But we previously held the hugely successful Illinois: People’s Choice Edition in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Here’s a glimpse of the trending strains and other products that won over our resident judges back then. Even though the world was still waist-deep in the pandemic at the time, Illinois cannabis brands came through with shining colors. At the Illinois: People’s Choice Edition 2020, the fourth People’s Choice Edition competition to launch following the 2020 Hemp Cup, Oklahoma, and Colorado, with only seven categories.

Back then, Revolution Cannabis brought home trophies with Florida Orange, Gorilla’d Cheese, and Turbo Lemon Cake, while we also saw wins from Bedford Grow with Grape Sugar Cookies, Velvet Glove with Columbia Care, Jenny Kush with Aeriz, Private Stock Mag Landrace with Verano, and Red Line Haze with Cresco, in addition to many other worthwhile wins from other product categories. In 2021 the category list increased up to eight, and Revolution Cannabis took home numerous trophies for strains such as Blueberry Clementine, Mac & Cheese (Spicy Papaya Cut), Banana Runtz, along with Seed & Strain’s Velvet Glove, Aeriz’s Ice Cream Cake and Jenny Kush, Cresco’s Lemon Bean, and Triple 7’s Tropical Runtz and Rainbow Runtz.

That same year, NuEra, Seed & Strain, and Aeriz won in the pre-rolls category. In concentrates, Revolution Cannabis’s Blueberry Clementine Live Resin, Bedford Grow’s Highwayman Live Resin, and Aeriz’s Bundy OG Budder took home a win. Not to mention in edibles, Illinoisans rated edibles from Bedford Grow, Sweet Releaf, Revolution Cannabis, and Bhang, too. In 2022 our category list increased again, this time to eleven. Brands such as RYTHM entered the game strong with Brownie Scout (and Orange Herijuana in the medical flower category), Fig Farms brought its famous Figment strain, along with UPNORTH’s Durban Poison, Floracal’s Vanilla Cake, and Verano Reserve’s Guru 0 for medical flower.

But the previous year’s winning brands also came in with Bedford Grow’s I-95 and Revolution Cannabis’s Peach Crescendo, Miami Punch, and Gorilla’d Cheese (as well as Buttermilk Biscuits in the medical flower category). Revolution Cannabis, RYTHM, and Floracal were also chosen as the winning concentrates and extracts as well. This time capsule of winners from the past three years shows the evolution of popular brands in Illinois, as you’ll see below. Exceptional cannabis is still being cultivated by Revolution Cannabis, RHYTHM, Aeriz, Verano, Fig Farms, and so much more, but you’ll also find a handful of new brands that joined the competition this year.

So without further ado, here is the official list of Illinois: People’s Choice Edition 2023 winners. In the meantime, the High Times Cannabis Cup: People’s Choice Edition continues to gain speed, so keep an eye out for winners in other regions such as Oregon in December, Massachusetts in January 2024, followed by Arizona in February 2024. First Place: nuEra – Cobra Milk Second Place: RYTHM – Animal Face Third Place: Revolution – Purple Monarch First place: RYTHM – Jack Herer Second Place: Revolution – Raspberry Shortcake Third Place: Seed & Strain – White Grapefruit Cookies First Place: RYTHM – Slapz Second Place: Revolution – Crockett’s Dawg Third Place: Verano Reserve – Yum Yum Reserve Flower First Place: Revolution – Blueberry Clementine Second Place: Paul Bunyan – Macnanna Third Place: Dogwalkers – Mini Dogs – Animal Face First Place: Moon Walkers – Coffee Creamer Solventless Live Rosin Moon Walkers Second Place: Revolution – Future Kush Rocket Third Place: Bedford Grow – Diamond-Infused Pre-Roll – Hot Mint Sundae First Place: aeriz – Florida Oranges Second Place: Superflux – Live Resin Strawberry Bubbles Budder Third Place: RYTHM – Live Resin – Super Silver Cookies First Place: Fig Farms – Blue Face Second Place: RYTHM – Rosin – Sunset Sherbet Third Place: Revolution – Moon Boots First Place: Revolution – Florida Orange Live Rosin Second Place: Superflux – Strawberry Bubbles Live Resin Third Place: On the Rocks – Fresh Powder Live Rosin Cartridge First Place: Goody Bag – Pink Lemonade Second Place: nuEra – Pink Lemonade Live Resin Gummy Third Place: Hedy – Sour Cherry Lime Gummies First Place: Incredibles – Peanut Budda Buddha Bar Second Place: KIVA – Churro Bar Third Place: Mindy’s – Caramelized Chocolate Marshmallow Graham First Place: Señorita – Mango Second Place: CQ – Cola Third Place: Artet – Mango Ginger Spritz First Place: Doctor Solomon’s – Restore Transdermal Lotion Second Place: Avexia – Pain Relief Balm 1:1 CBD:THC Third Place: Remedi – Rest 1:5 Capsules First Place: Revolution – Blueberry Clementine Second Place: RYTHM – Black Afghan Third Place: Verano Essence – Strawberry Guava Essence First Place: Revolution – Blueberry Clementine Live Rosin Cart Second Place: Beboe – Inspired Vape Pen Third Place: Verano Reserve – Coconut Cream Pie Reserve Live Resin Cart First Place: Nature’s Grace and Wellness – French Toast White Chocolate Crunch Bar 1:1:1 THC:CBD:CBG Second Place: Bedford Grow – Sea Salt Caramels Third Place: On the Rocks – Sour Apricot Apple – Cherry Punch Live Rosin Gummies A special thank you to our partners and sponsors! Official Intake Partners: Bronze Sponsor: Kaviar General Sponsor: Legacy Read less