A festival of weed to benefit animals in need

EAST DURHAM―The Catskills Cup is back this year with its Spring Fling, a day-long event scheduled for Saturday, May 30 at McGrath's Edgewood Falls.

Organized by local promoter Christopher Reetz under the Catskills Cup “high up in the mountains” banner, the gathering aims to blend entertainment with fundraising efforts for the Greene County Animal Alliance.

The event, running from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., will feature live music, food vendors, raffles, craft sellers, and what organizers―cannabis growers and enthusiasts―describe as a broader attempt to strengthen community ties in the northern Catskills.

“Last year we held our competition event in April. On further consideration, we realized that the fall was a better time for a competition. It will allow us to better accommodate the outdoor growers,” organizers explained.

“But we love a spring celebration, so we are holding an event that is not a competition, but a festival,” they added.

Reetz said the organization behind the event has grown considerably since its earlier incarnation.

“We even have tax numbers on our shirts now,” he joked, referring to the recent incorporation of the local charity effort.

The Spring Fling will also introduce a seed swap, where attendees are encouraged to exchange plant seeds and gardening varieties with one another. Reetz described the addition as less about commerce and more about connection.

“It’s all about trying to build community,” he said.

Throughout the afternoon, local chainsaw artist Tom Morrissey, known as the Catskills Carver, will shape sculptures from felled logs and reclaimed wood on-site, turning rough trunks into animal figures before spectators gathered outside the pub grounds. One of the finished carvings will later be donated to the Greene County Animal Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to build an animal shelter in Greene County.

Raffles held during the event will also benefit the animal rescue organization, while five dollars from every t-shirt sold will be directed toward the cause.

The event promises a mix of mountain festival staples: smoke from barbecue trucks drifting across the parking lot, vendors selling handmade crafts beneath pop-up tents, and live music echoing across the East Durham hillsides. Among the listed participants are Church St. Catering, Lil Piece BBQ, Tater Time, and Fork n Food, alongside performances from The MacS Band.

Tickets for the Catskills Cup Spring Fling are available through Eventbrite for $20 and will be sold for $25 at the door. The event is restricted to guests 21 years of age and older.