How do I take public transportation to get to the Cannabis Cup?

by Steven Hager, Tue Nov 3, 2009

Do you know the metro number for the PowerZone and also the tram number to get to the Melkweg? Ira

For detailed instruction on the tram to the PowerZone watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/templedragon420#p/u/92/j7OaAncu0T8

Melkweg tram:
Leidseplein can be reached via trams 1, 2 and 5 (about 10 minutes from Amsterdam Central Station) and lines 6, 7 and 10 (about 7 minutes from the metro station Weesperplein). The bus routes 170, 171, 172 and the late-night busses 72, 73, 74 and 78 also stop at Leidseplein.

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When's the best day to arrive at the Cannabis Cup?

by Steven Hager, Thu Oct 29, 2009

Hey,
Me and my guy wanted to get some advice for coming out to Amsterdam. We were really trying to make it out for the Cup this year however some things with school came up, but we're still dead on making it out there. When is it better to be out there, the weekend before or after?
Appreciated
-Danny

ANSWER: The best time to arrive at the Cannabis Cup is Friday, Nov. 20th, or Saturday Nov. 21st, the week-end before the event officially starts on Sunday. That way you get a jump on the coffeeshop crawl and get registered before the lines develop.

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Seed Company Competitors for the 22nd Cup

by Steven Hager, Thu Oct 22, 2009

1) Allstar Genetics
asgseeds.com
2) Amnesia Seeds
3) Apothecary Genetics
apothecarygenetics.com Available after Feb 2010
4) Asturjaya Seeds
5) The Attitude Seedbank
cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk
6) AutoFem Seeds
autofem.com
7) Barney’s Farm
barneys.biz
8) BC Bud Depot
bcbuddepot.com
9) Big Buddha Feminized
bigbuddhaseeds.com
10) Bonguru Seeds
Bonguruseeds.com
11) Cali Connection Seeds
thecaliconnection.com
12) DinaFem Seeds
dinafem-seeds.com
13) DNA Genetics
dnagenetics.net
14) Finest Medicinal Seeds
15) Flying Dutchman Seeds
16) Green House Seeds
greenhouseseeds.nl
17) Greenlife Seeds
greenlifeseeds.com
18) Greenthumb Seeds
drgreenthumb.com
19) Homegrown Fantaseeds
homegrown-fantaseeds.com
20) Hortilab Seeds
www.hortilab.nl
21) …READ MORE

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Final list of Coffeeshop Competitors for 22nd Cup

by Steven Hager, Thu Oct 22, 2009

1 Boerenjongens
Baarsjesweg 239
2 Bij
Bonairestraat 78
3 Coffeeshop Ocean
Dusartstraat 57
4 Katsu
Eerste van der Helststraat 70
5 Mellow Yellow
Vijzelsgracht 33
6 The Bushdocter
Thorbeckeplein 28
7 Rusland
Rusland 16
8 The Bluebird
St. Antoniesbreestraat 71
9 Green Place
Kloveniersburgwal 4
10 Stones Coffeeshop
Warmoesstraat 59
11 Stones Cafe (bar)
Warmoesstraat 91
12 420 Cafe
Oudebrugsteeg 27
13 De Kroon
Oudebrugsteeg 26
14 Betty Boop
Nieuwezijds Kolk 12
15 Prix D’Ami
Haringpakkerssteeg 3
16 Resin
Hekelveld 7,
17 Dampkring
Haarlemerstraat 44
18 Green House United
Haarlemerstraat 64
19 Barney’s
Haarlemmerstraat 102
20 Amnesia
Herengracht 131
21 Grey Area
Oude Leliestraat 2
22 …READ MORE

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Interview with the Holland Times

by Steven Hager, Thu Oct 22, 2009

1. As creator of the Cannabis Cup, can you tell me what inspired this event? 
I first came to Amsterdam to write about the Seed Bank, a company started by Nevil Shoenmaker in the late 1980s. While I was in town to interview Nevil, I ran into some American seed merchants who had come to sell Nevil strains. They told me about the harvest festivals that had happened in California before an intensive marijuana crackdown known as C.A.M.P. (campaign against marijuana propagation) stopped them. I immediately thought of holding a similar harvest festival in Amsterdam, where it would be legal.
2. There have been 21 Cups in Amsterdam so far - Why did you choose this city for the Cup?
At the time the Cup started, the Netherlands was the only country in the world that tolerated the sale of cannabis to adults.
3. How many participants do you expect this year? Where are the majority from?
Around 3,000 people show up for the Cannabis Cup. They come from …READ MORE

