Santa Rosa US
The Emerald Cup ranks among the oldest and most prestigious cannabis competitions in the world. In 2026, the event takes place on August 15 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California, and is expected to draw more than 30,000 visitors once again. Originally launched as a modest farmers' competition in the Emerald Triangle, the Cup has become the showcase for sungrown and craft cannabis from Northern California.
Entries are judged across flowers, concentrates, edibles, and increasingly hash and rosin in numerous categories, including special awards for regenerative growers. Beyond the competition itself, there is music, art, food, talks, and workshops covering cultivation, terpenes, and culture. The proximity to the Emerald Triangle, the historic heart of California's outdoor cultivation, makes the atmosphere truly distinctive.
For German enthusiasts of high-quality genetics and craft cannabis, the Emerald Cup is a pilgrimage destination. It demonstrates how decades of underground tradition can transform into a legal, ecologically-minded premium market, and offers direct contact with legendary breeders and farmers. Anyone who takes cannabis seriously as a cultural product should mark this date. As of April 2026.