The Experience
Ever wonder how the name 420 came to be associated with smoking pot? Some say it’s the number of ingredients in the herb, while others believe it to be the police code for a pot bust. Either way, if this kind of debate interests you then the Cannabis Cup is the place for you. For the liberal at heart that may not get to exercise the right to smoke pot legally in their home town, the Cannabis Cup is all that is marijuana liberation. Every November Amsterdam is home to the Cannabis Cup for a week. It’s no change from the ordinary for locals, but for those not able to partake in pot back home, the competition is the opportunity to visit various coffee shops competing intensely in different categories such as best marijuana, hashish, seed store and best hemp products, sample various pot based food such as hemp burgers, and find the latest paraphernalia. Started in 1987 by High Times editor Steven Hager the Cannabis Cup following has grown to attract thousands of tourists every year. Festivities include opening ceremonies, 4:20 parties both in the am and pm, tones of live music from blues to reggae, awards, friendly chit chat with other cup connoisseurs and of course a nonstop orgy of pot smoking. One misconception of some who attend is that weed consumed here is only be means of smoking, but all methods are fair game for the cup. No matter how you end up participating, may your Cannabis Cup runneth over!
When to Go to Cannabis Cup
To catch the Cannabis Cup competition be sure to leave your calendar open during Thanksgiving in later November for this annual occurrence. With over 400 coffee shops you can also make this venture a more personal one and head over on your own. If not limited to November by the competition, the next best time to hit up the rich culture of Amsterdam is in the Spring, between May and June.
Odds n' Ends
Passes to attend the festivities cost approximately $199 - $250 which includes entrance into all Cannabis Cup nightly concerts, daytime Expo center entry, counter culture guest speakers, giveaways, and coffee shop bus tours. You might also want to think about bringing your most laid back of attitudes as the time you spend here will surely bring you the most exquisite type of euphoria with no time to savor one strain of marijuana or anticipate the next.
Places to Stay Nearby
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B&B Colours in de Pijp is located in the heart of the popular De Pijp district and offer free parking on request. The Albert Cuypmarkt ... 0 miles away
$95 EUR+
In the heart of Amsterdam, you'll find the monumental building of Hotel 'Die Port van Cleve'. A hotel that combines history and hospitality with style ... 0 miles away
$67 EUR+
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More Experiences Nearby
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While You're There - Tours and Trips Nearby
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Books and DVDs
- Best of Amsterdam City Guide - Lonely Planet.com
- Europe's offbeat metropolis invites you to kick back, mellow out and let the good times roll. And with world-class museums, an entertainment scene that never stops and relaxed, canal-side living, there's never been a better time to visit.
- My 'Dam Life - Lonley Planet.com
- Sean Condon has moved to Amsterdam. He got married, and he's unemployed (what's worse, so is his wife).
- The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use (Paperback)
- This guide offers methods for growers who want to maximize the yield and potency of their crop. It explains the “Screen of Green” technique that gives a higher yield using fewer plants, an important development for American growers who, if caught, are penalized according to number of plants.
- The Cannabis Cookbook: Over 35 Tasty Recipes for Meals, Munchies, and More (Paperback)
- Great marijuana recipes from munchies to meals!
Elsewhere on the Web
- Cannabis Cup - Offical Site
- Cannabis Cup - Wikipedia.com
- The Cannabis Cup is a festival that was started in 1987 by High Times editor Steven Hager, who came to The Netherlands for an interview with the founder of the first Dutch cannabis-seed company.
- The 20th Cannabis Cup - HighTimes.com
- The Cannabis Cup has a center of gravity, and I can feel it.
- Coffee Shops Amsterdam - grass-a-matazz.com
- Listing of Coffee Shops in Amsterdam
- Coffee Shop Guide - 420Tours.com
- We've put together a gallery of Coffeeshops so you can see exactly where you'll be going- that is if you're coming to the Cannabis Cup.
- Travel Rerport Netherlands - Voyages.gc.ca
- WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Media References
- Condé Nast Traveler - November 2007 (magazine)
- Cannabis Cup draws pot perfectionists to Amsterdam - Canada.com (newspaper)
- Cannabis connoisseurs in their thousands have descended on the Dutch capital of Amsterdam this week to sample and select the winners of the 20th annual Cannabis Cup competition.
- HOW POT HAS GROWN - NY Times.com (newspaper)
- In a rented hall on the outskirts of Central Amsterdam, a couple of hundred American gardeners gathered over a holiday weekend not long ago to compare horticultural notes, swap seeds, debate the merits of various new hybrids and gadgets and, true to their kind, indulge in a bit of boasting about their gardens back home.
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Language Guides
Indonesian 
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Turkish
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Vietnamese
are some of the languages spoken in Netherlands. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!
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