Final Saturday, the 18th Annual Emerald Cup Awards was held at The Montalbán Theatre close to Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood in Los Angeles, California—and it was actually a spectacle to behold.
As folks shuffled in, making a steady stream of advocates, sufferers, breeders, and growers, the venue crammed shortly. Some attendees made their method to the dab bar and drink bar on the Mezzanine stage, and others made their method as much as the rooftop, which is the place the true magic started.
I walked by a vine-covered hall into the rooftop occasion space the place distributors comparable to LitHouse and Fig Farms handed out beneficiant reward luggage with eighths and double pre-rolls. A sprawling 360-degree view of downtown Hollywood offered the backdrop. Musical performances by Andreas One, Jasmine Solana, and Lafa.
As for the ceremony itself, there was a whopping variety of classes—over 50—and it was hosted by quite a few particular visitors together with Ngaio Bealum, Whitney Beattie, and the clear fan favourite hosts, Swami Chaitanya and Nikki Lastreto of Swami Select, who we additionally lately profiled in print.
We have been impressed by the highly effective sense of group. On one hand, the ceremony felt just like the Academy Awards, as Rolling Stone puts it, however alternatively, there was a robust craft farmer and hippie vibe undercurrent. As an example, when the hosts requested a query, the group solutions again loud and clear.
“It’s our tradition, it’s, it’s our group … they really feel like there’s an possession right here due to my deep roots and connection to the group,” Tim Blake advised Excessive Instances. “They usually simply really feel the love. We don’t do it for the cash, we do it to actually do one thing particular. , on the Harvest Ball final 12 months, we gave away over 50 free cubicles. And other people simply know who we’re and the place we’re coming from.
“We’re not an enormous crew, our native folks, and we love our, our group. And so it’s only a mutual love affair,” Blake added. And other people really feel it.” Particular person, private use classes have been included, so that folks with out costly licensing might take part.
The Emerald Cup and Blake are each principally related to the Emerald Triangle encompassing Mendocino, Humboldt, and Trinity Counties, however this 12 months the occasion was moved to Los Angeles to characterize a strategic transfer.
“In 2017, legalization got here in, I knew then that for our contestants and our distributors and sponsors that the long run was LA—the biggest hashish market on this planet, the biggest media market on this planet,” Blake mentioned. “That is the place they want it, we’re gonna do their Academy Awards within the hashish trade.”
The judges needed to go from 700 entries, all top-shelf, and slender them down to simply 182 winners. In some classes this 12 months, the method concerned blind or doubleblind strategies to be able to forestall bias for anybody farm or firm.
The trophies have been hand-blown by glass artist Ryan Fitt in collaboration with Puffco. The occasion was overseen by government producer Taylor Blake, Tim’s daughter, who’s more and more taking within the reins of the enterprise.
It took 150 skilled judges to seek out the winners together with Alec Dixon of SC Labs, Invoice and Jeff Levers, Eric Brandstand, Man Rocourt, Jimi Devine, Maya Elisabeth, The Dank Duchess, Abdulah Saedd, and too many others to list. The crew of judges mobilized final February, and in keeping with Swami Chaitanya, have been confined to a room till they may slender down the contestants.
Dennis Hunter from Farmer and the Felon needed to return to the stage many occasions, because the group received award after award. I used to be in a position to snag some Farmer and the Felon seeds. LitHouse, Insurgent Grown, and Fig Farms additionally took house a number of awards that evening. The gang went wild when Huckleberry Hill Farms received an award.
Since 2004, the Emerald Cup has served as “a grassroots celebration of the hashish plant and harvest, and as an unbiased, free, and truthful competitors,” however Blake and the management of the occasion emphasize that it’s actually about folks—farmers, judges, entertainers, and attendees.
The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award
Woody Harrelson was the visitor of honor, receiving the coveted Willie Nelson Lifetime achievement award. Previous winners embrace Winona LaDuke, Tommy Chong, Valerie Corral, and Willie Nelson himself. Harrelson was an advocate going again a long time, with a confirmed monitor document of significant activism.
“So we obtained the knowledge to Woody, and he checked us out,” Blake mentioned. “And, , he virtually thought of not taking the award this 12 months, as a result of Inexperienced Avenue misplaced their allow. After which The Woods couldn’t get their allow to open. We didn’t have a venue. And so what was he going to do? And in the midst of one week, we discovered this place, and he obtained a allow to open his place. And he referred to as me up and we had a protracted speak. And he mentioned, , heck, I’m gonna come on the market and be part of you guys. And I’ll inform you what, I used to be tickled pink, I advised him, I mentioned, what, you haven’t any concept what this implies to us. And now, seeing The Woods open up.”
