287 CANNABIS SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 e e e B E S T C A N N A B I S C O N C E R T ARIZONA CANNABIS AWARDS MUSIC FESTIVAL ARIZONACANNABISAWARDSMUSICFESTIVAL.COM The Arizona Cannabis Awards Music Festival is where blunts meet beats and trophies get passed like joints. Held at Legends Event Center, this annual high- honors bash is part awards show, part hip-hop concert, part smoke-fueled expo — and 100% lit. Past performers have included rap royalty like Mike Jones, Kurupt, Luniz, Spice 1 and Lil Xan, who often spark up mid-set as the crowd cheers. Between sets, guests browse rows of vendors slinging everything from infused snacks to terp- heavy carts, while local brands compete for Best Preroll, Best Dispensary and bragging rights for days. It’s not just a show — it’s a full-blown celebration of Arizona’s cannabis community. Though no on-site toking is allowed, as stated on the website (buzzkill, we know), does anybody ever follow the rules? Either way, the energy stays sky high. Whether you’re repping your brand or just vibing to classic “mota-head” bangers, this fest proves weed and hip-hop still roll best together. e e e B E S T C A N N A B I S B U S I N E S S O W N E R JOSH KESSELMAN RAWTHENTIC.COM Josh Kesselman has elevated rolling papers from utility to cultural icon. As the founder of RAW, he built a brand that’s globally recognized and deeply rooted in metro Phoenix, where the company is headquar- tered. His obsession with quality shows in everything from the unbleached, natural paper made in his Spanish factory to the imaginative accessories that feel straight out of a stoner’s sketchbook. Need proof? Look no further than the cone-holding umbrella that lets you light up in the rain; or the giant inflatable RAW joints seen at pool parties across the Valley and festivals nationwide. Most recently, Kesselman acquired High Times, the iconic cannabis magazine. The move isn’t just business; it’s a powerfully symbolic moment for someone who’s long been immersed in weed culture and advo- cacy. Whether he’s creating viral gear or reshaping cannabis media, Josh Kesselman isn’t following trends — he’s setting them, one meticulously crafted joint at a time. e e e B E S T C U L T I VAT O R SEAN ROUSSIN VORTEXPREMIUM.COM Sean Roussin isn’t just growing weed — he’s growing legends. With over two decades in the cultivation game, this Humboldt State grad and 2019 Farmers Cup winner has leveled up Arizona’s cannabis scene in record time. After earning his stripes in SoCal’s elite grow circles, Roussin brought his mad scientist energy to the desert, founding Vortex Premium Cannabis — and let’s just say the Valley’s never been more lifted. His proprietary strains are the stuff of smoker folklore, each dripping with terps, wrapped in frosty, trichome-packed beauty and testing at high climbing THC levels. Sean doesn’t just grow — he breeds, cross- breeds and fine-tunes every strain from scratch. The result? Gassy indicas that glue you to the couch, sativas that make Sedona energy look weak and hybrids that taste like they were made in a candy-coated galaxy. Word travels fast — rappers and heavy hitters from coast to coast are already co-signing his flower. But you don’t need a co-sign. Crack open a Vortex jar and inhale. You’ll know. e e e B E S T C A N N A B I S C H E F ALIYA WALDMAN INSTAGRAM.COM/ THECHARTREUSEDINNERCLUB Chef Aliya Waldman’s Chartreuse Dinner Club is a slow-burn sensation — an intimately dope four-course supper club where cannabis isn’t just an ingredient, it’s the vibe. Tucked inside a midcentury Phoenix pad, this under- ground dinner party seats just eight lucky
