ekoostik hookah

CADIZ — Bill Schmitt Jr., owner of Holistic Cloud, is proud to present the first-ever Ohio Valley Cannabis Cup this weekend, Sept.19-21. The event will be held at Breezy Acres Cannabis and Music Park (CAMP) in Cadiz.

Tickets will be available for purchase at the gate for $40 for the weekend, which includes parking and camping. Day passes will be available for $20. This is a 21 and over event.

The Ohio Valley Cannabis Cup is a competition to award the best cannabis home-growers in the Ohio Valley region and beyond, as well as a music festival and trade show.

The event is a celebration of hard-won freedoms and the spread of legalization of the community’s favorite plant. Prizes will be given to first-, second- and third-place finishers in cannabis flower and topical categories, with plans to expand to include a category for THC concentrates in the future. Top prize for the competition is a trip to Jamaica featuring tours of cannabis farms provided by 420 Compass, a cannabis-friendly travel company.

Schmitt, who is a Bellaire Village Council member and has been on the front lines of cannabis legalization in the state of Ohio, said he was excited to bring the event to the area.

“I’m thrilled to offer the cannabis community in the Ohio Valley and beyond a safe event to bond with like-minded people, welcome newcomers and celebrate the best home-growers in the region while also having a lot of fun with an exciting entertainment line-up, fantastic vendors and camping in the beautiful rolling hills of Breezy Acres CAMP in Harrison County,” he said.

Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved a measure legalizing recreational marijuana in 2023.

Informational seminars and talks will be presented all three days of the festival. Education Coordinator Isaac Wiegmann, owner of Thunderbarn Botanicals and an Ohio licensed hemp farmer, will have experts on-hand to impart knowledge on cannabis cloning methods and propagation techniques. There will be special focus on harvest, dry, trim and cure of cannabis plants as well as discussion on home processing of cannabis flower into oil and butters.

The festival will also highlight local arts and artists. Michael Alicea of Alicea Murals will act as the Gallery Curator for the 420 Art Center and Visual Arts Coordinator for the festival.

“The gallery will offer a way for festival-goers to fully immerse themselves in cannabis art and culture,” Alicea, also known as Artplug420, said. “I’ve selected really great artists to display works in the 420 Art Center. I can’t wait to elevate the festival by providing this cultural experience.”

The 420 Art Center will be located in the VIP lounge and artworks will be available for purchase.

Ohio Valley Gigs will provide production for all three nights of the festival. Musical entertainment begins on Friday evening with local bands Batch 80, Pyramid and Bad Boy Boogie.

The Saturday music line-up will feature Blind Fury, the hip-hop recording artist who dominated MTV and BET rap freestyle battles in the early 2000s, Chad Armes, members of The Council 2432, an Ohio-based hip-hop collective, and Kelz Kelz, the local rapper, realtor and community organizer. Saturday will also see Pittsburgh native Fungi Flows hosting a freestyle cypher on the main stage. Billy Blaize, Schmitt’s alter ego, and the WeedSuit Heroes may also take the stage throughout the night.

Sunday’s headliner will be ekoostik hookah. Known for its ability to feed off the crowd’s energy at live shows, the Ohio-grown band’s distinctive style incorporates many genres of music, from folk to psychedelic rock, bluegrass to blues, extended jams to rock-n-roll. Local favorites Bucket of Puppies, a five-piece Appalachian jam band, will take the stage just prior to ekoostik hookah.

Willy Mac’s Hippy Church, which spawned from improvisational performances at music festivals beginning in the ’90s, will kick off the entertainment on Sunday featuring hippie icon and Ohio Valley native Smilin’ Joe, Will Roth and many others in an improvised jam session. This edition of Willy Mac’s Hippy Church will be a fundraiser for William McCain, an Ohio music legend. John Welton will provide late night mobile entertainment and shenanigans.

Sunday night will cap off with the crowning of the winners of the Ohio Valley Cannabis Cup.

John Kanopsic, owner of Breezy Acres CAMP, will be on-site to enjoy the competition and festivities. “I’m happy to host the Ohio Valley Cannabis Cup here at the CAMP,” Kanopsic said. “This is a great way to celebrate the freedom we have in Ohio to grow and responsibly enjoy cannabis.”

Over 40 vendors will offer a wide variety of items for sale, from cannabis plants and grow equipment to food, coffee and specialty drinks to art and crafts. Festival goers can also compete in a video game tournament late Friday (Friday Night Fights), cornhole tournaments on all three days, and other games.

Breezy Acres CAMP is located at 46049 Stumptown Road, Cadiz, and offers 75 acres of camping and festival grounds.

For more about the festival, including the full entertainment lineup and contact information for sponsors, vendors and volunteers, go to www.OhioValleyCannabisCup.com.