| The Emerald Cup |
By Jack Rikess
Toke of the Town
Northern California Correspondent
The fabled Emerald Cup is returning to the legendary Mendocino spiritual sanctum, Area 101, this Saturday. As the blurb says, “Proclaimed by Rolling Stone Magazine,’ as the premiere competition in America.'” And they’re not kidding.
The Emerald Cup, “the world’s only outdoor organic cannabis competition,” first lit up on the scene almost a decade ago, with the initial competition bringing in 22 entrees to be judged. Last year, the entries almost reached 150.
But that’s just pot talk. What’s cool about the Emerald Cup? It is so much more than your average medical cannabis bake-off.
Area 101 is nestled in a canyon of a mountain called Spy Rock. The advantageous hill is so named because of the opportunity the big rock gave to desperados in the late 1800s who were possibly being pursued by the law, to view their oncoming aggressors from miles away.
| Mendocino Medical Marijuana Emerald Cup |
| These juicy-looking Emerald Cup entries are ready for tasting |
Now a haven for organic living and spiritual rejuvenation, once a year the tiny retreat becomes a minor Woodstock, filled with vendor, music, comedy, and of course, the occasional happy stick that gets passed around from smiling face to smiling face.
Traditionally, the Emerald Cup, or as it is affectionately called, “the Sundance Film Festival” of competitions because of the cold climate and the elite nature of America’s longest running medical cups, has been a two-day event that usually ended 36 or 48 hours later, when the last hippie rolled up the winter bag and heads off to the next festival.
This year, because of all the controversy and mayhem being created by Obama and the Feds, this Emerald Cup takes on an additional importance as the Gathering of the Tribes will meet and hash out the whole situation, together.
The Emerald Cup is boasting some of the biggest names in the movement (notice, not “industry” or “business”) who are at the forefront of the cause.
| Kyndra Miller |
| Kyndra Miller, who heads California NORML/Women’s Alliance, will be attending and speaking |
Notables like renowned lawyer, Tony Serra and the young and vivacious up-and-comer, Kyndra Miller, who heads California NORML/Women’s Alliance, will be attending and speaking. Also, Matt Kumin, who counter suing the Federal Government on the behalf of Cali’s dispensaries is speaking on his progress and tells us where it’s at concerning medical marijuana. There will be representatives of the major cannabis-related initiatives that will be on the 2012 ballot giving their spiels on which way to vote.
What also is exciting is that this little backwoods event might just be able to boast that they’ve assembled the most stellar scientific combination of Dr. William Courtney and Dr. Jeffrey Harenrather, the two leading researchers in the study of cannabinoids, otherwise known as CBDs and CBNs.
Also in the fields of science, attorney turned green grower, Clean Green Certified, Chris Van Hook, will discuss the advantages of being organic and how you can turn your crop into the purest of all medicines. Plus rain-water catchment and SC Labs of Santa Cruz will be on hand for questions and answers, along with a speaker conversing on the developments and discoveries that the highly regarded central valley pro-cannabis laboratory has made.
There will also be mountain men and women treating the audience to their home-made findings and even sharing their finds.
| Valerie Leveroni Corral |
| Medical marijuana patient and activist Valerie Corral will be honored as “Person of the Year” |
Valerie Corral — who it can be argued, when she was clipped by a low-flying misguided airplane in her car (yeah, you read that right) and refused the pills and treatment that the doctors give you when you’re minding your own business and you get plowed into by a wayward Cessna; she almost started the medicinal marijuana from that tragedy with the green lining? — Valerie will be honored as “Person of the Year.”
There will be much discussion surrounding Mendocino once progressive 9.31 program, now seen as subversive in the eyes of the Man, as in “Will it be here next year?” or have the Feds won?
A town hall will follow. If you’re a fan of villagers with pitchforks and torches, after the 9.31 discussion, you may get your wish.
The Emerald Cup is unlike any event out there, from the uniqueness of the attendees to the rocking music that plays all night bounces off the canyon walls and echoes into the darkness.
The old school Reggae trio, the Mighty Diamonds headline along with Katdelic, featuring RonKat Spearman, and the happiest funksters around, The Funkanauts, plus, plus, 11-year-old guitar sensation, Alex Kent. And DJ’s spinning way into the night.
Organic food, hippie chicks, and the biggest medicinal smiles that can be found will be in ample supply. The Emerald Cup, 10 miles north of Laytonville, California, should be on your bucket list (Stash List?) of one of the things to do before you’re reincarnated all over again.
There’s games (count the roaches) but the highlight of the evening is the awards for Top 15 entries. It is part Gold Medal state fair time and part stoner’s paradise. Even the second-hand smoke can be first-place award-winning.
The Emerald Cup… there’s nothing like it!
For more information go to www.theemeraldcup.com and tickets can be purchased online at www.InTicketing.com. Or call 707-984-9174.
Emerald Cup
December 10th, 2011
Area 101, 10 miles north of Laytonville, CA
Gates open at noon
| Jack Rikess |
| Toke of the Town correspondent Jack Rikess blogs from the Haight in San Francisco |
Jack Rikess, a former stand-up comic, writes a regular column most directly found at jackrikess.com.
Jack delivers real-time coverage following the cannabis community, focusing on politics and culture.
His beat includes San Francisco, the Bay Area and Mendocino-Humboldt counties.
He has been quoted by the national media and is known for his unique view with thoughtful, insightful perspective.