Fat Nugs & Impeccable Vibes: The 19th Annual Emerald Cup Awards Recap
Written By Isabella DeChard
Just over 19 years ago, nestled up on a hill in the redwood trees, the (then underground) cannabis community of Northern California came together to create a friendly competition around cannabis cultivation.
Hosted at Area 101, a small campground and gathering spot in Laytonville, Mendocino, a group of friends – consisting of passionate cannabis farmers, (now) legacy growers, and stoners – would party together through the night to honor the start of another cultivation season.
This year, it hosted around 3,000 of California’s biggest brands, farmers, advocates, creatives, and “cannaisseurs” in the industry – all joined together for this reputable competition and celebration.
For me, as a new-timer to this renowned cannabis competition, and a rookie industry advocate out of the masses that attended, it was an event and experience that I will never forget and always appreciate.
My First Harvest Ball
Written by Isabella DeChard
The Emerald Cup hosts the Harvest Ball in Santa Rosa, California each year. Farmers and cannabis brands from all over the Golden State join to celebrate the bountiful crops and cultivars meticulously cultivated this season.
However, among the handful of other cannabis events I’ve gotten to recently experience, this two-day event felt significant among the others. Throughout the entire Harvest Ball weekend, the collective empathy and perseverance I always recognized about this cannabis community was stronger than ever.
Even though this was my first time at the Harvest Ball and an Emerald Cup occasion in general, I had never felt more welcome or comfortable at a major cannabis event.