36 Oct 5th–Oct 11th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | music | cafe | film | culTuRe | NighT+Day | feaTuRe | NeWs | OPiNiON | feeDBacK | cONTeNTs | Ganja Games Your ultimate guide to the fall Errl Cup 2023 cannabis festival. BY TJ L’HEUREUX O n Oct. 7 and 8, the fog of war will descend on Mesa. Or, perhaps it would be more fitting to say, the haze of war. Brave stoners of every ilk will do battle in the Bong War, the Vape War and of course, the Errl War and this fall’s Errl Cup. But even if you’re not ready for the stoner wars, you can still snag free weed. What started as an event for a smaller group of medical marijuana patients has become the largest cannabis awards and festival in Arizona with biannual events held in Mesa and Camp Verde. An essential celebration of the plant, the festival has opportunities for medical and recreational tokers to interact with vendors and growers. Jim Morrison and Jay Neri co-founded Errl Cup in 2015 to connect the community of medical marijuana users. The festival’s name comes from the slang term for cannabis oil. “We never had a place to go. We never had a place to congregate and gather,” Morrison said. “When you get everyone together, we have a really good community. Everyone who has come has really valued the experience.” Rooted in plant medicine Morrison’s passion for cannabis stems from watching his sister battle multiple sclerosis, an incurable, disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord that can lead to paralysis. Although medication can help keep some symptoms of MS at bay, it comes at a heavy price. Morrison’s sister spent $10,000 on her first month of MS medica- tion. But according to Morrison, the medi- cation wasn’t worth the money. “It seemed like cannabis worked better than that medicine did,” he said. “It used to do well for her. It used to keep her energy levels up.” After his sister succumbed to the disease, Morrison teamed up with Neri to pay homage to the plant that provided her some relief. The original concept of Errl Cup was a patient appreciation festival to recognize and reward high-quality cannabis products — in effect, “bringing accountability and regulation to the unreg- ulated cannabis industry,” according to the Errl Cup website. The Errl Cup has changed quite a bit since recreational use became legal in 2020, according to Morrison. Recreational users now make up 60% of the attending crowd, he noted. Still, at its core, the event remains about educating consumers and celebrating the best weed in town. How to register Register online through Errl Cup’s website. When and where This fall’s Errl Cup will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Thompson Event Center, 1901 North Alma School Road in Mesa, just north of Loop 202. The venue also is known as Scarizona Scaregrounds during the Halloween season. The event is outdoors, so a hat and sunglasses are advised. Tickets, hours and admission The Errl Cup runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. But when you can enter Errl Cup depends on what kind of ticket you have. For both days, the following people can enter at the following times: 9 a.m.: Attendees with VIP tickets ($75 per day) 10 a.m.: Medical marijuana card- holders (free entrance) 11 a.m.: Folks with fast passes ($25 per day) Noon: Everyone else (free entrance) VIP tickets do not come with an earlier entrance, but there is a special hang-out lounge with access to shade, rigs, food and extra swag from sponsors. The fast pass ticket gets you in an hour earlier than free attendees. Other lounges There will also be a special area for patients, a veterans’ lounge and a cannabis industry lounge, entrance to which requires a valid DA or FA card — if you don’t know what that is, you’re not in the industry. Age requirements Any adult who is at least 21 years old, or 18 with a medical marijuana card from states where it is legal, will be allowed to attend. You’ll just need a government-issued ID and if you’re a medical patient, your card. No children will be allowed to enter the event. Getting there and parking Morrison encourages attendees to catch a ride to the event or take mass transit. Parking — $20 per vehicle — is available at 1150 N. Alma School Road. A bus shuttle at the parking lot will take people to and from Errl Cup. Security Attendees must go through a metal detector and have their bags and back- packs searched. Bringing cannabis to the event The bottom line is the sale of outside products is not allowed, but attendees can bring outside cannabis in small amounts for personal use. That includes flower, sealed packages of edibles, vapes and even dab rigs. Last year, organizers said if it looks like you’ve got more than an ounce, you can’t bring it in. Sorry, Wiz Khalifa. But vendors most certainly will be handing out free products, which you can take home. What you can’t bring Weapons of any kind, any illegal substances, pets unless they’re service dogs, and outside food and beverages — the exception being a sealed bottle of water or packet of edibles — are not allowed. Food Got a case of the munchies? It’s a tale as old as time. A range of food trucks will be on-site, each offering a different type of eats. Drinks Nonalcoholic beverages such as water, juice, soda and energy drinks will be available for sale at reasonable prices. No alcohol is available at the event. It’s a puri- tanical stoner’s Garden of Eden. Live music An outdoor stage will host sets from bands. Playing is Arizona’s own the Conveyors, a reggae group, and Addiction Journals from Las Vegas. Sponsors The event’s main sponsors are Cookies, Nirvana, Supernormal and Bud Bros. Vendors There will be more than 100 booths at Errl Cup, including 30 to 40 wholesalers and dispensaries, according to Morrison. Many vendors are small local businesses in their early stages. For new producers, it’s an opportunity to connect with the community and showcase their work. The booths also belong to smoke shops, retailers, artisans and more. Morrison said that curiously, even real estate company Keller Williams will have a booth. Attendees can sample free cannabis ranging from flower to concentrates, and other booths will be selling bongs, glass- ware, clothing and jewelry related to cannabis in one way or another. Bong, Vape and Errl Wars The most notable booths are the festival’s “games,” as Morrison calls them. Inspiration for the events struck him as he was watching the NCAA’s March Scenes from the Errl Cup in October 2022, which included dozens of vendors, the Bong War and other contests, food and merch and free weed. (Photos by Mike Madriaga) | CANNABIS |
