Applegarth Strategies

The power of storytelling in cannabis. When visitors step onto a Humboldt County cannabis farm for the first time, they often come with curiosity—but they leave with something far more profound. In this episode of Travel Tuesday, a podcast by Brian Applegarth exclusively on the Beard Bros Media Network, John Casali of Huckleberry Hill Farms shares how storytelling has reinforced his farm’s mission. He recalls an emotional moment when a woman battling cancer visited to explore the medicinal benefits of their genetics, bringing guests to tears and reinforcing his purpose. ?? Tune into the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gTnGG3Zp And don't forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!

On Tuesday the 25th, Brian Applegarth?will be presenting at a California Travel Association?webinar called Destination Stewardship: A Cannabis Integration Story. With over 70 million active leisure cannabis travelers in the U.S., cannabis is an undeniable part of California's visitor economy. From lounges and shops to curated experiences, destinations are strategically integrating this growing sector into their tourism landscape. The webinar will explore destination stewardship strategies that support sustainable cannabis tourism, featuring real-world case studies from California destinations. Attendees will also receive a policy brief outlining cannabis and hemp's potential impact on the state's travel economy. This event is for CalTravel members, presented as part of The California Connections Speaker Series.? #CalTravel #CaliforniaTravelAssociation #webinar #thoughtleadership #BrianApplegarth #visitoreconomy #cannabistravel #tourism #destinationstewardship

In Episode 9 of Travel Tuesday on the Beard Bros Pharms?Media Network, host Brian Applegarth?sits down with John Casali, founder of Huckleberry Hill Farms, to discuss the evolution of legacy cultivation, surviving prohibition, and the future of craft cannabis in California. A second-generation legacy farmer, John has dedicated his life to sustainable, small-batch cultivation in Humboldt County. In this episode, John shares his personal journey, including time served for cultivation and how he rebuilt his farm in the legal market. Learn why Humboldt County's unique climate and soil create some of the best plants in the world—and how John keeps tradition alive. "Craft cannabis isn't just a product—it's a culture, a history, and a way of life." – John Casali ?? Watch the Full Episode Now on Beard Bros Media Network on YouTube! (?? is in the comments) #HuckleberryHill #legacyfarmers #JohnCasali #HumboldtCounty #craft #SoHum #cannabistravel #cultivation #TravelTuesday #BeardBrosTravel

Our team has just wrapped up the first Coachella Valley Canna Week, a 3-day event bringing together the cannabis community, local lounge scene, and effect pairing experiences launched with the help of Beard Bros Pharms?, CVCAN - Coachella Valley Cannabis Alliance Network, and our amazing sponsors! ??? What were our secrets to success in launching this new pilot project?? ? Leveraging relationships - CVCAN engaged their members to pull together lounges and brands who wanted to be involved, we leaned into our team's local relationships in tourism, and Beard Bros Travel used their influence to draw in attendees.? ? Engaging both the local cannabis and hospitality industries to create event programming that reaches a wide audience.? ? A variety of events to attract various audiences: from a B2B event featuring local officials & industry experts to "Ask a Green Nurse" education sessions to sesh events at lounges to tourist activities, there was plenty to do for the curious and cannoisseurs alike! ? An interactive Check-in Challenge powered by Seeker?allowing attendees to find and check-in at the various lounges, attractions and restaurants participating in Canna Week, as well as allowing us to capture attendee data. ? Effect Pairing experiences that offered activities enhanced by cannabis got other local businesses involved. These are culinary, art & culture, nature or wellness experiences that pair well with certain cannabis cultivars & effects. Our Effect Pairing partners "get it" that every $1 a tourist spends at a cannabis shop means $2-3 spent elsewhere in the local experience economy.? ? Promoting Canna Week through our combined channels and those of each participating location or brand. We published a Press Release and preview article on Beard Bros Travel, CVCAN engaged their members and the local community, and we had support from local media partners like KGAY PSP. Next year, with more lead time, this is an area we can improve on for even better attendance and community engagement.? ? Collecting and tracking data from all marketing efforts and collaborators so we can continue to measure success and economic impact.? Canna Week events combining lounge crawls, interactive guides, effect pairing experiences, sesh events, education and community engagement are a product we will be continuing to refine as a Beard Bros Travel offering.? We'd love to help bring Canna Week to your destination! With Beard Bros Travel, we help bring destinations alive with engaging experiences that uplift local cannabis shops and lounges, attract the cannabis travel audience, and have lasting economic impact. ?? #CoachellaValley #CVCannaWeek #PalmSprings #BeardBrosTravel #CVCAN #events #destinations #CannaWeek #effectpairing #collaboration #experienceeconomy #destinationmarketing #cannabistravel