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Final Schedule 22nd Cannabis Cup

by Steven Hager, Tue Oct 20, 2009

22nd High Times Cannabis Cup Schedule
Friday, Nov. 20: Judges Registration at the PowerZone, noon to 5 PM
Saturday, Nov 21: Judges Registration at the PowerZone, noon to 5 PM
Sunday, Nov. 22: Expo opens at 2 PM at the PowerZone
2 PM David Peel performs
3 PM Changes in Dutch Marijuana Policy: What the future holds by Joep Oomen and Jacqueline Woerlee
5 PM Cultivation Seminar with Arjan
7 PM Steven Hager on Tom Forcade
8 PM Old Hall Melkweg: Opening Ceremonies, pre-test winners announced
9 PM Old Hall Melkweg: Easy Star All Stars
Monday Nov. 23: Expo open noon to 8 PM at the PowerZone
1 PM Erik from Hydro Secrets
3 PM Cultivation Seminar with DNA Seeds
5 PM Cultivation Seminar with Nico
7 PM Rick Simpson
9 PM Melkweg Old Hall: Yellowman
10 PM Melkweg Max: Gomez
Tuesday Nov. 24: Expo open noon to 8 PM at the PowerZone
1 PM Emperor Wears No Clothes film …READ MORE

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Cup Well Worth the Price

by Steven Hager, Fri Oct 9, 2009

For the newbies that don't understand what's going on.... there's a certain dude who posts almost all the hate on this site telling people the Cup is a "ripoff." Truth is, the cultivation seminars alone are well worth the price of admission. Forget about five nights of world class bands and performers, free event t-shirt, free program guide, private bus shuttles and all the schwag the shops give judges. Does it help to know this hater runs his own (poorly attended) imitation Cannabis Cup at a different time of the year? And he can't stand the fact that his event attracts no one while ours brings people from all corners of the globe? Check out the price of a cultivation class at Oaksterdam, and then realize that many of the top growers of the world will be giving classes every day at the expo. Do you want to rub shoulders with the world's biggest pot stars? Then come to the Cup.

tags: cannabis cup, cannabis cup blog, cannabis cup news 19    « add a comment

History of the Cannabis Cup Winners

by Steven Hager, Mon Oct 5, 2009

Who has won the most Cannabis Cup awards for pot and hash? While Greenhouse (coffeeshop and seed company) leads the pack, over the last five years, Barney's (coffeeshop and seed company) has dominated. This is a rough estimate, but it shows the vast number of shops and seed companies that have won awards over the years. If you add De Dampkring and Kiwi together, their total is 31. Sensi and White Label are also affiliated for a total of 12.
Greenhouse 60
Barneys 46
De Dampkring 23
Grey Area 19
Sensi Seeds 11
Paradise Seeds 10
Amnesia  Seeds 9
Kiwi Seeds 8
Seed Bank 8
Homegrown Fantasy 8
Bluebird 6
THSeeds 6
Katsu 6
Serious Seeds 5
Rockerij 5
Soma Seeds 5
BC Bud Depot 4
Big Buddha Seeds 4
Dutch Passion 4
Reserva Privada 3
Apothecary Seeds 3
DNA Genetics 3
Sagarmatha Seeds 3
Resin Seeds 3
The Green Place …READ MORE

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22nd Cannabis Cup Coffeeshop Competitors

by Steven Hager, Thu Oct 1, 2009

Twenty six Amsterdam coffeeshops have registered for the 22nd Cannabis Cup: here's the list:

1 Boerejongens
2 Bo
3 Dolphins
4 Happy Feelings
5 Stones Coffeeshop
6 Stones Bar
7 De Rokerij
8 The Noon
9 Katsu
10 Mellow Yellow
11 Bushdocter
12 Bluebird
13 Greenplace
14 Rusland
15 De Tweede Kamer
16 Softland
17 Grey Area
18 Amnesia
19 Homegrown Fantasy
20 Betty Boop
21 420 Cafe
22 De Kroon
23 Resin
24 De Dampkring
25 Greenhouse United
26 Barney's

tags: cannabis cup, cannabis cup blog, cannabis cup news 27    « add a comment

Speakers at the 22nd Cup

by Steven Hager, Mon Sep 21, 2009

Rick Simpson: Freedom Fighter of the Year
For the past five years Rick Simpson has been treating patients with a wide variety of diseases and disorders with a homemade cannabis oil. He has cured hundreds of patients with cancer, some of whom were stage-four and given only days to live. He will be speaking at the Expo on Monday, Nov. 23 at 7 PM.

David Peel signed to Apple Records while being managed by Tom Forcade. He will be performing and remembering Tom at the Expo on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 3 PM.

Arjan Roskum is the founder of Green House coffeeshop and seed company. He will be giving a cultivation seminar at the Expo on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 5 PM.

