The Emerald Cup returns with its first-ever Harvest Ball this December before taking the 18th edition of the awards show south in April. 

The world’s most prestigious cannabis awards show is calling the Harvest Ball a 2-day celebration of the fall cannabis harvest and the farmers and craftspeople who bring it to market. It will take place Saturday, December 11 and Sunday, December 12 at the Sonoma County Fairground in Santa Rosa, California.

This afternoon, the Emerald Cup announced a musical lineup that features headliners BIG WILD (@bigwildmusic) and Trevor Hall (@trevorhallmusic). Other music will include Mr. Carmack, HIRIE, Sudan Archives, Dirtwire, and Dumpstaphunk, so it’s promising to touch on a variety of sounds for everyone.

But organizers were not just looking for solid tunes. Expect comedians and other entertainment that the Emerald Cup said will be “punctuated by culture-driving conversations with visionaries from the cannabis and psychedelics industries.”

“After two years away from the majority of our community, I’m thrilled at the thought of the Harvest Ball event and gathering of the tribe in December,” says founder Tim Blake. “We’re helping small farmers by donating free booths. The musical lineup is our best ever. We’re setting things up to party hard. We’ve tightened the footprint so even if it rains we’ll be good to go. Come join us to celebrate in Santa Rosa at the Harvest Ball!”

And for the inaugural edition of the Harvest Ball, they certainly had no problem getting support from the biggest names in the industry. The event’s official sponsors are Cookies for the Emerald Stage, Puffco for Grace Pavillion, Humboldt Seed Company for the Redwood Stage, and Compound Genetics will be taking care of the VIP tent. 

“Emerald Cup 2021 is going to be big!” Chris from Compound Genetics tells L.A. Weekly. “I’m looking forward to connecting with our Compound family and sharing all of the new flavors that we’ve been developing throughout the year. We’re dropping our Apples & Bananas seed collection, the new Compound flower brand, and a handful of exclusive Cookies x Compound collaborations.”

While the weed is the driving force of the Emerald Cup, the experience on session panels throughout the weekend is always so thick compared to most cannabis business events when you’re talking about actually touching plants. And that’s not to speak down on others, it’s just a matter of geographic access. It’s tough to convince the people going the hardest to leave the farm period. Nevertheless, the Blake family and friends seem to pull it off every year. Some of the session topics this year will include “Sexual Healing: Cannabis Under the Covers”; “The New Wave Of Psychedelics Is Here”, and “Creating Real Impact: Empowering Social Equity Operators in the Cannabis Industry.

But it’s hard to argue against the idea that the most enjoyable part of the weekend will be seeing the fruits of everyone’s labor from the growing season. The weather was awesome for most of the season, and a giant chunk of the crop was down before late rains devastated some. 

“Our full spectrum marketplace provides full access to the fall’s fresh cannabis harvest, a wide array of top-shelf genetics, an unrivaled collection of heritage and new-gen products, and face-to-face interaction with the folks behind the most highly sought-after cannabis brands in California,” the organizers note. 

The biggest change from cup weekends of the past is when it’s all said and done, it will be the first time we leave Santa Rosa without knowing who the winner is. But we’ll find out soon enough, and the road to the Emerald Cup’s Los Angeles awards show in the spring is certainly expected to be paved with bricks of hype. 

Ticket prices for the Harvest Ball’s two-day passes are $110 General Admission, $549 Emerald VIP, and $699 Super Emerald VIP. The event is 18+ but you’ll have to be 21 to get into the consumption areas unless you have a valid medical recommendation. You can visit TheEmeraldCup.com for more info. 

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