Harrelson was chosen not due to his celeb star energy, however based mostly on his activism within the hashish area. That dates again to Woody’s symbolic protest by illegally planting a hemp seed in Kentucky in 1996 and his vocal activism in favor of environmental sustainability, veganism, and regenerative agricultural practices.
It’s the identical environmentally wholesome practices which might be already part of the Emerald Cup.
“For the primary time ever, we had extra indoor than the sungrown entries, which is, , fairly massive change,” Blake mentioned. “The drinks and the edibles are simply blowing up. The improved drinks are unbelievable and the pre-rolls had gone from like afterthought D grade trim to the place it’s like simply gorgeous representations. We did a classification system separating the terpenes into classification techniques and gasoline and desserts and sweets and whatnot, in order that we might actually do an academic course of not just for our judges, however for our group, and get folks actually to interrupt out of that mould and searching for the very best THC and begin searching for the proper cannabinoid profile matches finest for them.”
Wooks, Wizards, and Warlocks
Some visitors have been dressed up as wizards, and one other was wearing a zoot go well with interval piece. Others regarded as if the hippie way of life by no means pale in any respect because the ‘60s. Pebbles Trippet was a focus, being a longtime advocate, and he or she obtained devotionals from each Blake and Harrelson.
“Individuals down listed here are fairly cool,” Blake mentioned. “They usually get to dress up for a present like this. And now individuals are simply, it’s thrilling for lots of those hill folks to have a cause to come back out, come down right here and dress up. They usually’re not they’re not pitching in any respect. They’re excited. They usually’re arising and telling me how fantastic it’s.”
I returned to the rooftop the place probably the most enjoyable was to be discovered. There, I ran into Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down who was there to advertise his flower from 22Red. I discovered a shrine with stunning Hindu representations.
Throwing occasions comparable to this isn’t all enjoyable and video games when the foundations turn into concerned, however Blake is hopeful.
“This 12 months, the DCC [Department of Cannabis Control] got here in heavy on the Harvest Ball,” Blake mentioned. “They have been telling small farmers that they couldn’t show issues; they have been going after small farmers and folks … of their sales space smoking, , it’s like that non-public stuff. So we needed to proceed that academic course of. But it surely’s so vital for farmers and types to have direct entry to shoppers … We have to open that up. And so it’s educating the DCC in order that we set the bar and present them the best way to do it in order that these farmers markets and every kind of occasions, not simply ours, can occur everywhere in the state as a result of it’s so vital for the shoppers and for the farmers.”
Protection of the 18th Annual Emerald Cup Awards on the Montalbán Theatre might be offered by ALTRD.TV. You possibly can watch all taped academic fireplace chats, unique interviews, and the ceremony. A full checklist of winners, offered by the Emerald Cup, is beneath:
FLOWER
Sungrown Flower Class Winners
1st Place Farmer and the Felon – Lemon Sponge Cake
2nd Place Insurgent Grown – Double OG Chem
third Place Farmer and the Felon x Cookie Fam Genetics – Georgia Pie
4th Place Farmer and the Felon – Double OG Chem
fifth Place Full Moon Farms – Black Water OG
sixth Place Canna Nation Farms – #26
seventh Place Insurgent Grown – Natty Bumpoo
eighth Place Farmer and the Felon – 92 OG
ninth Place Huckleberry Hill Farms – Mother’s Weed
tenth Place Esensia – Lime Juice
Sungrown – BREEDER’S CUP Class Winner
1st Place Insurgent Grown – Double OG Chem
Combined Gentle Flower Class Winners
1st Place LitHouse – Modified Grapes
2nd Place LitHouse – Jealousy
third Place LitHouse – Lemon Lava
4th Place Safier Household Farms x Peak Humboldt x Mattole Uplift Cooperative – Angel Meals Cake
fifth Place Therapeutic Herb Farms – Lemon Head OG x Zkittlez
sixth Place Monterey Kush Co – Matchalato
seventh Place LitHouse – Paragon
eighth Place Bono-Ape – Ice Cream Cake
ninth Place Monterey Kush Co – Citra-Lato
tenth Place Booney Acres – Strawberry Jelly Flower
Combined Gentle – BREEDER’S CUP Class Winner
1st Place Therapeutic Herb Farms – Lemon Head OG x Zkittlez
Indoor Flower Class Winners
1st Place Fig Farms – Animal Face
2nd Place Panacea – Pablo’s Revenge
third Place Fig Farms – Blue Face
4th Place NUG – Chocolatina
fifth Place Fig Farms – Holy Moly!
