20 March 9th–March 15th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | music | cafe | film | culTuRe | NighT+Day | feaTuRe | NeWs | OPiNiON | feeDBacK | cONTeNTs | have bongs, glassware, trays, rigs, and other accessories for sale. Attendees can also buy T-shirts and other apparel, handmade jewelry, or a wealth of other cannabis- inspired items. “I’ve had a guy selling potato sacks [decorated] to look like old cannabis sacks from the 1800s,” Neri says. “So there are all kinds of unique things you could buy.” Will There Be Music? Yes. An outdoor stage will host sets throughout the weekend by three different local bands, each from various genres. Funk ensemble Rio Grande will kick things off at 11 a.m. each day with a mix of both covers (their rendition of Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love” is quite awesome) and original songs. Indie hip-hop act Optimystical will bring its experimental sounds to the Errl Cup at 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. And because every good cannabis festival could use some irie vibes, reggae quartet The Conveyors will perform at 1 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. What Are the Bong Wars, Vape Wars, and Errl Wars? They’re three different competitions taking place on both Saturday and Sunday where Errl Cup attendees attempt to consume cannabis in its various forms as quickly as possible. The winners of each contest will earn bragging rights, a “championship chain,” and an enormous buzz. Bong Wars are a single-elimination tournament where 32 participants will pack and smoke fat bowls of flower from water pipes. Competitors go head-to-head and whoever smokes their bong load the fastest will move onto successive rounds, which feature progressively larger bowls. The battles start at 10:30 a.m. each day and run through approximately 3 p.m. Meanwhile, Vape Wars and Errl Wars will feature a similar setup, albeit involving vaping concentrates or oils (respectively). Neri says berths to the competitions are only available through the Arizona dispen- saries sponsoring each competition, such as Lake Havasu’s Farm Fresh Dispensary, which is putting on Bong Wars, or Tucson’s Earth Extracts, which is involved with Errl Wars. While the field of competi- tors is pretty much set, you might try contacting each sponsor to see if any invites are still available. But even if you aren’t participating, the contests can be fun to watch. Are There Any Other Competitions? Yes. There will be a joint-rolling compe- tition held each day. It’s open to any attendee and Neri says upward of 500 people typically compete. An Arizona Organix Dispensary gift bag will be awarded to whoever can roll a doobie the fastest. More information and signups will be available at the event. When Will the Winners Be Announced? According to Neri, winners will be revealed on stage throughout the weekend. Most of the categories will be announced on Saturday with winners of the concentrate and flower categories being announced on Sunday. Glass trophies will be awarded to each winner. What Are the Award Categories? Categories include various strains of flower, concentrate, and oils — including indica, sativa, hybrids, and CBD. They also have categories for edibles both sweet and savory; handcrafted products, such as joints, pre-rolls, moon rocks, and blunts; and topicals and tinctures separated by THC and CBD. “We try to recognize as many of the different avenues of products that are available in Arizona as possible,” Neri says. How Are the Winners Determined? Neri says each product — be it flower, concentrates, oils, or CBD — is evaluated by Errl Cup judges, who fill out a seven to 10-question survey, or tested for quality by labs. Organizers of the event then calculate a weighted score based on the results. Surveys make up 75 percent of the score and lab results count for 25 percent. How Can You Become A Judge? While Neri says the judging process for this year’s Errl Cup has already been completed, local cannabis users can apply to become judges for future events. Anyone interested can sign up through the Errl Cup website (theerrlcup.com) and fill out a short questionnaire. Organizers will then use a random number generator to pick judges a few weeks prior to an event and post videos of the selection process to their YouTube channel (youtube.com/c/theerrl- cupofficialpage). Judges will then receive kits with instructions on how to evaluate their particular cannabis product. Mike Madriaga A friendly vendor offers sample bong rips to Errl Cup attendees. Blaze from p 19
