Pot enthusiasts in the Cowichan Valley will be thrilled to learn a cannabis expo and music festival is coming to Laketown Ranch this summer.
The Bio-Cup Canada Legends Valley Music Festival is coming to Laketown Ranch Aug. 26 to 28, and, according to its website will feature “live music, DJs, camping, artisans, vendors and [an] international growers competition.”
Representatives from Bio-Cup Canada and Laketown Ranch could not be reached for comment by press time, however, an information package on the festival distributed this week by Rick Kendall of Bio-Cup Canada describes the event as a “new Cannabis Culture Festival that will capture the imagination of the nation!”
The document describes the Bio-Cup Canada Legends Valley Music Festival as “two distinct events coming together to create a weekend celebration with live music, electronic artists, an international growers competition, exhibitors, vendors, artisans, educational seminars, musical workshops, incredible food and beverages and more.”
The festival’s advertising sales document features the same logo as BioCup.org.
This is the webpage of Zebra Verde, a “non-profit organization that brings together cannabis activists from all over the world whose common objective is to exchange knowledge about the use, cultivation and multiple experiences on legalization of cannabis that is taking place around the globe.”
Since 2014, Zebra Verde has hosted the Biocannabis Cup in Spain. Its website states it is hosting a Bio Cup event in Vancouver Aug. 26 to 28. Zebra Verde could not be reached to confirm whether or not this Vancouver listing is actually the same event taking place at Laketown Ranch.
According to the previously mentioned advertising sales document, the Bio-Cup Canada event at Laketown Ranch will be “Canada’s largest cannabis showcase” and feature an international growers competition in eight categories; growers from Spain, Holland, Switzerland, Chile, the U.S., Canada and more; an exhibit area that will include “large-scale displays,” artisans, vapour zones and medicating areas; and educational seminars.
Lake Cowichan mayor Ross Forrest said he was aware of a hemp festival potentially coming to Laketown Ranch but not a marijuana festival.
“I don’t know what the town’s feelings are because we haven’t had a meeting about it or anything like that — and it’s not in our jurisdiction,” he said. “But if there’s no illegal activities taking place, I say like I say for everything, we want to be a town that’s open to everybody.”
He emphasized that so long as the event organizers are not breaking any laws, he doesn’t see what the issue is.
“And there will be an economic spin-off for our community, I’m sure,” he said.