon and a sun representing my daughter and my future grandson.

And, as always, full of innovation. They came out with their lipstick vapes last year. This year, they had new nano-infused lip gloss, which I'm still really excited to try. I can't wait. Between getting to create something at the booth and leaving with something so personal, this was an experience that stayed with me.

I also loved meeting Mahala Herron, founder of Ceremonium. Her approach brings a bit of luxury to cannabis chocolate: a chocolate shell with soft chocolate ganache in the center. Not super hard; you can still eat it. Such a beautiful contrast.

This was her first show, and we had such a beautiful moment. She felt overwhelmed by the love of the other women in the cannabis space. It was really heartwarming to see. I hope she had a great first show, and I look forward to seeing more of her.

3. Latino Cannabis Brands Are Bringing Culture into the Conversation

I was very happy to see La Familia return to the mix. I tried the brand years ago, back when there weren't very many Hispanic brands on the market. It was really good to see more representation this year.

They had their chocolates, and I was able to get a sample of each. Their four chocolate flavors are Fresas con Crema, Mazapán, Horchata, and Hot Chocolate. These aren't just generic flavors. They're familiar cultural references, and part of what makes the brand feel like itself.

Of course, Mike Moya from Dulze was there. His abuelita-approved, two-milligram original gummies captured my heart years ago, and I've been the biggest fan since. I can't wait to try the hibiscus and guava flavors he told me are coming.

Mike has also become a good friend and someone who has helped support my family over the last year with the decline of my dad's health. So they're not just abuelita-approved anymore. They're abuelo-approved too.

Be$os, founded by Cristian Pou, also stood out. A big booth, electronic lights, a beautiful display, and gorgeous, sleek black packaging. What stayed with me was the love behind it: representing his people in cannabis culture today. That sense of identity is part of the story, and part of the connection.

4. Cannabinoids Beyond THC Are Getting Way More Attention

One of the things I loved seeing was St. Ides with its new Gold line and the additional cannabinoids. CBG and THCV are two of my favorites, so I was excited to see more of those in the conversation.

KANHA has been using different cannabinoids for a while, too. One of my favorite products is Love, in raspberry rose. What I love most is the combination of THC, THCV, and CBG. It has both of those favorites in it.

For me, it helps with focus, getting work done, and moving from the couch to the computer and getting inspired to do the work. Sometimes I'm tired. Boss Babe needs to take a nap, and I'm learning to honor those days. But there are also times I need to get up and get some shit done, and those are the gummies that help me.

That's my experience. What excited me at the show was seeing more brands give people different combinations to explore, rather than making THC the whole conversation.

5. Playful Product Innovation Gives People Something to Talk About

One of the things I was most excited to see was KANHA's Sinister Sour Apple Haunted Hybrid glow-in-the-dark belts. It was great to see Angela Chang and Seybo Shen at the booth and hear more about what went behind the idea.

I loved the little bit of crunch. They have these crunchy, almost crystal-like bits on them. It's reminiscent of Pop Rocks, but without the sparkling in your mouth—the same kind of satisfying crunch. The sour apple flavor is really great. Very, very perfect timing for Halloween.

I love their belts for both flavor and texture. Cherry limeade has been one of my favorites for a while, and I also really love their rosin KANHA Sours. Anything with rosin in it, I'm gonna love.

The lesson for brands is to give people a detail worth remembering and talking about. In this case, the seasonal idea caught my attention, and the texture gave me more to say. I'm excited to see what they do for the holidays.

6. A Great Booth Lets People Feel Your Brand

There are a lot of people and a lot of things going on at a cannabis trade show. The booths that draw me in aren't always the ones with the most flash. Sometimes it's really great product. Sometimes it's the feeling of the space. Know what you want to highlight.

Mendocino Grasslands had a booth people kept commenting on throughout the show. Beautiful and elegant. It felt as if we were up in Mendocino, sitting in their office or a beautiful home. It allowed people to come in and feel the brand, and I think that's important.

Muha Meds took a different approach, with one of the more elaborate booths. They created a whole bank vault. You walked through a giant vault door into a space displaying flower, pre-rolls, concentrates—everything.

Their new concentrates were packaged in ring boxes. As though you were going to propose, you open it up: Do you want to do a dab with me? Yes. Yes, I do. Their hash rosin smelled delicious. Super gassy, and I enjoyed the high.

Two very different spaces, and both gave me something to remember. The useful question is how your booth helps visitors understand and experience your brand.

For brands interested in future Network Shows, my advice is to contact the organizers early. It's never too early to start the conversation and plan your booth.