Steven Hager is the founder of the Cannabis Cup and Creative Director of HIGH TIMES. He will be showing video of Tom Forcade at the Expo on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 7 PM.

Don and Aaron of DNA Genetics will be giving a cultivation seminar at the Expo on Monday, Nov. 23 at 3PM.
READ MORE

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Bands at this year's Cup

by Steven Hager, Wed Sep 16, 2009

Gomez
Gomez received the distinguished Mercury Music Prize for 1998 Album of the Year in England. They will be performing at the Barney's party at the Melkweg Max at 10 PM on Monday, Nov. 23.

Slightly Stoopid
Fresh off the biggest stoner summer tour of the year, this Ocean Beach, California, band plays a fusion of acoustic reggae, hip-hop, rock and punk. They are performing at the Green House party at the Melkweg Max at 10 PM on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Barrington Levy
After releasing many hit singles with Roots Radics, Levy became one of Jamaica's biggest stars in the 1980s and continues to work with many of the world's top bands and musicians. He will be performing at 10 PM at the DNA Genetics party at the Melkweg Max on Wednesday, Nov. 25..

Jefferson Starship
Known originally as Jefferson Airplane, this seminal San Francisco psychedelic rock band of the 1960s became one of the most successful arena rock bands of …READ MORE

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22nd Cup Preliminary Schedule of Events

by Steven Hager, Wed Aug 26, 2009

Tentative 22nd High Times Cannabis Cup Schedule (all events at the PowerZone unless otherwise indicated; www.thepowerzone.nl, concerts at the Melkweg, www.melkweg.nl)
Friday, Nov. 20: Judges Registration at the PowerZone, noon to 5 PM
Saturday, Nov 21: Judges Registration at the PowerZone, noon to 5 PM
Sunday, Nov. 22: Expo opens at 2 PM at the PowerZone

3 PM David Peel
5 PM Cultivation Seminar with Arjan
7 PM Steven Hager on Tom Forcade
8 PM Old Hall Melkweg: Opening Ceremonies, pre-test winners announced
9 PM Old Hall Melkweg: Easy Star All Stars
Monday Nov. 23: Expo open noon to 8 PM at the PowerZone
1 PM Erik from Hydro Secrets
3 PM Cultivation Seminar with DNA Seeds
5 PM Cultivation Seminar with Nico

7 PM Rick Simpson
9 PM Melkweg Old Hall: Yellowman
10 PM Melkweg Max: Barney's party with Gomez
Tuesday Nov. 24: Expo open noon to 8 PM at the PowerZone
3 PM …READ MORE

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Where do I go to pick up my judges pass?

by Steven Hager, Fri Aug 21, 2009

You pick up your pass at the PowerZone, which is located in a shopping center on Spaklerweg street in the eastern part of Amsterdam. Registration starts on Friday, Nov. 20th and continues throughout the event.

During the event, a bus shuttle runs from the front of the Victoria Hotel across the street from Central Station. This free bus is for Cannabis Cup judges only. On Sunday November 22, you can ride the bus early in the day by telling them you have to register to get your credentials. After Sunday, you will need credentials to ride the bus. However, the quickest way to get to the PowerZone is to ride the subway (Metro) which is located just outside Central Station. Follow the signs underground and buy a pass. There is an instructional video on YouTube that exactly describes this process here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7OaAncu0T8

Here are directions to the Power Zone, taken from www.thepowerzone.nl:

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
From Central Station …READ MORE

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Want tickets for Gomez?

by Steven Hager, Fri Aug 21, 2009

Q. I want to book tickets for the Gomez gig but I cannot find where to get the ticket? Can you advise me?

A. The only ticket on sale now is the judges pass for $250. That pass includes an event program guide, map, t-shirt, admission to all concerts, ceremonies, seminars and the expo for five days and nights, bus shuttle service, and the right to vote.

Some single ticket sales for concerts will be made available at www.melkweg.nl, but these tickets are not yet available.
 

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Concert Update, Gomez in

by Steven Hager, Sun Aug 16, 2009

Tentative Cannabis Cup Melkweg Schedule
Sunday, Nov. 22
Old Hall: 9 PM Easy Star All Stars
Monday Nov. 23
Max: 10 PM Gomez (Barney's party)
Old Hall: 9 PM Yellowman? not confirmed

Tuesday Nov. 24
Max: 10 PM Slightly Stoopid (Green House party)
Old Hall: 9 PM Drive By Wire

Wednesday Nov. 25
Max: 10 PM Barrington Levy (DNA party)
Old Hall: 9 PM TK

Thursday Nov. 26
Max: 9 PM: Cannabis Cup Awards Show followed by Jefferson Starship, Quicksilver Messenger Service
Old Hall: 11 PM: The Pomorians

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