The Errl Cup is Arizona's free 21+ cannabis awards festival, and the Fall 2026 edition lands Saturday, October 24 at Scarizona in Mesa. This round is built around concentrates: the Cup secret-shops greater Phoenix dispensaries, sends everything to a lab, then hands the scoring over to Arizona patients.
Where & When
Scarizona sits at 1901 N Alma School Rd in Mesa, and the day runs 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Entry is staggered by ticket rather than one open gate, so the time on your pass is the time you get in — VIP at 9 AM, medical and fast-pass holders through the 10 and 11 AM waves, general admission at noon.
How The Judging Actually Works
Most cannabis cups run on submissions, which means the brand decides what gets judged. The Errl Cup flips that. Organizers secret-shop dispensaries across the greater Phoenix area, buying concentrates off the shelf the way any customer would, then send them to a sponsoring laboratory for blind testing.
Those samples get broken down into free judge kits handed out at random to Arizona patients who register in advance, who then score what they receive. Voluntary entries are accepted too and run the identical testing path. Awards land across 25 dispensary categories and 9 patient categories.
Why It's Worth The Drive
Arizona doesn't get the coverage California's market does, and that is exactly why a cup built on blind-tested retail buys matters here. You are not looking at what a brand chose to show off.
You are looking at what was actually sitting in the case that week. For a concentrate-focused round, that is the most honest signal a consumer can get.
What's On Site
Past the judging, the day runs like a festival: cannabis exhibitors, live music, local food, giveaways, free samples, contests, games and a VIP lounge. Two house rules worth knowing before you drive out — no pets, though licensed service animals are welcome, and no weapons of any kind.
The framing the Cup uses for itself is consumer appreciation and dispensary accountability, and the results reflect that. The awards name the best medicine in Arizona and, just as pointedly, the worst.
Getting In
Admission is free for adults 21+ and valid MMJ cardholders, which is the part most people do not believe until they walk through the gate. Paid upgrades exist if you want the early waves: Fast Passes are $25 and VIP is $75. Brands and growers who want in on the voluntary-entry side have until September 9, 2026 to submit.