Join Brian Applegarth?at InternationalCBC?Berlin April 29th-30th, Europe's largest industry conference. On Day 2 at 11:05, Brian will be leading a panel on ?? tourism as an engine for growth and differentiation. Ticket prices go up again on April 2nd, so NOW is the time to secure your spot at ICBC Berlin - use discount code ICBCBerlinS (or the link in the comments) to get 25% off your passes now! Who else is excited to explore Germany's newly legal market? See you in Berlin! #ICBCBerlin #featuredspeaker #thoughtleadership #panel #ICBC #conference #international #Berlin #Germany #events #cannabistravel

Wanna lounge hop with the Beard Bros Pharms?and the Ganja Traveler teams? Join us this week in the beautiful Coachella Valley for Canna Week and celebrate the culture, amazing effect pairing opportunities, and local lounge scene of this desert oasis. ?? Over the multi-day Canna Week there will be Lounge Seshes and "Ask a Green Nurse" educational talks, local brands and businesses represented, many a product smoked, dabbed, sipped and enjoyed, lots of delicious food consumed and the beautiful cities of the Coachella Valley explored as we kick off this new annual event.? Join the Check-in Challenge and follow along, and check out the full event schedule in this Canna Week Preview from Beard Bros Travel: https://lnkd.in/grP9C_hJ #coachellavalley #events #nextweek #CVCAN #BeardBrosTravel #CannaWeek #loungecrawl #PalmSprings #DesertHotSprings #CathedralCity

Brian Applegarth?returns to The Highest Critic?to review a jewel in the crown of the bustling Coachella Valley scene - 420 Bank in downtown Palm Springs. 420 Bank isn’t just a lounge—it's an entertainment destination. By blending history, architecture, music, and immersive experiences, it has established itself as one of the best live music consumption spaces in the world. 420 Bank isn't just about getting high—it's about experiencing the plant in a way that's social, artistic, and unforgettable. Whether you're stepping inside for a session on plush velvet couches, a live music performance, or a nostalgic game inside the bank vault-turned-arcade, 420 Bank delivers one of the most dynamic lounge experiences in California—if not the world. Definitely make it a part of your next visit to the Coachella Valley. Read the Review here: https://lnkd.in/ggRYuyGB #loungereview #lounges #consumptionlounge #thehighestcritic #reviews #experiences #PalmSprings #420Bank

Next week our team is excited to kick off Coachella Valley Canna Week, a new multi-day event celebrating the canna community and culture across the valley, along with CVCAN - Coachella Valley Cannabis Alliance Network?and Beard Bros Pharms. ?? Follow along in our stories and by joining the Coachella Valley Canna Week Check-in Challenge - an interactive Guide to Canna Week events and the Lounge Crawl and Effect Pairing experiences that we'll showcase with the Beard Bros as we explore. Join the Challenge and follow the Beard Bros and Ganja Traveler as we ride the vibes through the Coachella Valley: https://lnkd.in/gd5bNzyn #coachellavalley #events #nextweek #CVCAN #BeardBrosTravel #CannaWeek #loungecrawl #checkinchallenge #interactiveguide

As spring begins to make an appearance, it feels like the pace just keeps accelerating - soon event season will be upon us, so NOW is the time to make plans! Thankfully, Beard Bros Pharms?and Seth Yakatan?have teamed up to create the ultimate list for canna industry events: The Green List. This master list of events will be continuously updated, sure to be a valuable resource for your 2025 planning: https://lnkd.in/gG6n_tSw What events are you and your team heading to this year?? #industryevents #eventguide #2025plans #events #community #connection #BeardBros #travelplans

In Episode 8 of our Travel Tuesday broadcast with Beard Bros Travel, host Brian Applegarth?sits down with Teddy Cabugos III, President of Sunstone Winery?and Sunstone Brands, to explore how cannabis, wine, and luxury hospitality are shaping the future of travel.? Explore the synergy between premium cannabis and fine wine and what it means for high-end hospitality and tourism. ?? Learn how Sunstone Brands is blending tradition with innovation to attract luxury travelers, cannabis consumers, and wine lovers alike. Brian and Teddy discuss how to steward destinations and leverage California's unique terroir to offer unforgettable cannabis and wine tourism experiences.? Watch Episode 8 now on YouTube and stay tuned for next month's Travel Tuesday episode on Beard Bros Media's LinkedIn and YouTube channels. ?? https://lnkd.in/geTGBB87 #TravelTuesday #SunstoneWinery #BrianApplegarth #BeardBrosTravel #podcast #destinations #hospitality #cannabistravel #luxurytravel