FILE - A prepared flower bud of marijuana at a shop on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

WILLITS, CA., 3/9/26 – Mendocino County cannabis farmers are invited to enter the second annual Mendo Cup, a competition celebrating local sun-grown cannabis, organizers said. 

The event, produced by the Mendocino Producers Guild, is scheduled for May 3 at the Little Lake Grange in Willits. Tickets for the event are now on sale – and last year sold out fast.  

Local cultivators invited to submit sun- and moon-grown flowers 

The competition is open to licensed Mendocino County cultivators with farms of 10,000 square feet or less of canopy. Submitted cannabis flowers will be evaluated through blind judging by a panel of industry professionals. Entry forms can be found here

The guild said a portion of the revenue generated from the event will be shared among participating farmers. 

The move comes as many small cannabis farms across Mendocino County struggle with falling wholesale prices, high taxes and competition from the illicit market in the wake of legalization.  

FILE – Jesse Robertson of Sticky Fields near Willits, Calif. holds his award for Best Breeder at the inaugural Mendo Cup on Sunday, May 4, 2025 in Willits, Calif. Robertson also won second place for Best Flower for his “King’s Poison.” (Mike Rosati/Mendocino Producers Guild via Bay City News)

Event draws hundreds  

Last year’s event drew a sold-out crowd of 400 cannabis enthusiasts and cultivators to -Little Lake Grange, coming together to celebrate the grassroots culture that put Mendocino County and the tri-county “Emerald Triangle” on the map for growing the best weed in the world.  

The event features an outdoor lounge with samples to try, food and drink vendors, artisans selling their wares and history displays. The afternoon culminates in the awarding of the Mendo Cup to the grower of the best bud, as chosen by a panel of breeders, growers and “ganjiers,” or certified cannabis sommeliers.  

The Mendo Cup is open to guests 21 and older, and tickets start at $30. Tickets are likely to sell out before mid-April. Learn more at https://www.themendocup.org/.  

Sarah Stierch covers breaking news and more for The Mendocino Voice. Reach her at sarah@mendovoice.com.

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