Sonoma County the ‘hub and heart of cannabis’
Sun and smiles stretched over the crowds at the 2018 High Times Cannabis Cup NorCal on June 2-3 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Thousands of spectators filed through the entrance gates during the two-day event, eager to take part in the first officially recreational Cannabis Cup in Northern California.
Thanks to California voters approval of Proposition 64 in 2016, on-site consumption was allowed, adding a new excitement to the event and offering consumers a chance to purchase and immediately test cannabis products.
Northern California is recognized worldwide for its production and innovations in the cannabis industry. Keith Healy, president of Fig Farms, said after 10 years of experience in the industry he considers Sonoma County the cannabis core.
“Sonoma County is the hub and heart of cannabis,” he said.
Fig Farms, based out of Sebastopol, took third place at the NorCal Cannabis Cup for Best CBD Flower. Last year, Fig Farms took home first-place with Best Indica Flower.
Solful, a dispensary located in Sebastopol had a team at the event. Solful offers a variety of products that were featured at the NorCal Cannabis Cup, including Atlas Edibles, the Cannabis Cup third-place award winner for Best Edibles.
Ezra Malmuth is the owner of Atlas Edibles based out of Berkeley. Malmuth said Solful is unique to the industry.
“Solful for us is one of the most ideal partners I think, mainly because they really spend a lot of time educating their customers as well as their staff and that’s important because we can’t be everywhere and we love to see the institutions we’re in take pride in what they are carrying.”
Other exhibitors representing Sonoma County included AbsoluteXtracts, Hands In The Earth organic farms and Curing Innovations, producers of the Curidor, a system for curing and storing herbs and fine teas.
The Cannabis Cup is put on by High Times magazine and celebrates the best cannabis products in different regions across the United States with legalized marijuana use.
High Times called the Cannabis Cup “the world’s leading music and lifestyle festival featuring main stage music performances, exhibitor village, live podcast recordings, culinary experiences and much more.”
NorCal musical headliners this year included G.Love & the Special Sauce and Phil Lesh and friends on Saturday and Miguel and Blues Traveler on Sunday.
For a full list of the 2018 NorCal Cannabis Cup winners, visit https://hightimes.com/news/winners-2018-northern-california-cannabis-cup/.
The next 2018 High Times Cannabis Cup will take place in Michigan June 9-10.
