Latest news with #Strangebird
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Weed to soon be allowed in New York movie theaters? Cannabis officials say not so fast
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Scott Pukos with The Little Theatre told News 8 the sale of beer and wine out of concessions has gone really well since it was introduced in late 2024. 'We have teamed up with local breweries. So Rohrbach, Strangebird, it's a really nice pairing for movie to either grab a wine or a beer,' Pukos said. 'People really enjoy that anything that can help enhance that experience is something that we're interested in.' Recently signed in New York State, a Special Events Bill that would eventually allow cannabis events to take place across the state and outside the retail dispensary environments. This prompted an off-topic discussion on if we could one day see cannabis sales in the movie theatres. OCM Senior Policy Director John Kagia sat down with News 8 to explain the bill and its potential. 'This bill builds on a program that we had run in 2024 called the Cannabis Grower Showcase Initiative, which allowed retailers to partner with cannabis growers and cannabis manufacturers, product manufacturers, to showcase and sell products across the state, and now it is codified into law that we will be able to host these types of events across the state,' Kagia said. Kagia said OCM is now working on developing the regulations for how this program is going to be effectuated. 'Now we're going to be developing the regulations that will actually bring this program to life,' Kagia said. The law is quite clear about where these special events can take place, according to Kagia. 'One broad category of venues that these events will be permitted are farmers markets, and so in cases where a canvas business is able to participate in or and secure the authorization from a farmers market to showcase at said farmers market, that would be one area where these would be able to occur,' Kagia said. 'And then the second broad category would be independently organized events that are run by the licensees themselves. So, you know, the bill is quite clear that this is not going to be a format or a type of permit that would authorize the sale of cannabis at festivals or fairs or adding on this to existing events. These will be permitted exclusively at farmers markets or at standalone events that are organized by the licensees themselves but could not be piggybacked onto concert festivals or other type of preexisting events.' News 8 wanted to clarify a current, independently owned business — such as a movie theater — cannot currently add that on. 'That's right. So, either if it's not happening in a farmer's market, or if it's not being kind of organized specifically by the licensee, by the licensee permitted by the Office of Canvas management and who would be organizing and running the event, then it currently would not be permitted, at least based on the way this law was written,' Kagia said. Kagia also said this when clarifying if a current business can apply to be a licensee and couple its titles together. 'There's not currently a kind of application window for businesses that aren't already in the application pool to apply for a cannabis license. We will be notifying the public when the next licensing rounds will be happening,' Kagia said. 'We've got really healthy supply chain, and we're building a really robust industry. But given that we haven't yet finished processing the applications from the last round of applicants. We're not quite ready yet to open up a new round of applications.' Kagia said the signing of the Special Events Bill is a testament to the work that has been done here in New York. 'New Yorkers are already spending between five and $6 billion a year on cannabis, but most of that was taking place in the shadows,' Kagia said. 'Part of the reason why we're particularly excited about the events bill and the sunlight that it is bringing to this industry is there's a huge amount of innovation taking place in our market right now. The types of products that you're seeing in this market look very different than the types of products that were available in the quote, unquote, illegal market five or 10 years ago. So, as we're going to the warmer seasons, as we're going to the to the summer season, the things like the beverages that we have available now are truly world class, and there's incredible innovation happening there. ' OCM said the law has been passed, and now it's incumbent on the office to develop the regulations. 'This is going to be a process. We will propose regulations, we will solicit public comment, and we encourage the public to weigh in on how they think that. These events should be regulated, so we're not quite ready to go live with these events yet. We're hopeful to get this ball rolling as we get later into the summer.' While theatres like The Little will have to wait a while before they can start thinking of ways to introduce cannabis, Pukos said if and when the time comes for the discussion, he'll be ready for creative ways to implement use. 'It'd be a good opportunity to partner with others in the community to do pop up events, or, anything where we could bring in another business to The Little and help with that experience,' Pukos said. 'The whole experience has changed so much, and just the film industry has, in general. Ever since 2020, now films go to streaming more often. So, what we have to do as a movie theater, and particularly an art house movie theater, is find ways to bring people in. And I think one of that really is the communal experience, like you can't get that experience watching a movie at home.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Finger Lakes and Rochester breweries take home medals in beer competition: The list