sixth Place Sovereign – Lemon Vuitton
seventh Place STIIIZY – Blue Burst
eighth Place Treatment Firm – Marathon OG
ninth Place Supply Hashish – Quest
tenth Place Atrium Cultivation – Juice Z
Indoor Flower BREEDER’S CUP Class Winner
1st Place Fig Farms – Holy Moly!
Sungrown Greenhouse Flower
1st Place Native Hashish Co – Sherbhead
2nd Place Glass Home Farms – Glass Home Farms Ready Recreation
third Place Native Hashish Co – Ice Cream Cake
4th Place Native Hashish Co – Orange 43
fifth Place Harborside Farms – The Mac
sixth Place Harborside Farms x Bloom Farms – SFV OG
seventh Place Humboldt Redwood Therapeutic x The Humboldt Model – Bitter G
eighth Place Nation Membership Hashish – EVB Rainbow Frootz
ninth Place Ridgeline Farms – Ridgeline Runtz
tenth Place Harborside Farms – Motorhead
Private Use Flower
1st Place Parker PZ Moselle – Ohrangatang Titties
2nd Place Colin Teurfs x Dan Pomerantz – Double OG Chem 4
third Place Matt Jones – Cheese
4th Place Brandy Schneider – AM Lime
fifth Place Mary Polson – Pink Champagne
third Get together Licensed Sungrown Flower
1st Place Emerald Spirit Botanicals – Farm Minimize – Pink Increase Goddess
third Get together Licensed Combined Gentle Flower Class Winners
1st Place Outdated Briceland Hashish Firm – Epiphany
2nd Place Outdated Briceland Hashish Firm – Space 41
third Place Outdated Briceland Hashish Firm – White Gummies #1
Finest in Present Class Winner
1st Place Farmer and the Felon – Lemon Sponge Cake
PRE-ROLLS
Pre-Roll – Infused Solventless Extract Class Winners
1st Place Sovereign – Geode Joint – Modified Lemons
2nd Place El Toro Verde – El Toro Verde Cannagar
third Place Very important Grown x Sticky Fields x Compassionate Coronary heart x Large Creations x Feeling Frosty – Mendo Large
Pre-Roll – Infused Solvent Extract
1st Place Paletas – Paletas Mom’s Milk Infused Blunt
2nd Place Sugar Daddy – Sugar Daddy Indica 2.5G Infused Blunt
third Place Weedwoodz – Weedwoodz XOXO
Pre-Roll – Non Infused Class Winners
1st Place Misplaced Paradise Organics – Gelonade 6pk Flower Pre-Roll
2nd Place Atrium Cultivation – Juice Z Pre-Roll
third Place Nation – 1:1 Good Neighbor Pre-Roll 6pk
SOLVENTLESS CONCENTRATE
Ice Water Hash Class Winners
1st Place Heritage Hash Co – Whitethorn Rose Dwell Bubble Hash
2nd Place el Krem – Papaya Bomb Ice Water Hash
third Place Papa’s Choose – Amarelo #9 90u Ice Water Hash
4th Place Feeling Frosty – Banana Cream Cake x Jealousy 120u Ice Water Hash
fifth Place Kalya x Dancing Canine Ranch – Double Rainbow
Rosin Class Winners
1st Place Rosin Tech Labs x Luma Farms – Papaya
2nd Place Heritage Hash Co – Whitethorn Rose Dwell Rosin
third Place Kalya x LUMA Farms – Lemon Limez
4th Place FIELD – FIELD Papaya Chilly Cured Dwell Rosin
fifth Place Rosin Tech Labs – Garlic Cookies
sixth Place Rosin Tech Labs – Garlic Juice #3 Chilly Treatment
seventh Place el Krem – Strawberry Runtz – Rosin
eighth Place Moon Valley Hash Co – Strawberry Banana Chilly Treatment Dwell Rosin
ninth Place Doc Inexperienced’s – White Buffalo Chilly Cured Dwell Rosin
tenth Place Have Hash – Zkittlez Chilly Treatment Dwell Rosin (Headstash)
Private Use Solventless Class Winners
1st Place Alice Reis x Flynn Abeln – Wooksauce Vineyard Screaming Mimis
