Grubbycup's Top Event Tips

After attending a recent Cup, I realized that a few event tips might help those who have never been to such an event, but plan on doing so.

The San Francisco High Times Medical Cup was held on the 28^th and 29^th of June, 2014, at the Sonoma Fairgrounds in Sonoma, California. Luckily for me, my GPS already had the coordinates saved from when I attended an Emerald Cup at the same location.

Here are a few tips that a Gentle Reader should know before attending such an event:

Have realistic expectations of what you are going to experience.
These sorts of events are similar to trade shows with Cannabis. The events tend to be very young adult-oriented, and the music played tends to be very modern - and very loud. Many of the booths are professional and slick (as a side note, if anyplace still does a hippie-type fair with lots of artisan crafts, please contact me with details.)

Make sure to print out your ticket in advance.
Also, make sure you have your identification and a current Cannabis card, if needed. While many early shows had an event with a small Cannabis consumption section, in most modern

events, if there is a Cannabis section it tends to contain the majority of the expo booths. If you are in a medical state it may not be worthwhile to attend without a card. Obviously in free states, such as Colorado and Washington, a Cannabis card is generally not needed.

Wear weather-appropriate, comfortable clothing.
The Sonoma event was hot, and there was not a lot of shade in which to relax. Wear comfortable shoes, since a lot of time is spent walking around to see the variety of booths and vendors.

Eat something before you attend.
The tasty treats at events are often delicious and occasionally medicated. They can be a delight, especially when under the influence of Cannabis and Cannabis extracts. However, standing in long lines for expensive fair fare while you are hungry and hot can be unpleasant, so it is nice for the food there to be more of an option than a plan. At this particular event, I found the food lines to be longer than I was willing to wait for, so not feeling like I was starving helped me have an enjoyable experience. Over-eating is not recommended, as the toilet facilities at events

tend to be questionable at best.

Consider arriving 'fashionably late'.
The line to enter an event right when it opens may be long, but generally an hour or two later the line is at a much more reasonable length. As an alternative, arrive early and get to know some of the other folks in line with you. It is a fair excuse to meet at least a handful of new people and make small talk.

If possible, find out in advance what you can and cannot take in with you.
If you do take something that might be prohibited, make sure that it is something that you can ditch, if need be. Without thinking, I brought a few seeds and pipes as gifts to folks, and did not find out until I was in line that bringing in outside glass was prohibited (okay, so it worked out fine for me that time, but it could have meant a long walk back to the car or the loss of the pipes if things had gone slightly differently). Usually, a personal use amount of weed is allowed, but it is best to check before the event to make sure.

Set a budget.

Decide in advance how much you are willing to spend on the day, when your mind is clear - not once inside, when you are stoned and looking at the pretty baubles. If something catches your eye in an expensive impulse-buy kind of way, take note of the booth and come back in an hour or so. If it still sounds like a good idea, at least you tried to think about it some first. I wound up getting a nice little stash carry pouch for $15.

Once inside, make sure to walk by every booth at least once.
You never know what treasures you will uncover, or who you will run into. If you see someone that you would like to say hello to, walk up and say hello. I ran into Kyle Kushman, Subcool and Ed Rosenthal at the event (these are acquaintance friends of mine; I gave them each a pack of Grubbycup's Stash seeds). Folks in their line of work attend these sorts of events for the exposure and to greet fans, so do 'not be bashful about meeting them. The same can be said for the scantily-clad 'trade show girls', but keep in mind that these wee lasses are professional models who are there to draw attention to products. Treat them respectfully and give them their personal space.

Stay hydrated, especially if you are not used to being outside and active.
Use sunscreen on exposed skin if needed and rest when your body tells you to. Chronic Iced Teas are at a lot of events at two for $5, which is often cheaper than the alternatives. I try to keep an eye out for them at events where plain bottled water can go for similar prices.

Consider taking advantage of purchasing seeds directly from the breeder booths.
Make sure that the pricing is in line with normal rates, but the freshest, newest, latest and greatest can often be had by going directly to the source.

Sample and consume if you desire, but politely decline once you are comfortably high.
The good news is that Cannabis events tend to have fewer violent incidents than alcohol-centric events; the bad news is that at almost every Cannabis event I have attended, a few folks overindulge themselves into outer space and an ambulance gets called. If you do not frequently consume concentrates, use in moderation and allow the effects to be felt before continuing to consume.

Above all, have fun!

The awards went to:

Sativa
First: Cracker Jack
Second: Silver Haze
Third: Tangerine Haze

Indica
First: Chem Scout
Second: Paris OG
Third: XXX OG Kush

Hybrid
First: Thin Mint Cookies
Second: Kush Company OG Kush
Third: Deathstar

Peace, love and puka shells,
Grubbycup