From Carmelo Anthony to Social Equity: Three Brands Making Moves at Revelry

There’s been a certain electricity crackling through New York’s cannabis scene leading up to Revelry. Not the kind you smoke (that comes later). This is founder static, fonts changing at midnight, Dropbox links breaking at 2 a.m., somebody asking if the booth banner is too glossy.

The way brands sweat the smallest details is all the proof I need that Revelry matters. They know a 10×10 booth can either disappear into the noise, or become the signal that lights a fire. At this point, Revelry isn’t just another date on the calendar—it’s New York’s proving ground. The brands that walk in ready don’t just leave with contacts; they leave with momentum.

In a market this loud, most booths blur together. Revelry is where a few finally get seen for what they are.

This year, three names are worth watching for very different reasons: KushKards, Skyworld, and CONBUD. They’ve each been building toward this stage for years. And while all three bring something real to say, one play in particular is about to land differently.

KushKards: Ten Years to Overnight Success

You know those “overnight” successes that actually took a decade of grind? That’s Lauren Miele’s story with KushKards. She built an entirely new product category ‘cannabis greeting cards’ long before dispensary shelves were even an option in New York.

“I’ve spent ten years building KushKards to be ready for moments like Revelry. This is where the work finally connects with buyers, with consumers, with culture,” says Miele.

It wasn’t simple. “It took time to get dispensaries to create space for greeting cards—and even more work to keep them there. Placement was hard. Longevity was harder. But we made it work by being persistent and adaptable.”

Now, KushKards comes into Revelry with more than just clever packaging. The cards hit because they’re obvious in hindsight. Every dispensary has flower, only one has a card that winks back at you. What started as a creative experiment has grown into a legitimate category, with copycats scrambling to catch up.

Skyworld at Revelry 2025: Building a Cannabis Movement

Revelry is where brands fight for attention. Some lean on THC percentages. Others throw stickers and samples like confetti. Skyworld is doing something else entirely, they’re building a movement.

After spending some time with Alex Anderson, it’s obvious he’d do this for free. I swear I caught him talking to the plants – this guy genuinely cares.

Anderson, a member of the Tuscarora Nation, didn’t just create another cannabis brand. Skyworld draws its name and inspiration from Indigenous creation stories, the Skyworld as a place of origin and unity.

“Skyworld has always led with people before product. We care for these plants like relatives, and our team carries that responsibility in everything we grow and share.” – Alex Anderson, Co-founder & CEO

His co-founder Eric Steenstra brings decades of hemp industry credibility, co-founding Vote Hemp and helping shape the federal policies that cracked the door open for legal hemp cultivation nationwide. Together, they’re building flower that feels less like inventory and more like inheritance.

When I asked Steenstra why Revelry matters, he didn’t hesitate:

“Revelry is where you prove you’re more than a logo. Buyers want to know who you are, what you stand for, and if you’ll still be here next year. For us, it’s about showing that Skyworld is built to last.” — Eric Steenstra, Co-founder & COO

Carmelo Anthony’s Hall of Flame Debuts with Skyworld at Revelry 2025

Then came the headline play: Skyworld is partnering with STAYME7O to launch Hall of Flame, a premium flower line, with its debut set for Revelry. The timing couldn’t be tighter, Carmelo Anthony being Basketball Hall of Fame 1 week before Revelry.

“Melo’s team saw our commitment to the craft, loved the flower, and the partnership grew from there. Tying this launch to his Hall of Fame moment roots New York cannabis in New York history. That’s the kind of story this industry needs.” – Eric Steenstra

CONBUD: Cannabis Equity That’s Not Performative

On Past Revelry Buyers Club Experiences

“For a kid from the Lower East Side who came up hustling, standing on the Revelry stage in Yonkers was surreal,” says Coss Marte. “It was the first time I felt my voice belonged in the same room as people shaping the future of this industry.”

From Yonkers with Sherbinskis and Styles P to a Brooklyn block party that turned the street into a commons, CONBUD’s roots in Revelry run deep. Peter Mercado-Reyes, who first linked with Coss through an early Revelry event, now helps drive CONBUD’s brand partnerships and procurement from the inside.

“Through our design, and through our actions, we’re saying: we won’t just sell cannabis,” Peter explains. “We will keep pushing until freedom is real, equity is real, and dignity is restored to the people most harmed by this system.”

“Anybody can sell weed—but not everybody can sell it with purpose, with compliance, with dignity.”

The equity piece isn’t performative

Roughly 90% of CONBUD’s team has been directly impacted by incarceration or the War on Drugs. “That’s equity you can touch, hear, and feel,” says Coss.

Equity talk often feels hollow, like a box everyone knows they’re supposed to check. Call me polarizing, but too many brands use it as cover for bad products or bad business.

CONBUD isn’t that. They don’t just talk about equity; they live it. When your payroll, your culture, and your story are rooted in people who’ve actually lived the impact, equity stops being a tagline. It becomes the backbone.

And in a market crowded with unlicensed shops, CONBUD’s answer is refreshingly simple: integrity, compliance, and trust.

Come see how that lived impact plays out in real time at Revelry NYC, taking over Pier 36 in New York City on September 12–13, 2025—two days that bring together industry, community, and culture under one roof.

• Friday, September 12 is the Buyers’ Club—the inner circle of the cannabis world. It’s strictly industry-only, giving brands and retailers the space to do real business.

• Saturday, September 13, opens it up to the public (21+). Expect a full-on cultural takeover: live acts, bold conversations, culinary highlights, and over 200 legal New York cannabis brands you can actually touch, try, and talk direct.

Be sure to check out The Other Magazine’s Day 1 and post-event coverage as Official Media Partner of Revelry 2025.