By JACKSON GUILFOIL | jguilfoil@times-standard.com | Eureka Times-Standard
Photo: The Reggae On The River music festival could return this year, depending on the decision from the Mateel Community Center and the festival’s management team. (Times-Standard file)

After a hiatus brought on by a 2019 cancellation, then the pandemic in the subsequent years, the Mateel Community Center’s Board of Directors are discussing whether or not to bring the Reggae On The River music festival back this year.

“We’re trying to come to a consensus internally on whether or not to pursue it happening this year. Some members of the festival management team really think it’s going to happen this year, and some are more skeptical, and that is also true of our board. We try and put out a united front when we’ve come to a consensus, but we’re still debating it internally,” Shiloh Croybaker, general manager of the community center, said.

Croybaker noted he expects an announcement regarding the festival to happen “very soon.”

Reggae On The River, which began in 1984 to benefit the Mateel Tribe, had its last show in 2018. While the festival has historically provided significant benefit to the Mateel Community Center, Croybaker listed a number of issues that contributed to the festival’s decline.

“The event had lost considerable money in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and there was debate about why it was losing money, whether it was financial mismanagement, which is one public claim, or if it was declining sales or bad predictions on attendance. There’s a lot of finger-pointing about who was to blame,” Croybaker said.

2019’s festival was canceled by High Times, a cannabis-themed production company that was putting on the event that year, ending a brief partnership with the Mateel Community Center, which was financially struggling.

Part of the internal discussion over whether to hold the event focuses on how easy it will be to conjure a compelling line-up of artists this late in the year, according to John Bruno, a board member whose wife was instrumental in the festival’s creation in 1983, then putting on the first event in 1984.

“It is just lining up all the right acts to bring the musical population here to our Southern Humboldt area. We have to start advertising at the beginning of the year, and we’re already into March,” Bruno said.

Bruno added the festival’s appeal extends beyond Humboldt County, and his friends in the Bay Area are asking if the festival will happen this year.

Regardless if the event happens this year or in 2023, Croybaker noted that it will be refreshing to attend once again with the usual cast of volunteers and helpers.

“We know that our relaunch is really important and that there will be a tremendous amount of scrutiny. We know we could do it this year, but it has to be really close to perfect,” Croybaker said.

Those seeking updates on the festival may sign up at http://www.reggaeontheriver.com/.

Jackson Guilfoil can be reached at 707-441-0506.

• Initial $1.25m (CA) order was > 60% sold through within 2 weeks
• Pre-orders exceed 10% of some retailer’s total inventory, paying homage to a brand entrenched in the fabric of Michigan’s cannabis culture
• MRA Reports Michigan’s April Cannabis Sales of US $154 Million, Putting the Current Annualized Run-rate Market at US $1.85 Billion

TORONTO, May 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB and OTCQX: RWBYF) (“RWB” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce a successful launch of the High Timesⁱ branded THC products at 23 dispensaries (provisioning centers) throughout the majority of Michiganⁱⁱ.

Brad Rogers, Chairman & CEO Commented: “Watching our brand strategy play out and begin to dominate in an ever increasingly crowded and commoditized market has been very rewarding. Delivering top shelf product that stands behind and supports one of the most recognizable brands with such a storied past is truly an honor and our customers have been overwhelmingly positive to it,” Rogers continued, “there’s no better brand to end cannabis prohibition with than High Times and RWB is in the perfect markets to leverage that incredible equity to the best customers.”

SKU Sales Inventory & Reception:

Phase 1 of the official launch included packaged flower and Prerolls in the following formats: 3.5g Black Label Flower; 3.5g Red Label Flower; 1g Black Label Single Prerolls; 1g Red Label Single Prerolls; 2.5g Black Label 5-pack; 2.5g Red Label 5-pack

Wholesale customers, licensed Provisioning Centers, (aka dispensaries) initial purchasing habits were marked by strong demand represented by large orders relative to current overall inventory (>10%) and reported increased consumer foot traffic.

In addition to the well-received THC products, the company saw high demand, and sales, of High Times branded “swag,” a profitable marketing feature which enhances brand visibility and loyalty. This first swag drop was a limited run of niche pieces and will be expanded in the coming weeks and months alongside the product line expansion.

