phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES OCT 20TH–OCT 26TH, 2022 State Licensed Dispensaries & Doctor Certifications | CANNABIS | Mike Madriaga Angel (right) from GreenPharms, filled a bong with Mac V2 flower for people to test at Mangja Ganja on October 2. ‘This Is a Vibe’ Food trucks and free weed? Mangia Ganja is a festival made in the clouds. BY MIKE MADRIAGA B aked bakers were the cause for a plume of smoke at The Venue on Washington on October 2 — a fusion of hundreds of bong hits, two 1,100-degree brick ovens, and lit folks sparking up pre-rolls and pipes. “It’s Mangia Ganja,” said Kahla Grey, a spokesmodel for cannabis brand distrib- utor Trendsetters. “It’s a food truck festival where everybody can smoke weed.” Mangia Ganja is the first cannabis- consumption-friendly food truck festival in Arizona. Trap Culture, a cannabis promotional company, organized the event, and it drew more than 800 people. Over 20 booths were selling cannabis- related products, and the event also included a live DJ, games, 10 food trucks, and comedy performances. While no purchasing or sales of cannabis were permitted at the event, free samples of cannabis and edibles were plentiful. Grey, who’s been smoking blunts for more than 10 years “as it’s the only classic way to smoke,” had a Packwoods-branded duffle bag full of marijuana nuggets on her table. She was passing out Torch, THC Living, and Packwoods samples to attendees. “The festival is normalizing cannabis, and it’s better than everybody getting drunk; we’re nice, and we kick ass,” she added. Other vendors at the festival providing free samples included Nug Jewelz, Defi Edibles, Caviar Gold, Apeish, Sonoran Roots, Good Farms & Seed Co., and Mint Cannabis. Lexie Coleman, event coordinator for Mint, attended the festival to promote the dispensary’s THC-infused Angry Errl hot sauce line. “Trap Culture has done this in the spring on a larger scale; it was three times the size. So they decided to make it a monthly networking fun experience for everyone to come out, get high, and snack together,” she said. “It’s an excellent opportunity to show them everything we can do. And we get to give them a chance to try it all here,” Coleman added. Mesa resident Matt Smith was among the attendees at Mangia Ganja. He was trying a glass bong at the GreenPharms dispensary booth. “It’s smooth, actually. They are trying to get more people to come to their dispensary by giving out free samples,” he said. Angel, a GreenPharms representative, refilled the bong for Smith. “It’s Mac V2 (a popular Monster Alien Cookies strain flower),” said Angel, who asked that his full name not be used. “It’s a hybrid indica testing at 28 percent and one of the heavier indicas we got in the shop.” About 20 people were waiting to get free tokes. “Do you wanna finish this, or can I load up a fresh one? It’s up to you,” Angel asked. Smith tapped out. Angel jokingly exclaimed “estuvo,” which trans- >> p 57 55
