The TAPS Pipe Show happens again April 13, 2013, at the N.C. State Fairgrounds on Hillsborough Street
in the Martin Building, between the grandstand area and the edge of the Fairgrounds. One of the members
and organizers will likely do a posting on this. I just attended for the first time last year. It's a comparatively
small show, but a good one in terms of participants and energy -- maybe fifty exhibitors, including, last year,
Smokingpipes.com and other pipe retailers, carvers, pipe stand makers, tobacconists, and a multigenerational
representation of pipe smokers. The Fairgrounds is immediately across the road from the North Carolina
State University Vet School and just down the road from the main campus, so the show gets some student
participation. There's a nice covered patio area for smoking. Last year there was a goody bag including
a tin of tobacco. The admission price is $3, and you can get in without an admission fee if you clip a coupon
from the local paper the week before the show. One of my favorite pipe carvers, Jerry Perry, who also
exhibits at the N.C. State Fair was at TAPS last year and seemed to be doing a brisk business -- with me for
example. If you are in the Triangle Area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary and suburbs) or anywhere near
central North Carolina, and have an interest in pipes, this is a pleasant and low-key show. It runs Saturday,
April 13, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Official word will likely come from the actual organization, but since
I had it on my calendar, I thought I'd pass this along. The Martin Building is surrounded by a large parking
lot usually not affected by other events at the Fairgrounds, so come on down. Or up.