Annual Summer Pipe Fest @ Michael Parks' Workshop (Picture Heavy)

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Good morning, Magazonia.
Last Saturday marked the annual end of summer pipe fest hosted by Michael Parks and put on, jointly, by the Lakeshore Smokestacks and Downtown Toronto Pipe Club(s). This is the second year of the event and we are seeing a steady increase in attendance.
The event ran from 10am - 4pm and included the following events: Swap & Sell; Best Canadian Competition (prizes for Collection Canadian Shape Pipe Made in Canada Pipe); Pipe Making Discussion directed by Michael, Giovanni Placentile, and Evan Wiseman; Raffle; Slow Smoke Competition; a Tobacco Smorgasbord and a catered lunch from a local Ukranian Deli. Whew.
We had rain, and unseasonably cold weather, but with two rain shelters we extended the roof-line of Michael's shop by another 300 square feet and had dry seating and standing area for everyone. This year we had 45 attendees registered in advance and another 7 or so drop-ins, so final attendance was over 50 pipers hanging out for the day.
What a wonderful way to spend a day! It would not have been as successful without the support of our sponsors who came to the table with door prizes, raffle prizes and cash donations to help us pull off the event. Special thanks go to... Mac Baren Tobacco, Smokingpipes.com, Briar Blues, Pipes & Tobacco Magazine, Old Dominion Pipe Co., Missouri Meerschaum, 4 Noggins.com, & BriarWorks International.
Every attendee went home with either a tin of tobacco from MacBaren or Cornell & Diehl, or a new pipe from Old Dominion Pipe Co. We raffled off a new in box Castello Sea Rock courtesy of Mike at Briar Blues, and a series of tampers from other sponsors as well as a tin of Murray's era Erinmore Mixture.
Everyone left the day with more in their pipe bag than they came with, with full bellies, and in good cheer. There aren't many places where a gathering of 50 men, of diverse backgrounds, ages and ethnicity, can and do gather without machismo or ego becoming an issue... this absolutely did not happen on Saturday. Respect, good will, and enjoyment were the hallmarks of the day.
Thanks to everyone who attended, and thank you again to our sponsors.
Here are the photos:
Putting it together in the rain.


Door Prizes:




Hanging Out:



Tobacco Buffet:



Michael, Gio and Evan Talking Pipes:






Best Collection/Pipe Contest Entries:








Slow Smoke Competition:


Big Ass Burl:


Briar Blocks:


Some Pipes from Evan Wiseman:


Pipe Makers Are Equal Opportunity Smokers:


Tobacco Buffet Just Keeps On Giving:


Slow Smoke Rules:


You Want a Bamboo Shank?


Crowd Shots:








Contest & Raffle Prizes:


Three Happy Organizers (Pruss, Michael Parks, Eric from DTPC)


Thanks to everyone in the pipe community who attended, talked up, or sponsored our event. We're already planning next year's hullabaloo.
-- Pat

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
Wow. Looks like a really good time. I wish I could have been there. Nice to see an event go really well.

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
When are you guys going to start your cross Canada tour?
Never. We're pretty sure that we'd run out of jokes by the time we hit Winnipeg...
So, who won the Canadian contest?
I should mention that the winners of the contest were selected by popular vote. Each attendee voted for the collection which they thought best reflected, or represented, the three contest categories.
Entry #1 won "Best Collection", which might have been easy to call given that all but one of the pipes were made by Michael.
Entry #3 won "Best Canadian Shape", but that was mine, and I declined the prize so the prize went to entry #7... which was ironic because there wasn't a Canadian Shape in the collection. Next year's seminar will be on "Basic Pipe Shapes".
Entry #5 won "Best Made in Canada", there were some very unique and one-of-a-kind vintage Brigham pipes in that collection.
-- Pat

 
P

pipebuddy

Guest
I hate my car even more than I did on Friday and Saturday.

 

kcghost

Lifer
May 6, 2011
13,158
21,427
77
Olathe, Kansas
Looks like you guys had a great time at a wonderful. The organizers deserve some serious kudos because putting on even a small event like this takes a lot of serious work. Great photos but captioning would really help.

 

fmgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 26, 2014
922
4
great to see these photos. Rarely do I wish Vancouver Island was closer to Ontario...

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
AWESOME!

:clap:
Thanks for the pictures!
Looks like a wicked killer shindig!
602AE8B8-8801-4726-833E-00993DEE9B2B.png_zpspuovxngy.jpeg
Entry #9 "Best AllBriar Pipe" easily won by Evan Wiseman!

:puffy:
He was a pleasure to work with and took that commission on with full aplomb,

and he fookin' nailed it!
It was a difficult request on my part,

and he didn't blink.

Big ups and major props to him!

:puffy:
Looks like it was a GREAT EVENT!
Smokestack lightnin'!
Wish I could have been there.

:!:

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Dare I ask what that thing is on the table, about half way down?
Apparently some lawyer with more money than sense commissioned a seven day set of table pipes. That's one big briar burl.
I'm sorry you guys aren't seeing captioning... I put a subject header above each group of pictures.
If you want more commentary you can check out the notes on each photo at the Lakeshore Smokestacks facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LakeshoreSmokestacks?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Cheers,
-- Pat

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
That burl could make a mid sized pipe for the Old Cajun.
If you scroll up to the picture of Mike, Gio and Evan leading their discussion on pipe making you can see the burl in the foreground. It is about the size of Gio's torso.
-- Pat

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Never. We're pretty sure that we'd run out of jokes by the time we hit Winnipeg...

Awe come on. New people at each location, you could just tell the same jokes!
I'm not worried about the audience, but I'm pretty sure the help and the organizers would be ready to kill each other... The Sault to Kenora stretch is a long haul. Maybe if we stopped for mandatory fishing and hunting trips along the way...
-- Pat

 

jkrug

Lifer
Jan 23, 2015
2,867
8
Thanks for sharing pics of the event Pat. Good to see that a little fowl weather didn't spoil the day for everyone. :puffy:

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Good to see that a little fowl weather didn't spoil the day for everyone
Ha... Fowl.
No one was chicken nor had to duck and cover from the weather. Evan was goosing lots of people, but they mostly seemed to like it. I'm gonna duck for cover before someone here makes me do a swan dive off the top of pipesmagazine.com HQ.
-- Pat

 

roderick

Might Stick Around
Oct 12, 2014
50
2
Ottawa, ON
Wow. Looks like it was a great event. I'll have to keep my eye out for next year's shindig and consider making the trip down the 401.

 

yazamitaz

Lifer
Mar 1, 2013
1,757
1
Pat,
Thanks so much for sharing. I am really glad you gents had a great time. I did want to make the trip but it just didn't work out. Glad the weather wasn't too bad, but I guess even if it snowed 18 inches you Canucks would have made the trip.
Hopefully we get to meet in person soon.
Dan

 
Status
Not open for further replies.