Historic, Homegrown & High Times: Cannabis Cup Comes to Billings
A first of its kind event is coming to Billings this weekend. The High Times Montana Cannabis Cup Awards Show takes over The Pub Station on Saturday, September 5, bringing together live music, local businesses, entertainment and producers from across the state. Ahead of the event, we caught up with High Times and Tara Hollaway, President of the Montana Cannabis Association, to hear how the Montana Cannabis Cup came together, what attendees can expect and why bringing the event to Billings is such a big moment for the state.
For High Times, the goal is to make the first Montana event feel like a true celebration of the local community. “People can expect a celebration of everything that makes Montana’s cannabis community special,” High Times said. “We’re bringing the energy and tradition of the High Times Cannabis Cup to Billings for the first time, with a live awards ceremony, music, local vendors, food and interactive experiences.”
More than 40 Montana producers are competing across 11 categories, with winners selected through a People’s Choice competition.
And there will be plenty happening beyond the awards.
Live music will include Bumpin Uglies, Montana’s own Austin Martin and the Cannabis Cup Band with special guest Josh David Barrett of The Wailers! Attendees can also check out live glassblowing, custom hat burning, a mechanical bison, a rock climbing wall, food trucks, photo opportunities, vendors and so much more throughout the evening.
High Times described the Montana event in three words: “Historic, homegrown and unforgettable.”
For the businesses competing, organizers say earning a Cannabis Cup award can bring recognition well beyond Saturday night. “A Cannabis Cup win can be transformational for a small business,” High Times said. “It gives a local producer national recognition, builds credibility with consumers and validates the hard work behind the product.”
For Tara Hollaway, President of the Montana Cannabis Association and owner of Alternative Wellness 406, bringing the event to Montana has been years in the making. “Growing up, High Times was really the only cannabis culture magazine,” Hollaway said. “I wanted to go to Amsterdam for the infamous Cannabis Cup in the nineties. I did not make that dream a reality.” Years later, when she learned High Times was bringing the Cannabis Cup back following a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hollaway decided Montana should be part of it.
“I knew I had to reach out,” she said. “Montana was finally ready for something like this after over 20 years of legal cannabis in our state. I simply emailed the High Times Cannabis Cup team and was speaking with them within minutes.”
After a few conversations, plans for the Montana event began taking shape.
Hollaway called Saturday’s event a “full-circle moment” after years of work and advocacy surrounding Montana’s cannabis industry.
She said one of the things she is most looking forward to is seeing Montana businesses receive recognition for their work. “I’m excited for the producers to be able to show our state, and the world, how amazing Montana’s cannabis industry really is,” Hollaway said. “This is a time to celebrate each other and our hard work.”
She has also watched the conversation surrounding the industry change dramatically over the years. “When our lobbyist started advocating for the cannabis industry, it was still a very taboo subject,” Hollaway said. “Now, here we are over 20 years later.”
What to Know Before You Go
The High Times Montana Cannabis Cup Awards Show takes place Saturday, September 5, starting at 5:00pm at The Pub Station in Downtown Billings.
The event is for adults 21 and older and will feature the awards ceremony, live music, food, vendors and entertainment throughout the night.
For anyone still deciding whether to attend, High Times says this particular event will only happen for the first time once.
“This is Montana cannabis history,” organizers said. “Come celebrate the state’s best businesses, music and community with us.”