Get ready for Willie Nelson, 250 cannabis vendors, 26,000 cannabis fans and one heck of a hootenanny. The Emerald Cup 2018 has arrived.
Below, our insiders give the most pro tips on getting there, getting in, getting great cannabis and seeing the best shows. Read on for the Emerald Cup 2018 Schedule and Pro Tips.
Emerald Cup 2018 Cost and Address
When: December 15 and December 16, general admission begins at 10 a.m. both days and music performances are scheduled until 1 a.m. Saturday and 10 p.m. Sunday
Where: Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennet Valley Road, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404
Cost: $80 plus tax for a single day pass, between $150 and $500 plus tax for a full weekend pass.
Age limit: 21+ no exceptions
Weather forecast / dress: Mild to moderate rain is expected on both days, with temperatures at 58ºF. Wear warm, dry, water-proof shoes and layers of your best weed wardrobe.
Ticket required: Yes. Sales end the day before the intended date. Advance single day, advance weekend and weekend VIP passes are still available on the Emerald Cup website.
Can I bring my own food and bev?: No, you cannot.
What about my own cannabis? Bringing in cannabis is fine as long as it is compliant with state law or doctor’s recommendation limits. Keep it under one ounce. No turkey bags if you’re a recreational user.
Can I share my cannabis when I’m in there? Yes, that would be appreciated. Cannabis can be shared and consumed only within designated consumption areas. See map.
Any strain recommendations?
- Papaya by Str8 Organics
- Gelato relative Gello by Sherbinski
- Northern Fiore by Big Al’s Exotics
- Anything from Royal Budline
How to Get to Emerald Cup 2018
Best entry: There is one General Entrance.
Automobile: The best way to get to the Emerald Cup is by car, by far. If traveling by car, here are the Cup’s recommendations:
From Highway 101, take exit 7B to Highway 12 East towards Sonoma. Take the first exit of the right (South E Street Downtown) onto Bennett Valley Road and continue through the first stoplight. Just in front of you on your right will be the Sonoma County Event Center at the Fairgrounds.
If you are coming in from Highway 12, Westbound, take the Downtown exit, and turn left at the stop light onto Brookwood Avenue. The Fairgrounds will be ahead on your right after the stoplight.
Parking: You can park across the street from the fairgrounds, usually for $10 per day. Lock your car. Leave nothing of value in it. Auto burglars love big events.
You can also park in downtown Santa Rosa at Self Pay parking location and take a free Emerald Cup shuttle. Shuttle Pickups are:
- 7th St. Garage, 521 7th St.,
- 1st St. Garage, 555 1st St.,
- 2nd St. Garage, 97 D St. (2nd & D St.),
Emerald Cup 2018 Rules Inside
Smoking: The left half of the fairgrounds is almost all smoking-sanctioned past Finley Hall.
Lockers: There will be self-serve lockers for guests during the day or overnight. Anything left overnight in a day use locker will be thrown out. Lockers can be reserved for $20 a day or $35 for the weekend here
Shopping: There are five main shopping areas, PacEx Pavillion, Elyon Market, Flow Kana Market, FIELDZ and Cookies Village, and Emerald Cup Merch. The pavillion alone hosts over 100 booths, so check the map for your favorite brands’ placement.
Food: Over 30 munchies options organized around the Shade Park beer garden. There’s vegan food, noodles, chicken, pizza, barbeque, and three chefs performing live cooking demos.
Nearby Dinner: In N Out; Willie Bird’s Restaurant (American and cocktails); Pupuseria Salvadorena; Ca’Bianca (Italian); Yeti Indian Restaurant; Shogun | Japanese Restaurant; Bird & The Bottle
Nearby Attractions: Russian River Brewing Company; Third Street Aleworks; Railroad Square Historic District; Juilliard Park; Jack & Tony’s; The Lounge at La Rosa
Emerald Cup 2018 Event Map
Saturday Emerald Cup Schedule
(Courtest Emerald Cup)
Eight stages run all day for two days, presenting a heady amount of stuff to check out at this year’s Emerald Cup 2018. Here’s a condensed .pdf of the Emerald Cup 2018 event schedule. Below, we present your best bets at the biggest stages.
First Up: Kick the weekend off with the Opening Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. at the Harvest Stage hosted by Mighty Mickey, Nikki Lastreto, Kitty Wells and Ron Lincoln.
