BLAZED MAGAZINE 2026 THC CHALLENGE
Flower of the Year & Beverage of the Year Competition Underway
The race for the 2026 Blazed THC Challenge is officially underway as Blazed Magazine prepares to recognize the best products in the industry during the week of the CHAMPS Trade Shows in Austin this October.
The mission is simple: bring together some of the most respected brands, personalities, cultivators, and beverage makers in the industry to determine who will earn the titles of Flower of the Year and Beverage of the Year.
This year’s competition will feature ten brands in each category, creating what is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated independent cannabis competitions in the Southwest.
The Flower of the Year division is already assembling an impressive lineup of cultivators and brands looking to claim the 2026 championship. Serving on the judging panel so far are Scott Brown of Zour Stash and comedian Stoner Rob. Blazed Magazine is currently seeking three additional judges to complete the five-person panel responsible for evaluating this year’s flower entries.
Early entries in the Flower category include Pur Life, Vibes Cannabis, Bigz Recreational, Errganix, and Wyatt Purp. With five brands already committed, Blazed Magazine is actively seeking five additional flower brands to complete the field of ten competitors.
The question facing cultivators across the region is simple: Can your flower defeat the field and become the 2026 Blazed Flower of the Year?
The Beverage of the Year division is shaping up to be one of the most competitive categories of the entire challenge. Leading the field is Legacy Sponsor South Beach Brewing Company, the beverage brand associated with rapper Rick Ross. Joining the competition are Cheech & Chong’s High and Dry, Lyfted Lemonade, Wyatt Purp Seltzer, Looper D9 Sodas, and Rizzy Extra Lemonade Tea.
The Beverage Challenge is designed to showcase the rapid growth and innovation occurring within the hemp-derived beverage sector throughout Texas and the Southwest, a category many believe represents one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry.
The timing could not have been better for the Blazed team to attend the Hemp Beverage Expo in Austin last month, where staff members made valuable industry connections and opened discussions with prospective competitors and sponsors for the 2026 competition.
Those relationships are already helping fill out the Beverage of the Year field and are expected to bring several additional regional and national brands into the competition before entries close later this year.
Blazed Magazine intends to present the awards during the week of the CHAMPS Trade Shows in Austin on October 14th, bringing together competitors, judges, retailers, distributors, and media partners for one of the largest cannabis industry gatherings in Texas.
The target field for the inaugural competition remains straightforward: ten Flower brands, ten Beverage brands, two champions, and one full year of bragging rights.
Blazed Magazine welcomes submissions from brands interested in joining either category and completing the 2026 lineup. Whether your specialty is premium flower or innovative hemp beverages, now is the opportunity to compete against some of the biggest names already entered into the challenge.
For information regarding participation, sponsorship opportunities, or judging inquiries, contact Russell Dowden at blazed@blazednews.com, call 575-578-4928, or reach the Austin office at 512-897-7823.
- Additional information, rules, and registration details are available at BlazedNews.com/THC-Challenge.
Blazed Magazine’s message to the industry remains simple:
Lead the industry. Inspire the competition.
