At Head Magazine, we love our growers! In collaboration with The Mendo Cup, we are proud to announce the 2026 Mendo Cup, which will be held May 3 in Northern California. The event celebrates sun- and moon-grown-cannabis farmers in Mendocino County. 

This year, all revenue generated by the event will be evenly divided among the farmers who enter the competition. “This is the only Cup that shares profit with farmers,” said organizer Nikki Lastreto in the event’s press release. “We are truly a Cup for the Community.”

Enter by April 8 here if you are a cannabis farmer whose farm:

  • Is located in Mendocino County, California
  • Has a current cultivation license issued by the state of California
  • Has no more than 10,000 square feet of canopy
  • Uses regenerative practices and produces full-term, full-sun flowers

For additional requirements and detailed instructions, click here.

The Mendo Cup is returning for its second year to the Little Lake Grange in Willits, California, on May 3, 2026. The event is Mendocino County’s premier sun- and moon-grown cannabis competition, featuring local licensed farms, anonymized blind judging and – for the first time – a new standard for honoring the small farmers who participate.

Event attendees will get to:

  • Socialize with local cannabis farmers and artisans
  • Enjoy tasty snacks from on-site vendors
  • Relax in the outdoor consumption lounge as music plays in the background
  • Enjoy the fun of celebrating the harvest as a community

Tickets are limited and must be bought in advance, as none will be sold at the door. To purchase them, click here.

Head Magazine joins The Mendo Cup in saying, “May the best weed win!”

Keep the love growing!

Head Magazine has shown cannabis farmers love in many of our articles over the years. We’ve covered:

Mendocino County kicked off the world’s first cannabis appellation system, as we cover in “Cannabis Terroir: Weed’s Induction Into High Society Is a Win for Everyone.”

Head Magazine receives no kickbacks for promoting this event; nor do we receive any of the event’s proceeds.

Kathleen Hearons is a writer, editor, linguist and voice over actor from Los Angeles. She specializes in creative writing and research-intensive analysis and reporting.

 

Sources & Suggested Reading

Chistov, Serge. “Responsible Marijuana Practices Are Critical for Our Planet: Customers Will Force Sustainability In the Cannabis Industry With Their Wallets.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://headmagazine.com/responsible-marijuana-practices-are-critical-for-our-planet/. 

Darkwah, Joel. “Indoor vs Sun Grown Cannabis – Is There a Difference?.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://headmagazine.com/indoor-vs-sun-grown-cannabis-is-there-a-difference/. 

Hearons, Kathleen. “Cannabis Terroir: Weed’s Induction Into High Society Is a Win for Everyone.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://headmagazine.com/cannabis-terroir-weeds-induction-into-high-society-is-a-win-for-everyone/. 

Hearons, Kathleen. “Halloween’s Surprising Origins: From Ancient Samhain to Cannabis Croptober.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://headmagazine.com/halloweens-surprising-origins-from-ancient-samhain-to-cannabis-croptober/. 

Hearons, Kathleen. “Light Up Halloween Month with Spooky Spliffs, Eerie Edibles, Frightful Farms and More!.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 206. https://headmagazine.com/light-up-october-with-spooky-spliffs/. 

Hearons, Kathleen. “Veganic Weed for Veganuary: Cannabis Free of Animal Products.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://headmagazine.com/veganic-weed-for-veganuary-cannabis-free-of-animal-products/. 

Hearons, Kathleen. “Weed Words Enter American Sign Language: Cannabis Subculture Blooms in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://headmagazine.com/weed-terms-are-entering-american-sign-language/. 

Mendo Cup Farmer Entry Form 2026. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevKdPV0k3kQuhenDBtyJwGm9f6UFZdZTHqmb409vYo1uoccA/viewform?pli=1. 

Passley, Shaun. “‘High’ Tech: Farming Drones A Boon to Organic/Earth-Friendly Cannabis.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://headmagazine.com/high-tech-farming-drones-a-boon-to-organic-earth-friendly-cannabis/. 

Stafford, Gayton. “How To Grow Your First Marijuana Plant.” Head Magazine. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://headmagazine.com/how-to-grow-your-first-marijuana-plant/. 

The Mendo Cup. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://www.themendocup.org/. 

The Mendo Cup 2026 [Tickets]. Accessed March 24, 2026. https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-mendo-cup–2026.