There really isn’t anything else like it.

South by Southwest in Austin, Texas is legendary for a few reasons. Up-and-coming musical talent happens to be one. Tacos are another piece of SXSW lore that just keeps getting better. And then there are the canna-events.

CHILLING WITH CHEECH AND CHONG

We were lucky to connect with amazing people from our community during the two-week long music festival, starting with Cheech and Chong’s Outlaw Party. With live music, drinks, dabs and friends in all corners of the vicinity, it was definitely a night to remember. And then forget (if you hung around the dab bar too long).

All proceeds went to the mission at Last Prisoner Project, which works tirelessly to release prisoners and people incarcerated for cannabis offenses.

No Bad Buds at SXSW — Marielle and Mandy hit the green carpet

WE <3 THE TEXAS HEMP SCENE

One of the coolest parts about attending a cannabis-themed event and fundraiser like this is getting the chance to meet new people in the industry. And we did just that with the multiple vendors and cultivators like Bucanna Labs (thanks for providing the dab bar!) and CBD-infused drink distillers Tejas Tonic (thanks for keeping us hydrated throughout the evening).

Of course, we’re huge fans of GRAV and the work they do for glass, so it was a treat running into their rep and seeing their products up close and personal. Drops of Life CBD were another big brand in attendance, in addition to multiple canna-cultivators with their own brands and lines of hemp-based products. There were simply too many to count.

And we couldn’t leave without stopping by the booth for My Bud Vase, which are some of the most unique handmade pieces we’ve ever seen. Female-owned and led businesses are on the rise in cannabis again, and this is a canna-brand we definitely want to keep in touch with as they continue to grow.

CLOSING THOUGHTS ON SXSW 2024

While it wasn’t the only canna-community event we attended this year, it was a very special one for us. This was the first public event No Bad Buds Media has attended and it couldn’t have gone better. We laughed, we learned and we walked away with a new understanding of what it means to work in this space.

What was clear from this year’s festival is this: the Texas cannabis scene is still growing like weeds, even if you don’t see it right away.

The connections we made, the lessons we learned — this is what it’s all about.

Next up on our list is learning more about the science, history and culture of cannabis with the fresh kickoff episode of our podcast!

To stay in he loop, get on the list for our monthly newsletter. And don’t forget to follow us on social!