Two downstate breweries may have tied for New York State Brewery of the Year. But several breweries in the Finger Lakes region fared well in the New York State Craft Beer Competition, which was held over the weekend in Albany and judged in early March in Rochester, including hometown favorites Genesee Brew House and Strangebird among others in Ontario County. For the record, Grimm Artisanal Ales of Brooklyn won its fourth title and tied with Wayward Lane Brewing of Schoharie, its second. The folks at Grimm were not looking so grim after also winning three gold, two silver and two bronze medals as well as the 2025 Governor's Excelsior Craft Beer Cup for its wheat beer, Grimm Weisse. In all, 1,320 beers were entered by 207 breweries and 96 medals were awarded. Three Finger Lakes area breweries took home multiple medals. Genesee Brew House won gold for its Genesee Brew House Scotch Ale in the Amber/Red Ale category. There were 61 entries. Its Chocolate Scotch Ale won bronze in the Specialty Beers: Light & Amber Ales and Lagers category. There were 33 entries. Prison City Brewing in Auburn, Cayuga County, won silver for its Crispy Boys in the American Lager category. There were 42 entries. Its Quiet Riot won bronze in the Experimental IPA category. There were 24 entries. Keuka Brewing Co. in Hammondsport, Steuben County, won bronze for its Barrel Aged Murder in the Barrel Aged (Non Sour) category. There were 43 entries. Its Pumpkin Cream Ale won bronze in the Specialty Beers: Light & Amber Ales and Lagers category. There were 33 entries. Okay Beer in Honeoye Falls won gold for its Frisco Kid in the American IPA category. There were 55 entries. Strangebird in Rochester won gold for its Savior Vivire 10° in the Belgian Other (Trappist, Strong) category. There were 44 entries. The Other Half, which has locations in East Bloomfield and Canandaigua, won gold for its Blue Cheese in the Hazy IPA category. There were 104 entries. Lunkenheimer Craft Brewing Co. in Weedsport, Cayuga County, won silver for its Blood Orange Kolsch in the Field Beer (Non Sour) category. There were 37 entries. Skaneateles Brewery in Onondaga County won silver for its Skanny Dipper Blonde Ale in the Golden/Blonde Ale category. There were 38 entries. Aurora Brewing Co., which has locations in Pittsford and Aurora, Cayuga County, won bronze for its DHFS: Motueka in the Barrel Aged Sour category. There were 16 entries. Birdhouse Brewing in Honeoye won bronze for its Honey Cream Ale in the Cream Ale category. There were 39 entries. Eli Fish Brewing Co. in Batavia won bronze for its Chateau Tropicale in the Experimental category. There were 17 entries. Liquid State Brewing Co. in Ithaca won bronze for its Surf Guitar Gose in the Kettle and Simple Sours category. There were 17 entries. New York Beer Project, which has a location in Victor, won bronze for its Irish Coffee Stout in the Specialty Beers: Stouts & Porters category. There were 48 entries. ONCO Fermentations Inc. from Tully, Onondaga County, won gold for its Saison Blend One in the Belgian Farmhouse category. Underground Beer Lab in Syracuse won gold for its Mild Return In the Brown Ale category. Its Particle and Vast Expanse won gold and silver, respectively, in the Hazy Pale Ale category. Heritage Hill Brewhouse in Pompey, Onondaga County, won gold for its Oh My, Apple Pie in the Field Beer (Sour) category. Seneca St. Brew Pub in Manlius, Onondaga County, won silver for its Collusion in the Imperial Stout and Porter category. Riseform Brewing Co. from Marcellus, Onondaga County, won bronze for its Delightfully Ominous in the Stout (Non Imperial) category. Willow Rock Brewing Co. from Syracuse won gold for its Bear, Ninja, Cowboy 2024: Lunar Outlaw in the Strong Ale (Non-Belgian) category. Local 315 Brewing Co. In Warners, Onondaga County, won bronze for its Winter Warmer in the Strong Ale (Non-Belgian) category. Pearl Street Grill and Brewery won gold for its Saber's Edge in the American DIPA category. Big Ditch Brewing Co. and Resurgence Brewing Co. won gold and silver for their Carrot Cake and Another Caucasian Gary, respectively, in the Experimental category. Hamburg Brewing Co. in Erie County won gold for its OMS in the Stout (Non Imperial) category. Resurgence Brewing Co. in Buffalo won silver for its Resurgence White Ale in the Wheat Beer category. Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy. This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Finger Lakes breweries medal in NYS Craft Beer Competition: Winners
