The High Times Cannabis Cup this weekend kicks off a season of medical marijuana-themed events at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino.

Even with five other marijuana-centric events planned at the San Bernardino center, plus a marijuana-themed 5K walk, San Bernardino resident William Cioci, president of the Brownie Mary Democratic Club of San Bernardino County, said that the Cannabis Cup has special significance.

“It’s a good one to start with,” said the 44-year-old medical-marijuana user. “It’s a big name (High Times) that brings the most attention. It usually brings in the largest crowd.”

The Cannabis Cup presented by High Times, a New York-based monthly magazine devoted to cannabis, travels to San Francisco in June, as well as Denver, Portland and Clio, Mich. The two-day San Bernardino event starts at noon on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8.

The musical headliners are Florida hip-hop artist Rick Ross and B-Real of Cypress Hill. B-Real has been a longtime marijuana advocate and was honored with the High Times Stoner of the Year award last year for his work supporting the drug’s legalization efforts nationwide.

This year, High Times editor-in-chief Dan Skye said there is slated to be 400 vendors at the local Cannabis Cup that he expects will attract a crowd of at least 20,000.

“It’s a great networking opportunity for people in the (medical marijuana) industry or for people just entering it,” Skye said, adding that there’s a panel titled “How to Get a Top Pot Job in the Cannabis Industry” presented by Weedhire, a career website specifically for employment within the legal cannabis industry.

A medical card is not needed to enter the expo, but attendees must be age 18 and older. A doctor’s recommendation or California medical card is also needed to consume cannabis on site, though Skye added there would be an area on site for people to get medical recommendations.



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High Times SoCal Medical Cannabis Cup

When: Noon Feb. 7-8, for ages 18 and older. A medical card is not needed to attend the expo, but a doctor’s recommendation or California medical card is needed to consume cannabis on site.

Where: National Orange Show Events Center, 689 S. E St., San Bernardino.

Admission: $35 pass for Feb. 8 only, which includes cannabis cup awards show; $45 pass for Feb. 7 only, which includes Rick Ross concert; $150 VIP plus fees for both days including express VIP entry, T-shirt, access to High Society Lounge and more; $420 plus fees includes premium reserved seating at the Cannabis Cup awards show on Sunday night, VIP viewing area access at the Rick Ross concert Saturday and more. $5 parking fee

Information: cannabiscup.com