Sales Insights & Forward Planning:

After only 2 weeks, the overall sell through rate for all wholesale customers exceeded 60% and customers reported the products as a great value.

Starting in June, the second line of the brand which is to include vapes, concentrates and edibles will be launched and made available to an expanded wholesale network of dispensaries. The company is also planning to build excitement through more “limited drops” and “collaborations”, which were used to kick off the brand over the last several months, to much fanfare.

Statewide Coverage as of Q2 2021:

Through a network of trusted, top-tier revenue-producing retailers throughout the State, which spans all metropolitan economic areas, Red White & Bloom, through its licensed partner, has effectively launched the High times THC branded products to all corners of Michigan cannabis culture.

It is the Company’s strategic plan to see the High Times branded THC products at the highest-trafficked most influential stores in the State and “in-fill” the remaining locations once full cultivation capacity comes online as RWB’s investee commissions several new larger-scale cultivation facilities through 2021.

The dispensaries included in the initial drop include:

• 5 and Dime Detroit (PC-000205) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• Motown Meds Detroit (PC-000259) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• Shake and Bake Detroit (PC-000226) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• House of Dank 8 Mile Detroit (PC-000178) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• House of Dank Fort Street, Detroit (PC-000220) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• House of Dank – BEL-AIR (PC-000180) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• House of Dank Gratiot, Detroit (PC-000496) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• House of Dank Livernois, Detroit (PC-000314) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• Breeze Hazel Park (AU-R-000188)
• HOD *** New Location*****
• Exclusive Ann Arbor (PC-000064) (AU-R-000100)
• H.O.D. YPSILANTI f/k/a VITALITY (PC-000088) (AU-R-000264)
• House of Dank Traverse City (PC-000422) (MEDICAL ONLY)
• Exclusive Kalamazoo (AU-R-000289) (PC-000292)
• Exclusive Grand Rapids (PC-000568) (AU-R-000370)
• Remedii Battle Creek (AU-R-000193)(PC-000232)
• Elite Wellness Mount Morris (AU-R-000103) and Med
• Elite Wellness Jackson (Adult use)
• Remedii Morenci (AU-R-000130) (Pc-000260)
• Remedii Vassar (AU-R-000194) (PC-000267)
• Remedii Roots Bay City (AU-R-000143)(PC-000261)
• DOA (Dank on Arrival) Bay City (AU-R-000145)(PC-000249)
• Elite Wellness Bay City (rec and med)

About Red White & Bloom Brands Inc.
The Company is positioning itself to be one of the top three multi-state cannabis operators active in the U.S. legal cannabis and hemp sector. RWB is predominantly focusing its investments on the major US markets, including Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts, Arizona and California with respect to cannabis, and the US and internationally for hemp-based CBD products.

For more information about Red White & Bloom Brands Inc., please contact:

Tyler Troup, Managing Director
Circadian Group IR
[email protected]

Visit us on the web: www.RedWhiteBloom.com

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company’s current expectations.  When used in this press release, the words “estimate”, “project”, “belief”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “predict”, “may” or “should” and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. There is no assurance that these transactions will yield results in line with management expectations. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with the implementation of the Company’s business plan and matters relating thereto, risks associated with the cannabis industry, competition, regulatory change, the need for additional financing, reliance on key personnel, market size, and the volatility of the Company’s common share price and volume.  Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change.  Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information.  Such factors include, among others, risks related to the Company’s proposed business, such as failure of the business strategy and government regulation; risks related to the Company’s operations, such as additional financing requirements and access to capital, reliance on key and qualified personnel, insurance, competition, intellectual property and reliable supply chains; risks related to the Company and its business generally; risks related to regulatory approvals. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company’s forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized.  It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE.  READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

_______________________________________________________________________________

ⁱ RWB owns the exclusive commercialization and marketing rights to the High Times brand (retail dispensaries, branded THC products and branded delivery) in Michigan, Illinois and Florida.
ⁱⁱ RWB has sublicensed its exclusive rights to the High Times brand to its Michigan Investee, PharmaCo.

This article was published by CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN), owner and operator of CFN Media, the industry’s leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the burgeoning CBD and legal cannabis industries. Call +1 (833) 420-CNFN for more information.

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.