Sacramento Becomes Home to State-Sanctioned Recreational Cannabis Event

May 2, 2018 -- PRESS RELEASE -- Just months after California voters elected to provide adults with rights to buy, sell and consume marijuana on a recreational basis, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control and Sacramento City Council provided certificate to the Central Valley Cannabis Cup to operate a recreational cannabis event. This will mark the first time in the United States where the right to buy, sell and consume marijuana can be exercised in at a ticketed event.

High Times, marijuana’s iconic global brand, will play host to the event, taking place May 4 and 5 on the Cal Expo grounds in Sacramento.

The Central Valley Cannabis Cup will be both community celebration and a historic step forward in the fight for legalized access to marijuana-related products and services.

According to the Bureau of Cannabis Control’s post on Facebook, “This is the result of lots of hard work, collaboration and communication with local officials, Cal Expo and the event organizers. We’re excited to be able to issue this historic first license and we look forward to issuing more temporary cannabis event licenses in the coming months!”

“Our hats are off to the lawmakers that fought to express the will of the people when it comes to Cannabis legalization. This has been a long process but we're proud to say that we're finally licensed and 100-percent legal,” said Adam Levin, CEO of High Times. “It has always been important to us that our events comply with all local laws while providing the best possible experience for our many thousands of attendees. With this week’s state and city approvals, we’re thrilled to announce a history-making event on the road to complete legalization."

In the past, High Times events in California have focused on Prop. 215, the 1996 initiative that legalized medicinal marijuana in the state. While allowing Cannabis exhibitors to provide samples to medicinal patients at these events, attendees without medical marijuana prescriptions were blocked from receiving such samples. This weekend’s Cannabis Cup event marks the first time that state and local regulators have approved an event that legally allows all adult attendees to receive and consume Cannabis-based samples.

The Central Valley Cannabis Cup at Cal Expo will feature a glittering musical lineup, including eight-time Grammy winner Ms. Lauryn Hill, five-time Grammy winner Lil Wayne, three-time Grammy winner Ludacris, Grammy nominees Cypress Hill and Rick Ross, as well as Gucci Mane and Rich the Kid.

Other offerings at the event include seminars, a high-touch exhibitor village featuring dozens of companies, live podcast recordings, culinary experiences and much else celebrating the Cannabis lifestyle.

High Times has been staging Cannabis Cup events for three decades. This year, High Times has already set Cannabis Cup gatherings for Amsterdam, Santa Rosa, Calif., and Clio, Mich., as well as last month’s gathering at the National Orange Show Fairgrounds in San Bernardino. In all, the company holds a dozen Cannabis Cup and other live events a year, in Europe, the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. The events each draw tens of thousands of attendees, gathering to celebrate the Cannabis lifestyle, music and products.

Tickets for the Central Valley Cannabis Cup are available at CannabisCup.com, and at the box office.