Mendocino County cannabis growers will vie for growing the best cannabis in the county at the first annual Mendo Cup next Sunday in Willits.

According to the Mendocino County Producers Guild, a jury of marijuana breeders, growers and certified cannabis sommeliers called “ganjiers” will blind-judge cannabis flowers submitted by over 30 local small growers. According to the guild, all submissions must be grown in full sun conditions — no lights, no grow houses.

Awards for best flowers and breeder will be presented during a ceremony co-hosted by comedian and activist Sherry Glaser.

Attendees to the sold-out event will be able to meet the growers, who will display their flowers. The guild promises craft booths, food and exhibits about the history of cannabis in Mendocino County. And while onsite sales are prohibited, guests looking to partake in a joint will get to do so at the onsite outdoor smoking lounge with samples from local growers.

The Mendo Cup is about bringing it back to the basics, event producer Nikki Lastreto said.

Lastreto has seen the cannabis industry go from illegal backyard grows to a legal industry riddled with high taxes and red tape, making it financially unsustainable for many small growers.

She and her partner Swami Chaitanya are Laytonville-based activists and co-founders of Swami Select, a cannabis company.

“We are taking it back to the roots. It all started here, in the heart of the Emerald Triangle, in the County of Mendocino, where some of the best cannabis on the globe is grown.”

Nikki Lastreto, Mendo Cup organizer

At the Mendo Cup, Lastreto wants to channel the early days of the Emerald Cup in Laytonville, especially the opportunities for cannabis users to meet farmers and sample their locally grown flowers in the lounge.

“We are taking it back to the roots,” Lastreto said. “It all started here, in the heart of the Emerald Triangle, in the County of Mendocino, where some of the best cannabis on the globe is grown.”

The Emerald Cup was founded in 2004 in Laytonville to showcase organic, sun-grown cannabis. It was an intimate event, drawing hundreds of small growers, legalization activists and potheads from across the region.

The Emerald Cup took place in Santa Rosa for many years, before moving to Southern California, then Oakland. It drew thousands from around the world. Small producers were few and far between, with corporate brands and distributors dominating the festivities. No Emerald Cup is scheduled for 2025.

The Mendo Cup takes place Sunday, May 4, at the Little Lake Grange, 291 School St., Willits. Tickets were available online only and are sold out, but more information about the Mendocino County Producers Guild and other activities can be found on the group’s website.