High Times magazine held its Seattle U.S. Cannabis Cup on September 7 and 8, 2013, at Fremont Studios, the first Cannabis Cup in Seattle open to every adult 21 and over rather than only to medical patients. It came ten months after Washington voters passed Initiative 502 and ten months before the state’s first legal stores opened, which made it an early public test of what a legal cannabis festival could look like.
What Happened
The two-day event combined a product expo, seminars and a competition judging cannabis flower, concentrates and edibles, with awards handed out on Sunday. Because Washington had legalized adult possession the previous November, organizers opened the gates to all adults 21 and older, Medical Jane reported. One-day tickets cost $50 and a “Super VIP” two-day pass $269. Travel writer and legalization backer Rick Steves was honored at the event, and Slightly Stoopid played the WaMu Theater on Saturday night with Redman opening, Fox 13 Seattle reported on September 6.
High Times posted a video of the competition entries, which is still online:
The Weed Street Journal’s original post noted that entries were lab-tested for cannabinoid content, with Seattle-area testing labs involved in the judging.
Background: The Cannabis Cup in the U.S.
High Times editor Steven Hager founded the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam in 1988, and for more than two decades it was held there each November, according to the Cannabis Cup’s history. As American medical marijuana programs grew, the magazine brought the format home: the first High Times Medical Cannabis Cup took place in San Francisco on June 19 and 20, 2010, with judging limited to entries from legal medical dispensaries. The Medical Cannabis Cup first came to Fremont Studios in September 2012, KOMO News reported. After Colorado and Washington legalized adult use in November 2012 (our history of Amendment 64 and I-502), High Times began staging U.S. Cannabis Cups in those states that any adult could attend.
What Happened Next
The Seattle Cup returned in 2014, but the 2015 edition was canceled. As the Portland Mercury summarized in May 2015, once Washington’s licensed I-502 system was running, the event ran into its rules: the state would not let High Times hold a liquor license with cannabis on site, and the law barred sampling or selling cannabis outside licensed stores, which themselves could not allow consumption. High Times had held the event in the Seattle area for three straight years. The Cannabis Cup moved on to other states, while the Amsterdam edition held what appeared to be its last High Times Cup in 2014.
Where It Stands in 2026
The problem that ended the Seattle Cup has not gone away. Washington still has no licensed consumption lounges or events, and a 2026 bill to allow them, HB 1932, did not pass. Public use remains a civil infraction. Current rules are in our Washington marijuana laws guide, and licensed stores are listed in our Washington dispensary directory.
Seattle Cannabis Cup 2013 FAQ
When was the 2013 High Times Cannabis Cup in Seattle?
September 7 and 8, 2013, at Fremont Studios in Seattle.
Was it the first Cannabis Cup in Seattle?
It was the first Seattle Cup open to all adults 21 and over. High Times had held a Medical Cannabis Cup at the same venue in September 2012.
Why did the Seattle Cannabis Cup stop?
The 2015 event was canceled because Washington’s I-502 rules did not allow on-site consumption or sampling outside licensed stores.
Where was the first Cannabis Cup?
Amsterdam, in 1988. The first U.S. Medical Cannabis Cup was in San Francisco in 2010.
Originally reported by The Weed Street Journal; rewritten and updated in October 2026 with what happened next.