2nd Place Brett Byrd – Modified Grapes Full spec 45-159 creme brulee consistency w/THC-A layer
third Place Brett Byrd – Gush Mints Full Spec 45-159
4th Place Brett Byrd – Modified Grapes Full Spec 45-159
fifth Place Brett Byrd – Apple Fritters Full Spec 45-159
CARTRIDGE
C02 Cartridge Class Winners
1st Place Haku – Haku CO2 Dwell Resin
2nd Place Featured Farms x Burzt Farms – Burzt by Featured Farms
third Place Wildseed Co x Hashish Refined – Cherry Spouse CO2 Cartridge
Distillate Cartridge Class Winners
1st Place LEGION – Monarch – Strawberry Banana – Hashish Derived Terpenes
2nd Place GoldDrop x Fig Farms – Kush Mint Cookies Nug Run Vape Cartridge
third Place Beezle Manufacturers – Orange Blossom Buzz Cartridge
Dwell Resin Cartridge Class Winners
1st Place URSA Extracts – Liquid Diamond Sauce Humboldt Jack
2nd Place Arcata Hearth x Humboldt Seed Co – Raspberry Dwell Resin Sauce Cart
third Place Lemon Tree x Holy Water x Orchard Seashore Farms – Kiwi tree Single Supply Dwell Resin Cartridge
4th Place ColdFire Extracts x Turtle Pie Co – Prickly Pear Juice by ColdFire Extracts
fifth Place Pleasant Farms – Pleasant Farms Liquid Dwell Resin Apple Fritter
sixth Place The Bohemian Chemist – The Bohemian Chemist Cart Blanche .5g Hotsy-Totsy Dwell Resin Cartridge
seventh Place Halara – GMO Dwell Diamond Sauce
eighth Place Pleasant Farms – Liquid Dwell Resin Flight #23
ninth Place ColdFire Extracts – UpDog Juice by ColdFire Extracts
tenth Place Oakland Extracts – Papaya Pucker
Solventless Cartridge Class Winners
1st Place Doc Inexperienced’s – Runtz Dwell Rosin Vape Cartridge
2nd Place Jetty Extracts – Fatso Solventless Vape
third Place Arcata Hearth x Highwater Farms – Key Lime Pie Solventless
SOLVENT CONCENTRATE
Hydro-Carbon Stable Class Winners
1st Place Beezle Manufacturers x Luma Farms – Key Lime Paya Dwell Resin Budder
2nd Place Beezle Manufacturers x Earthen Farms – Gary Payton Dwell resin Budder
third Place URSA Extracts – -Dwell Badder Modified Grapes
4th Place Cookies x ArcataX – Day Day
fifth Place PaperPlanes Extracts x Land Hammer Farms – Donnie Burger #5 Dwell Resin Batter
Hydro-Carbon Liquid Class Winners
1st Place Cosmic x Peak x Feeling Frosty – White Runtz
2nd Place FIELD x Wizard Timber x Doja – FIELD x Wizard Timber x Doja RS-11 Dwell Resin
third Place Cosmic x Peak x Feeling Frosty – Orange Daiquiri
4th Place Terphogz – Dwell Resin Sauce Melon Brainz
fifth Place Orchard Seashore Farms x Holy Water – Kiwi Tree
TOPICALS
Therapeutic Topical Class Winners
1st Place Care By Design – CBD Joint & Muscle Cream
2nd Place Kush Queen – Kush Queen Transdermal THC Water Primarily based Private Lubricant
third Place OM x Feeling Frosty – Candy Desires CBN Rosin Tub Bomb
Beauty Topical Class Winners
1st Place Proof – Face Serum
2nd Place OM x Feeling Frosty – Himalayan Kush Rosin Tub Bomb
Private Use Topical Class Winner
1st Place Erica A – Deep Muscle Rub – Liniment Lotion
TINCTURES
Tincture Class Winners
1st Place Care By Design – Refresh Drops 1:1 MAX
2nd Place Santa Cruz Mountain Tops – La Luna
third Place Lempire Farmaseed – LEM OG 1000mg Rosin Tincture
EDIBLES
Edibles – Beverage Class Winners
1st Place HiFi Periods x Lagunitas x Absolute Xtracts – HiFi Hoppy Chill
2nd Place Pure Magnificence – Little Robust Drink
