WILLITS, CA. 4/27/25 – Mendocino County cannabis growers will vie for growing the best cannabis in the county at the first annual Mendo Cup on Sunday in Willits, the Mendocino Producers Guild said.  

A jury of marijuana breeders, growers and certified cannabis sommeliers called “ganjiers” will blind-judge cannabis flowers submitted by 42 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 awarded during a ceremony co-hosted by comedian and activist Sherry Glaser. 

Attendees can 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 can 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. 

At the Mendo Cup, Lastreto wants to channel the early days of the Emerald Cup, 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.  

Today, the Emerald Cup takes place in Santa Rosa and draws thousands from around the world. Small producers are few and far between, with corporate brands and distributors dominating the festivities. 

The Mendo Cup takes place Sunday, May 4 at the Little Lake Grange, 291 School St., Willits. The event is 21 and over. Tickets are $20. More information is available at https://mendocinoproducersguild.org/buy-tickets-for-the-mendo-cup/.