Amsterdam knows a thing or two about good weed. Always has. But knowing your smoke and proving you've got something special are two different things. That's where the Amsterdam Coffeeshop Awards come in. The sixth edition runs from November 12 to 14, bringing together the people who grow, create, sell and genuinely love cannabis. We're talking old-school hash, proper Haze, modern extracts and even that innocent-looking space cake your grandma definitely didn't bake. There's a whole lot of talent out there, and some of it is about to get the recognition it deserves.
Getting into the competition takes a little more than showing up with a smile and a bag of your favourite strain. Product submissions are open from November 4 through 7, with an entry fee of €100 per product. Each participant can enter up to two different products per category. Fair enough. Give everybody a shot and let the products speak for themselves. And because this is Amsterdam, there's even an awards cruise planned for November 14. Picture it. The canals, a boat full of cannabis enthusiasts and enough shop talk to keep everybody busy until the last bridge disappears behind them. You couldn't make this stuff up. Well, you could, but Amsterdam actually went ahead and organised it.
What I love about events like this is that they're about more than somebody walking away with a shiny trophy. There's a whole culture behind those coffeeshop counters. People who've spent years learning their craft, building businesses and arguing with their mates about which strain deserves the crown. The Awards give that world a chance to get together, swap stories and show a little pride in what they do. Nobody knows who's taking home the prizes just yet. But Amsterdam's cannabis scene is getting its own spotlight again, and you can bet there'll be plenty of opinions flying around before the winners are announced.