third Place Okay-Zen Drinks – Mad Lilly Ardour Fruit Mango Spritzer
Edibles – Beverage Enhancer Class Winner
1st Place S*Photographs – Berry Blast
Edibles – Gummies Class Winners
1st Place Kalya x Elephante – Papaya Rosin Gummies
2nd Place House Gem – Candy Sleepy Fig
third Place Queen Mary – Enchanted
Edibles – Candy Class Winners
1st Place Cosmic Edibles x Kalya – Solventless Rosin Plant-Primarily based Chocolate Chip Sprinkles Cookie Dough
2nd Place Oasis – Peanut Butter Cup Minis
third Place Mammamia – Capri Lemon Cake Bites
Edibles – Savory Class Winners
1st Place Potli x SF Roots – Shrimp Chips
2nd Place TSUMo Snacks – TSUMo Snacks Traditional Cheese Crunchers
ALTERNATIVE CANNABINOIDS
Various Cannabinoid Flower Class Winners
1st Place Pure Magnificence – Terry T & Gelato 33
2nd Place Glass Home Farms – Jelly Fish
third Place Glass Home Farms – Tangelo Circulate
Various Cannabinoid Flower Breeder’s Cup Class Winner
1st Place Pure Magnificence – Terry T & Gelato 33
Various Cannabinoid Hemp Flower Class Winners
1st Place Flowgardens – Orange Glaze #32
2nd Place Flowgardens – Grapefruit
Various Cannabinoid Edible Class Winners
1st Place Papa & Barkley – Sleep Releaf
2nd Place Granny B Items 1:1 Canamels
third Place Hello Burst Raspberry Lemonade Fruit Chews
Various Cannabinoid Beverage Class Winner
1st Place KHEMIA – Chakra Chai
Various Cannabinoid Topical Class Winner
1st Place Carter’s Aroma Remedy Designs – Rasta Roll-On
Various Cannabinoid Tincture Class Winners
1st Place Dawn Mountain Farms – PACIFIC – Full Spectrum CBD Wealthy Tincture
2nd Place PROOF – CBN Tincture
third Place Fiddler’s Inexperienced – Kindred Spirit – Uncooked Tincture
Various Cannabinoid Cartridge Class Winners
1st Place Chemistry – Serpentine
2nd place Kurvana – CBD All-In-One – Banana Smoothie 5:1:5
Hemp-Derived Ingestible Class Winners
1st Place Inexperienced Reality – Trifecta Immune (CBDA-CBGA-CBDVA)
2nd Place Kurvana CBD Dream 2:1:3
Hemp-Derived Topical Class Winners
1st Place WeedSport – WeedSport CBD Muscle Stick
2nd Place Pure Dharma – Glow CBD Activated Oil Serum
Most Revolutionary Product – Consumable Class Winner
1st Place Holy Water x Honey Suckle Lotus – Jelly Ranchers. Unholy Rosin/Resin Cut up Jar
Most Revolutionary Product – Business Asset Class Winner
1st Place Huckleberry Hill Farms – Sow Your Personal Magic
Breeders Corridor Of Fame Class Winner
1st Place Greg McAllister
Visionary Award for Glass Artistry Class Winner
1st Place Scott Deppe – Mothership Glass
Regenerative Farm Award Class Winner
1st Place Emerald Spirit Botanicals – Farm Minimize
Finest Picture Contest Winner – Novice Class Winner
1st Place Claudia Worth – Pancake Stomper No. 5
Finest Picture Contest Winner – Skilled Class Winner
1st Place Benjamin Neff – The Coronary heart
Finest Dispensary – Northern California Class Winner
1st Place Mercy Wellness – Redwood Dr – Cotati
Finest Dispensary – Central California Class Winner
1st Place Huge Sur Canna + Botanicals – Carmel Rancho Ln – Carmel
Finest Dispensary – Southern California Class Winner
1st Place Cornerstone Wellness – Colorado Blvd – Los Angeles
Eco-Aware Packaging – Class Winner
1st Place Sol Spirit Farms
Environmentally Aware Indoor – Class Winner
1st Place Moon Valley Hashish