NW Cannabis Classic (NWCC) / Cannabis Classic Alaska
An Anchorage trade show and competition that first ran in May 2015, clashed with venue rules over samples in 2016, and was fined by state regulators in 2018.
- 90results on record
- 2015–2019years in our data
- 5editions
- 54matched to strains
- Anchoragelatest location
01Beginnings
The NW Cannabis Classic started as a three-day trade show at the Dena'ina Center in downtown Anchorage. Coverage dated 17 May 2015 described panels, demonstrations and product displays12. It was presented as the first event of its kind in Alaska since voters approved legalization, a claim this page has not checked independently1. The timing fits: the 2014 ballot measure had allowed adults to possess cannabis and grow it at home from 24 February 2015, only a few months earlier6.
Organizer Cory Wray told the Anchorage Daily News that about 700 presale tickets had sold, and that about the same number were bought at the door on the Saturday1. The event is run by Cory and Kendra Wray, a married couple who put on similar events in other west coast states5. Alaska Public Media also covered the first show, reporting local and national retailers at the convention center along with information sessions for hobbyists and business owners2.
02The story so far
The state had no regulations in place yet, so the Anchorage Assembly adopted a policy just days before the 2015 show. It dealt with insurance, plant displays and even smells, and city officials treated the event as a kind of test run1. Visitors could not consume or buy cannabis at the show, and a late change allowed plants to be displayed inside the convention center1.
A second show was held at the same venue in May 2016, and NCV Media listed it for 14-15 May4. This edition ended in a dispute over samples. A resolution the Assembly passed before the 2015 show banned cannabis giveaways in municipal buildings during trade shows, and Wray disagreed with it3. About 100 people paid $299 for VIP passes, and most of them reportedly found cannabis in their swag bags. In the middle of Saturday afternoon the venue's operations manager ordered the items taken out, but many bags had already been handed out by then3. Police officers walked the floor to make sure nobody was consuming, buying or selling cannabis3. Wray argued that state law should take precedence over the venue contract. After the show he said he doubted his event, or any similar show, would return to that venue3.
The fourth Alaska edition, reported under the Cannabis Classic name, took place in Anchorage on 19 May 2018, no longer at the Dena'ina Center5. It was held downtown in the building that had housed the Pot Luck club, a marijuana social club that the state called illegal and closed in April 20175. State marijuana regulators fined the organizer $20,000 with $15,000 suspended, leaving $5,000 to pay, on condition that the event follows Alaska law in future5. The regulator's director had asked for $10,000 for each of two alleged violations: selling cannabis without a license through $350 judging kits, and encouraging public consumption5. Wray rejected the description of the kits as sales. He said they were part of a course with an exam, that the cannabis was given out free afterward, and that buyers were paying for experience and education5. Staff had recommended a fine for the building's owner, Robinson Garcia, but the board voted against one5.
03Culture and character
The 2015 crowd covered a wide range of ages and styles, from people in their twenties to retirees and from cowboy hats and tie-dye to sport coats1. One speaker said it was a trade show for business, not a party1. A marketing consultant described a "gold rush" mood among Alaska companies that serve the industry without handling cannabis themselves, such as lighting suppliers1. Not everyone was upbeat: some attendees were frustrated that the legal framework was still unclear, and one said nobody seemed sure what was happening1.
NCV Media's 2016 listing promoted the event as the only competition in Alaska dedicated to cannabis growers and producers, and said winners could market themselves as "Alaska's Best". The listing also promised live music, visual arts, exhibits, vendors, awards and free seminars4. That description is promotional copy, not an eyewitness report. The 2016 after-party took place at Pot Luck Events, a marijuana social club in downtown Anchorage. Only VIP pass holders could attend, and their passes also included exclusive meals and special access to exhibitors3.
04Where it stands now
The newest source used here is dated 15 June 2018, and the most recent event it documents is the show held in Anchorage on 19 May 20185. We found no coverage of any later edition, so the event's current status is unknown. These sources do not say whether it has run since or has stopped.
05What comes next
In June 2018, Wray said the Cannabis Classic planned to return to Alaska the following year5. Our sources do not show whether a 2019 event took place, and we found no other announced plans. At that point Wray said the aim was to understand the rules better so the event could comply and add value to the industry5.
The results, in our data
CannaLib holds 90 results from this cup across 5 years (2015 to 2019), 54 of them matched to a strain in the catalogue.
Recent first-place strains
| Year | Strain | Category | Entrant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Purple Apricot | Best Overall / Strain Of The Year | Enlighten Alaska |
| 2018 | Ak Cookies | Best Hybrid | House of Green |
| 2018 | Mercy Fruit Haze | Best Sativa | Mercy Tree of Alaska |
| 2018 | Purple Apricot | Best Indica | Enlighten Alaska |
| 2018 | Platinum Cookies | Highest THC | House of Green |
| 2018 | Cbd Critical Mass | Highest CBD | Turnagain Herb Co. |
| 2018 | Tangie | Best Concentrate | Top Hat Concentrates |
| 2017 | Purple Frost Monster | Best Indica | |
| 2017 | Strawberry Fields | Best Overall | |
| 2016 | Best In Show | BEST IN SHOW | Patrick Regan |
| 2016 | Tangie | BEST SATIVA | Pot Luck Farms |
| 2016 | Alaskan Blackberry | BEST INDICA | Matanuska Thunder Seeds |
| 2016 | Gorilla Glue 4 | BEST HYBRID | Matanuska Thunder Seeds |
| 2015 | Appalachian Thunderfuck | BEST SATIVA | AlaskanGrower |
Editions on record
- 2015 · Anchorage, Alaska
- 2015 · Tacoma-Washington
- 2015 · Portland-Oregon
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018 · Anchorage
Sources
- Industry and curiosity draw crowds to Anchorage cannabis trade show - Anchorage Daily News
- Inside Alaska's First Cannabis Convention - Alaska Public Media
- Cannabis convention controversy: The 'free' samples that'll run you $299 - Anchorage Daily News
- NW Cannabis Classic – Alaska – NCV Media
- Alaska marijuana board fines cannabis competition for illegal sales - Anchorage Daily News
- Cannabis in Alaska
Written from the sources above and checked on 2026-10-29. Spot an error? Tell us on the contact page.