AMSTERDAM -- Cannabis connoisseurs in their thousands have descended on the Dutch capital of Amsterdam this week to sample and select the winners of the 20th annual Cannabis Cup competition.

"There's a lot of good competition this year," said 'Herbal Santa' a longtime marijuana smoker from Orange County, Calif., who only provided his name as Jim when asked.

Organizers said they expected about 3,500 participants.

The week-long Cannabis Cup is spread out at various coffee shops throughout Amsterdam, although the main events are held in a club on the outskirts of the city, tucked behind a McDonald's fast-food restaurant and a do-it-yourself store. The event coincides with the annual U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, allowing participants from across the Atlantic to spend a week's holiday in Amsterdam.

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