SANTA ROSA, Calif., Nov. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Emerald Cup (the “Cup”), one of the cannabis industry’s premier culture and awards events, announced today the launch of Emerald Cup Charities, the philanthropic arm of the annual cannabis celebration. This year’s partnering charities focus on supporting people who have been imprisoned due to unjust cannabis-related laws and policies.

Emerald Cup Charities is donating a percentage of all Emerald Cup revenue from the 2018 event to Freedom Grow, this year’s feature organization. The Emerald Cup expects to raise $30,000 this year. Freedom Grow—an all-volunteer organization seeking to make a difference in the lives of non-violent people who have been imprisoned due to unjust cannabis-related laws—guarantees that 100 percent of the dollars donated to its organization will go directly to the prisoners of nonviolent, cannabis-related crimes.

“The Emerald Cup has been supporting non-violent cannabis prisoners through commissary donations, written letters and visits since the very first Cup in 2003. This is an issue I hold very close to my heart, and I’m thrilled to work with Freedom Grow as the featured organization at this year’s Cup,” said Tim Blake, Founder and Producer of the Emerald Cup.

Blake continued, “Thousands of people spend years behind bars, and over 3,000 people face the grim possibility of spending the rest of their lives in prison for nonviolent cannabis crimes. These people are still part of our community and deserve to live as comfortably as possible. Through our donation, prisoners will have greater access to the basic necessities in the commissary system—everything from hygiene products, phone calls, postage stamps, food and dozens of other items that we take for granted.”

The 15^th annual Emerald Cup will also feature its first-ever Cannabis Karma Bank, hosted by Freedom Grow, which was co-founded by prior cannabis convict, Stephanie Landa and Dina Browner, or “Dr. Dina” as nicknamed by Snoop Dogg. At the Karma Bank, attendees can make their very own “karma deposit” in support of cannabis convicts in the form of a written letter to a prisoner, signing a petition, or adopting a cannabis prisoner. Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet family members of cannabis prisoners, as well as those who were recently released from prison for nonviolent cannabis crimes.

In addition, Emerald Cup Charities also recently donated $10,000 to Cage Free Cannabis—a California-based organization rooted in reparative, economic and environmental justice—to be used for expungement tool kits which make it easier for recently released cannabis prisoners to clean their prior criminal records. The expungement tool kits allow them to have a fair chance in their job market and to participate in community activities without having a tainted record.

The Emerald Cup has grown into one of the largest, most influential cannabis events of the year and features a highly-curated experience for cannabis enthusiasts from around the world. This year’s celebration features musical acts, presentations from industry experts, artists and educators, as well an array of exhibitors and retailers offering food, products and entertainment. The Emerald Cup will also continue is annual competition with a careful and elaborate judging process, which spans across multiple categories including flowers, concentrates, edibles, CO2 cartridges, topicals and a range of CBD categories.

The annual cannabis celebration will take place on December 15 through 16, 2018. Tickets are available for purchase through the Emerald Cup website, as well as ticket retailer Eventbrite. Weekend passes start at $120 and attendees must be over the age of 21. This year’s event will be a celebration of the new ways of thinking and living within cannabis culture.

FESTIVAL DETAILS
The 15^th Annual Emerald Cup
Dates: Saturday, December 15, 2018 – Sunday December 16, 2018
Time: Doors open at 10 a.m. PST
Venue: Sonoma County Fairgrounds
Address: 1350 Bennett Valley Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Admission: Varies // Weekend Pass Starts at $120
Age restrictions: 21+

Purchase Links: 
General Admission
https://emeraldcup2018.eventbrite.com
​VIP Emerald Passes & Travel Packages
https://www.cidentertainment.com/events/emerald-cup/

Connect:
Emerald Cup – Website
Emerald Cup – Facebook
Emerald Cup – Twitter
Emerald Cup - Instagram

About The Emerald Cup
The Emerald Cup was created in 2003 to advance the concept of sustainable and organic cultivation through competition between the finest sun-grown organic cannabis. Its reputation is firmly solidified as the largest, most respected, organic, outdoor, medicinal cannabis competition in the world. The Emerald Cup prides itself in bringing together experts and educators in the cannabis field to our fellow farmers, patients, and patrons each year. It is a community celebration that has grown to become a global movement honoring the year’s finest, organic, sun-grown, medicinal cannabis harvest.

Press Contacts:
Annie Graf / Cynthia Salarizadeh
KCSA Strategic Communications
agraf@kcsa.com / cynthia@kcsa.com
786-390-2644 / 865-425-6160