The Day the DGC Cup Changed Everything

Some cannabis events feel like expos. Others feel like competitions. The 2022 DGC Cup felt like history in the making.

The day began in Fort Collins, Colorado, where a group of us gathered for a shuttle bus outside a quaint little pub—one of those blink-and-you-miss-it spots that perfectly matched the tone of the day. The name escapes me now, but the feeling doesn’t: anticipation, camaraderie, and that unmistakable hum that only exists when growers, smokers, and true heads come together for the right reasons.

Colorado showed off that day. Blue skies, warm sun, and crisp air set the backdrop for what would become one of the most memorable cannabis experiences of my life.

Within four short hours, I sampled more than 50 unique strains, each one a living expression of its grower’s craft. This wasn’t hype weed or mass-market flower—this was passion, experimentation, and years of trial and error packed into jars and shared openly with the community.

One of the standout moments was the DGC judging contest, a refreshingly tactile and intentional approach to evaluation. Each participant received a DGC one-hitter and was encouraged to slow down—really examine the flower. Sight. Smell. Appreciation. We then placed our DGC Cup tokens into Real Growers Recharge bags, voting for the strains that truly spoke to us. No apps. No algorithms. Just growers and consumers connecting through the plant.

But like so many legendary cannabis stories, this one wasn’t just about what was smoked—it was about who was met.

That day, I crossed paths with JR Tokin, a meeting that would ripple far beyond the event itself. Not long after the cup, a Cherry Paloma clone arrived in my mail. That single plant would later be reversed to create feminized pollen, ultimately giving birth to Cherry Paloma Super Stilyn and Cherry Paloma Gorilla Tits—two strains that now carry the genetic memory of that moment at the DGC Cup.

The setting elevated everything.

DGC Cup 2022 was held at: The Wild Animal Sanctuary 2999 Co Rd 53 Keenesburg CO

Surrounded by open land and rescued wildlife, the venue grounded the event in something deeper. It reminded everyone there that cannabis doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it’s part of nature, stewardship, and responsibility.

What made the DGC Cup special wasn’t just the flower—it was the culture. No corporate gloss. No ego contests. Just growers sharing knowledge, smokers sharing stories, and a community built on respect for the plant and each other.

I left that day knowing one thing for sure: I couldn’t wait to do it again.

In fact, I can’t help but imagine what the DGC Cup could become—a traveling, countrywide event, moving from state to state, uniting regional scenes while keeping its grassroots soul intact.

Massive respect and gratitude to The Dude and Scotty for throwing one of the most authentic cannabis events in the country. They didn’t just host a cup—they curated an experience. One I’ll carry with me until the next time we gather.

And trust me—I’ll be there.