Strain of the Day: Papaya by Str8 Organics
Emerald Stage Saturday Picks
| Time | Title | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 p.m. | Mike Love | Mike Love of the Beach Boys |
| 9:15 p.m. | Protoje | What would a cannabis festival be without reggae? |
| 11:15 p.m. | Gogol Bordello | Genre-bending headliners will stir you from the haze of the day before you retreat to bed. |
Harvest Stage Saturday Picks
| Time | Title | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 2:45 p.m. | Jay and Silent Bob Get Old Smodcast | Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes (Mallrats anyone?) record an episode of their podcast with plenty of smoke breaks |
| 4 p.m. | Cannamaste 420 Ceremony | Chris Conrad, Nikki Lastreto, Swami, Mikki and Omar guide a celebration of 420 at 4:20 |
| 6:50 p.m. | Dirty Dozen Brass Band | They’ve got a tube and they know how to use it |
| 8:30 p.m. | Cut Chemist Chali 2NA | Jurassic 5’s Chali 2NA |
Garden Building Saturday Picks
| Time | Title | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. | Cannabis and Professional Sports | Al Harrington, Anna Symonds, Jim McAlpine, Greg Gerdeman |
| 1 p.m. | Beyond CBD: Cannabis Therapeutics and and Holistic Healing | Martin Lee discusses the healing potential of CBD |
| 4 p.m. | Cannabis, a Matter of Life and Death | Patrick Seifert, Sweetleaf Joe, Ellen Komp and Sean Kiernan |
| 6 p.m. | Psychedelic Feminism - Sacred Plant Spirit Medicine | Zoe Helene boasts one of the most-intriguingly titled presentations |
Finley Hall Saturday Picks
| Time | Title | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30 p.m. | Legalization and the Forgotten Victims of Prohibition | Adam Vine, Doug Bench, Heather Burke |
| 2:30 p.m. | Cannabis Spirituality | Swami Chaitanya, Nikki Lastreto, Mikki Norris, Chris Conrad and Omar Figueroa |
| 5 p.m. | FDA Approved Cannabis Bud | Rick Doblin |
| 6 p.m. | Micro-Dosing: From Cannabis to Psychedelics | Carolyn Garcia, Lex Pelger, Allan Badiner, Martin Lee |
Sunday Emerald Cup Schedule
(Courtesy Emerald Cup)
Pick of the Day: Willie Nelson and making history!
Strain of the Day: Pineapple Pezz by Grandifora Genetics
Emerald Stage Sunday Picks
| Time | Title | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 3 p.m. | Willie Nelson Award | The one and only. Willie Nelson receives his namesake award |
| 3 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. | Trophy Award Ceremony | The best of the best of their respective cannabis categories will receive glass-blown trophies as decided by category judges |
| 5 p.m. | Margot Price | Mom-to-be country singer Margot Price hits the stage |
| 7 p.m. | STS9 | End your night with some synths and electro beats |
Harvest Stage Sunday Picks
| Time | Title | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. | Elevaters | Going up! |
| 1:30 p.m. | Rising Appalachia | Get folky with sisters Chloe and Leah Smith |
| 6 p.m. | Flow Kana Farm to Bong Carving Competition | Who can make the best bong out of produce? |
| 6:30 p.m. | Funky Meters | Bluesy rock goodness |
Finley Hall Stage Sunday Picks
| Time | Title | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. | Hemp Business in California, Nationally and Globally? | David Bronner, Hanka Gabrielova, Patrick Goggin, Eric Steenstra |
| 2 p.m. | One Year Down and Into Permanent Regulation | Lori Ajax, Richard Parrott, Christina Dempsey, Amy Jenkins |
| 4:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. | Cooking Demonstrations | Chefs Joe Lewi, Luke Reyes and Fred |
Looking For Legal Cannabis? Leafly Has All Your Local Menus
Dispensaries Near Emerald Cup 2018
Explore California, legal, adult-use dispensaries for even more good times. Here’s five close by.
- SPARC – 1061 North Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa, CA is less than a ten-minute drive from the fairgrounds.
- Sonoma Patient Group – 2425 Cleveland Ave, Santa Rosa, CA
- Alternatives Health Collective – 1603 Hampton Way, Santa Rosa, CA is the closest and within walking distance.
- OrganiCann – 301 E Todd Rd, Santa Rosa, CA. This popular spot is a few miles down the road but popular with locals.
- Sonoma Medicinal Herbs – 3403 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa, CA
