San Diego County made history on March 17, by hosting its first-ever publicly licensed cannabis festival, the Farmers Cup. 

Held at Moonlight Amphitheater in Vista’s Brengle Terrace Park, the event featured over 80 vendors, live music, an award ceremony and on-site cannabis consumption, marking a significant step forward for the region’s cannabis industry.

The festival, organized by longtime cannabis entrepreneur Joshua Caruso, brought together a mix of industry professionals, cannabis consumers and enthusiasts to celebrate the evolving landscape of legal cannabis in California. 

“The beautiful thing about cannabis is it brings people together from anywhere and whatever life you’re going through, whatever you got going on. It brings us together,” Caruso said.

Headlined by the rapper Berner, the Farmers Cup included a music festival-like lineup with artists Luniz, E.N Young, Lea Love, Peter Dante and more. Guests could purchase a ticket to sit on the lawn or pay for an assigned seat in the amphitheater. 

Unlike other public events in San Diego, the Farmers Cup allowed attendees to legally purchase and consume cannabis on-site for the duration of the festival. 

“That’s what makes this one so special,” Caruso explained. “Normally, that’s illegal. Every other day, you come here, you try to do that, it’s illegal. But this particular regulation allows us to smoke on the property. And on top of that, there will be cannabis sales.”

The gathering allowed growers, vendors and connoisseurs to interact like never before. 

“It’s a great way to get to know not only the industry but get to know the plant more,” Zoraya Cesarman, Brand Ambassador for Left Coast Extracts, said. “There’s a lot of growers here as well that love to highlight the plant and give you a bunch of information about what you’re smoking and where it’s coming from.”

Of all the experiences offered, one of the most notable would be the VIP lounge sponsored by Sessions by the Bay. 

The soon-to-open cannabis cafe hosted an exclusive smoke spot that gave patrons a sneak peek of what to expect from their new location in National City.

“To be a part of Farmers’ Cup, the first legal event like this, this magnitude, it’s amazing, and so it fits right in with what we want to offer at Sessions by the Bay,” Veronica Aguilera, Lounge General Manager of Sessions by the Bay, said. 

Sessions by the Bay is set to open on April 18, with ticket options ranging from $10 daily entry to $25 monthly memberships. Like the Farmers Cup, Sessions offers an immersive experience including culinary, art and cannabis. 

The festival’s attendees reflected the city’s excitement toward the opening of San Diego’s first cannabis cafe.

“We are on the waiting list,” Jamie King, an attendee of the event, said. “I think it’s a great idea — taking that Amsterdam-style approach, having food and being able to smoke at the same time. What’s the problem with that?”

For many, one of the most surreal experiences was the ability to openly consume cannabis in front of law enforcement. “It’s a trip,” attendee Stephen Meyer said. “It’s hard to explain to my friends from Europe that you can just openly consume where you want.”

A Long Time Comin’

The festival’s significance extends beyond just one day of celebration. For Caruso, it was a culmination of years of perseverance in an industry that has faced significant legal and social challenges.

“We’ve been doing the events since 2014. We’ve probably done about two to four events per year for more than a decade. They’ve always been smaller private events, private property, educational events,” he said.

But now, Caruso has found a way to work within the legal framework. 

“Now, we get to hire the officers instead of them coming in and doing something that could’ve ruined my life just for cannabis,” Caruso added.

Cannabis consumption events are more common in Los Angeles and have been taking place for years. Vendors who made it down to Vista noted how important these gatherings are for their businesses and the weed community. 

“[LA] has these events all the time, so it’s cool to make it more regular of a thing down south,” Jason Pawlak, Hash Maker at Punch Extracts, said. “They create a sense of community. You see a lot of the same people in this cool, fun, safe environment to enjoy your favorite brands and meet some people who work for your favorite brands.”

For the former Vista City Council Member, Joe Green, growing the cannabis community in San Diego County was always the plan.

“When I ran for office in 2016, I told people, I’m going to legalize cannabis,” Green said. “2018 was when we actually legalized cannabis medicinally. We then converted into retail. To see this happening in my hometown right now, as a kid who used to run up and down this hill to watch plays, I’m blown away. I’m so excited, and we’re really at the tip of the spear with the entire county of San Diego and the state of California.”

Not all residents saw the same vision, for some, the idea of a legalized marijuana event was unfathomable.

“I really didn’t think I would ever live to see a cannabis fair festival. I was surprised that I lived long enough to see it legalized,” Sandra Love, an 87-year-old cannabis user and attendee at the Farmers Cup said. 

Overcoming Obstacles & Ending the Stigma

Caruso described that there were several hurdles he faced while trying to host a legal cannabis event in San Diego because it is more reserved. Therefore, securing the city’s approval while ensuring compliance with all regulations required extensive planning. 

Advertising a marijuana event was also challenging due to the inability to market nationwide and the importance of keeping their products away from children. 

“We don’t have the same advertising avenues as normal businesses. But that being said, we’ve done everything possible. We’ve partnered with Cake House for our retail sponsor. We’ve put posters everywhere from here to LA and even further,” Caruso explained.

In an Instagram post following the event, the Farmers Cup acknowledged a list of mistakes including mix-ups over goodie bags, abnormally long lines and an overall lack of organization. The post promised to “address these issues for future events.”

Safety was a top priority at the festival. The event was closely monitored by the Vista Sheriff’s Department, and multiple emergency medical teams were on-site, said Caruso. 

“The police aren’t there to arrest anyone for smoking — they’re just making sure everything runs smoothly,” he said.

Among the attendees, King and Chris Fortin emphasized the importance of this moment. 

“We’re a part of making history,” King said. “Longtime advocates and it’s good to see that the city of Vista is supporting the cause.” 

Fortin, who has been a cannabis competition judge for years, embraced the openness to the cannabis community. 

“It’s nice getting off private property and making it public,” he said.

For many, the festival was about more than just celebration — it was a chance to change perceptions. 

“I’m trying to lift the stigma on cannabis,” Fortin added. “It’s a lot different than, say, people coming and drinking. It’s going to be a whole different vibe.”

Meyer also reflected on the dramatic shift in societal attitudes toward cannabis. 

“It’s fun seeing the transition from being completely illegal to now being widely accepted,” he said. “It’s just fun to come to something like this, like you would at a beer or a wine festival, and enjoy it with other people who appreciate the same thing.”

As for the future of cannabis consumption events, retailers like Left Coast Extracts hope for continued growth into new areas. 

“I think hopefully they will expand, and other states will see that the stigma of cannabis is really that, just a stigma,” Cesarman said. 

The success of the Farmers Cup signals a potential shift in San Diego’s cannabis policies, paving the way for more licensed events in the future. 

Caruso remains hopeful that the festival will help eliminate the stigma surrounding cannabis and create more opportunities for industry professionals and consumers alike.

As the event came to a close, many attendees expressed excitement and remained hopeful for more cannabis-friendly spaces in the future. 

“It’s time to end the stigma and make it completely legal,” Fortin said.

Attendees emphasized that events like these open the door for cannabis to become more widely accepted and normalized in today’s society.

“I hope what they take away is that cannabis and the stigma of cannabis is leaving mainstream,” Green said. “Mainstream is ready for cannabis festivals, cannabis beverages, cannabis edibles. You’re going to see people here from 21 years old to 85 years old consuming cannabis in different ways. And when you leave here, see the cannabis family you have.”