EDMONTON, Alberta —
Canada’s top 13 buds will go head-to-head for the ultimate recognition of winning The Canadian Cannabis Championship powered by CCX at the Grow Up Conference & Expo, taking place at the Edmonton Convention Centre from May 28-30.
On Sunday, May 28, the 13 flower finalists will be judged by respected cannabis industry connoisseurs. New to the competition this year, the finalists, along with the 2022 winning product by Reef Organics, will be packaged into a one-of-a-kind pack featuring 14 x half gram pre-rolls. Consumers will have the opportunity to purchase the variety packs across Alberta, Saskatchewan and some parts of Manitoba ahead of the event, and vote online to determine which strain will take away the “2023 Fan Favourite” award. All final packaging was assembled by Zelca Ltd., a micro processor located in Calgary, Alberta.
Randy Rowe, President of Grow Up Cannabis Conference & Expo, looks forward to having the wider Alberta community take part in the awards through the introduction of the Fan Favourite award. “We are excited to offer this exclusive pre-roll pack and involve consumers in the judging process,” he said. “With hash entries open until April 1, we are eager to round out entries in this heavy-hitter category as well.”
With the second-largest retail market for cannabis in Canada, Alberta is a key province for the Canadian cannabis industry and home to several prominent licensed cannabis producers. Grow Up will attract industry-leading producers, growers, and cannabis thought leaders offering a major opportunity for the continued growth and success of the Canadian cannabis industry.
The top flower finalists include Great Gardener Farms, Truth Holdings, Distinkt Cannabis, Headstone Cannabis, Stewart Farms, North 40 Cannabis, Hatrick by JustFire, Black Rock Cannabis, Palm Gardens, Northside Grow Co., Origine Nature, Vertical 7, and Into the Weeds. All finalist testing for THC and terpenes was provided by Bluesky Analytics.
The onsite live judging will take place in the outdoor Grow Up Consumption Lounge. Judges will assess the products by four criteria:
Appearance: trim quality, trichome formation, density etc.
Aroma: terpenes, esters, aldehydes etc.
Ash: colour, texture and the burn test etc.
Enjoyment: overall experience and effects of the product.
Those unable to make the awards can watch the judging sessions through a livestream via Grow Up Conference and Expo social media.
First-place winners in each category of flower and concentrates will receive $1,000 cash courtesy of Canadian Cannabis Exchange and Grow Up, as well as thousands of dollars in LED lighting packages provided by Aelius LED and 20L of nutrients provided by REMO nutrients. First, second and third-place winners for each category will be announced live on Tuesday, May 30. The schedule for judging includes:
May 28 – flower judging
May 29 – hash judging
May 30 – winners announced
Enter The Canadian Cannabis Championship:
For brands, processors and licensed producers wanting to enter The Cannabis Cup in the concentrates category, all entries must be submitted by April 1, 2023: canadiancannabischampionship.com/submissions.
Some of the highlights this year include:
VIP Conference
Industry Conference
Brand and Buyer’s Zone
Meet the Exhibitors and Retail party
Industry Networking Party
Canadian Cannabis Championship
Seed Exchange
Masterclass Technical Series
Cannabis Science Symposium
Hash Zone
Consumption lounge – presented by Boveda
Certicraft Sensory Stage and much more.
Media accreditation:
To request media VIP passes and further information about attending the expo, please visit: growupconference.com/info/media-accreditation.
Exhibition booths, ticketing and registration for Grow Up Conference & Expo is now open. For further information, email [email protected].
About Grow Up Cannabis Conference & Expo
Grow Up Conference & Expo has been hailed a top cannabis industry event in Canada, hosting events in Niagara Falls, ON, Victoria, BC, and now Edmonton, AB. With decades of experience creating nationally renowned high-profile events, trade summits and shows around the world, Grow Up is committed to bringing forward-thinkers, trailblazers and experts together. For more information, visit growupconference.com.
