The 2019 High Times Cannabis Cup is a weed lover’s dream, KCRA reports.
This weekend marks the second time the music and cannabis festival is being held in Sacramento. It’s expected to draw thousands to Cal Expo.
For some, it’s an event that’s been decades in the making.
“For me, it’s no different,” said Eddy Lepp, who attended the festival and has also served prison time for an illegal grow operation in Lake County. “It was always like this for me. But now it’s like this for mainstream America. And, for me, that’s one of the most rewarding things in the world.”
The event is highly regulated. Only licensed vendors can participate.
“Even getting our license was very difficult,” said Danny Kurtz, CEO of Big Tree Industries. “It’s been a hard road. Just to even start to do business was hard.”
Vendors who took part in the Cup last year said this year’s event is already much different.
“Look at the event,” said Chaz Smith of Friendly Farms. “Compared to last year, I’d say this is going much better.”
High Times, the event’s sponsor, ran into issues hosting the Cannabis Cup in the past.
In October, High Times failed to get proper permitting to hold another Cannabis Cup. Organizers had to cancel the event at the last minute, even after selling tickets.
Sacramento City Councilman Jeff Harris, who represents the district where the Cannabis Cup is held, said organizers didn’t have tight enough security at the first Cannabis Cup held last spring.
This year, High Times has hired its own security to work alongside the Cal Expo Police Department.
“The city, thankfully, agreed to do the festival in the first place,” Smith said. “It takes a lot of hard work and effort to put something like this together.”
Attendees had to show their IDs and walk through metal detectors before heading inside.
Harris said festival organizers also failed to pay taxes on the event in a timely fashion last time the Cup was held. He said he’s optimistic that won’t happen again.
The event is 21-plus. Gates opened Sunday at noon.
