United Pipe Clubs of America (UPCA) Annual Meeting

By Bob Tate

During our time at the 2010 Chicago Pipe Show, we sat in on the annual meeting of the United Pipe Clubs of America (UPCA). The meeting is not open to the public, only of the representatives of Pipe Clubs can attend. We were invited to the meeting by Michael “Doc” Garr (Docgarr), Vice President of UPCA, so that we could cover and report on it. Here is a little bit about the UPCA, who they are, and what they do. [From their website]:
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2010 Doctor of Pipes Award Dinner

By Bob Tate

2010 Doctor of Pipes Award - Cigar and Pipe Dinner

On Saturday night of May 1, after the first official day of the 2010 Chicago Pipe Show, we attended the Cigar and Pipe Cocktail Party, Dinner and Doctor of Pipes Award Ceremony that was held in the New Orleans Ballroom on Bourbon Street at the Pheasant Run Resort. The Cocktail Party was 6:30-7:00pm and the dinner was 7:00-9:00pm. The tickets for the dinner were $65.00 each and were well worth the price of admission.

For the Cocktail Party, they served bacon wrapped scallop hors d’oeuvres while we all stood around chatting on Bourbon Street. At 7:00, they opened the doors to the ballroom to admit the attendees of the dinner. Upon entrance to the dinner, they were handing out ‘goodie’ bags. The bags contained a selection of about 10 various premium cigars, pipe cleaners, a tin of E. Hoffman Spilman Mixture, and a one ounce sample of Hearth & Home Larry’s Blend. Everyone was standing and sitting around socializing and having a few drinks waiting for dinner to be served.
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