I saw bigger spaces, smaller spaces, and spaces outside. Ask about the options that fit your budget, then make sure you're saving enough of that budget to help people understand your brand once they're there. Hire someone to help you tell your story in the space if you need that support.

7. Interaction and Useful Merch Keep the Experience Going

Kushy Punch had a punch-strength game and great colorful bags. Giving people something to do can create another reason to stop and engage.

And please, get some good merch. We don't all need T-shirts. Some of us living out of suitcases don't actually need any more T-shirts. Socks or tank tops? I will take those.

El Blunto had eye patches, which I thought were a fun thing to see. I've kept thinking about them every time I see them in my cosmetic bag. That's a small item that keeps bringing the brand back to mind after the show.

Think about what your audience will actually use. Something useful or unexpected can have a longer life than another item tossed in a drawer.

8. Practical Device Design Matters Beyond the Trade Show

With our national tour coming next year, I'm looking at gear a little differently. Dr. Dabber's Switch GO caught my attention because of how it works and how accessible the parts appeared for cleaning and inspection.

I love my Puffco. It's been amazing to take on the road with me. But when I'm cleaning, I don't always feel sure I've gotten all the reclaim, and that's something I want to understand better before a national tour.

The Switch GO uses a removable quartz insert and glass attachment, with a glazed ceramic vapor pathway. I want to learn more about accessing and cleaning every surface where residue might collect. Being able to inspect the parts matters to me; it doesn't, by itself, establish legal safety across states.

I also love the hit and flavor on Dr. Dabber. Maybe because who the hell is gonna smoke out of a dirty Dr. Dabber? Keeping that beautiful quartz insert clean keeps the flavor at its best for me.

A lot of the time, I'll taste the dab far before I feel it. With Dr. Dabber, I feel like I'm experiencing the flavor and the high together. I'm excited to talk with the team more about what might work for the tour.

9. Your Attitude Is Part of Your Brand Experience

You spend all that money on a booth, bring a great team, and put so much work into showing up. What a waste to then fuck it up with your attitude.

How you carry yourself reflects on the whole team. Respect the people working the show, including security, and don't let your ego get in the way of the opportunity you paid to create.

Professionalism belongs in the event plan alongside the display, the products, and the pitch. Your team deserves leadership that supports the work they've put in.

10. Sun-Grown Cannabis and Smaller Brands Are Making Their Mark

One of the things that felt really important this year was seeing more sun-grown cannabis represented. Judi from Sol Spirit Farm, Poet, Mendocino Grasslands—it felt really positive to see these brands come and make their mark.

Looking through the exhibitor list, that Northern California presence went even further: Moon Made Farms, Sonoma Hills Farm, and Farm Cut, whose participating farms include Happy Day Farms, Emerald Spirit Botanicals, Whitethorn Valley Farm, Briceland Forest Farm, and Down OM Farms. All five were listed at the same booth as Farm Cut. These are real farms, with people and communities behind the flower, and I love seeing room for them at a show like this.

I was especially excited to be able to talk to the Northern California farms and businesses because I'm headed up there this week for six weeks. So excited to be able to see people in their hometowns, get to know more about where they grow and work, and continue these conversations while I'm up there. It made those connections at Network Show feel even more exciting.

Dime had the big outside takeover, and the big indoor flower and vape brands brought their flash, as they do. But we also saw more humble brands come and make their mark. It felt really positive to see more Northern California brands and smaller businesses showing up and being part of the conversation.

Tiki Bev was another beverage discovery I want to mention. The brand describes its cannabis-infused sparkling seltzer as made with full-spectrum live rosin from Emerald Triangle farms. You know I love anything with rosin, so that's a story I want to explore more as I get into the product details. What stayed with me was seeing room for different kinds of brands, different budgets, and different ways of showing up.

And give yourself time to explore. It took me more than one day to walk the entire show. The first day, I left with more bags than my arms could carry. Thank you, Tony from Encore Labs, for being my muscles once again. Day two, I just said no more often, although it was hard with so many great products.

Leave room for the relationships, too. It was great to see Judi Nelson of Sol Spirit Farm and last year's 12 Days of Christmas box. I'm excited to see the artwork for this year's and share more when it's ready.

There are products I still want to try, including Lime, which joined KANHA's parent company, Sunderstorm, earlier this year. Those introductions give me stories and conversations to keep exploring after the show ends.

If you're a cannabis brand or licensed retailer interested in a future show, connect with Network Show. Start early and make room for the relationships. Your network is your net worth.