The 2022 Las Vegas Intl Pipe Show is history and I've had a couple quiet days to reflect on the show. First, the show was a success! We met or exceeded our expectations and are already planning the 2023 show. There was a positive vibe and noticeable buzz going though the show all weekend. People were constantly coming up thanking us and I would turn it around and genuinely thank them for coming because we're were doing this for them. We met our goal for tables and exceeded expectations for pre and walk in admissions. Money was flowing both ways, our vendors reported they had a great show and I heard estate buyers did well too. IMO the artisan carvers were the highlight of the show. I had a couple of carvers say they had their best show ever. I picked up a large black blasted billiard with a silver band from Minnesota carver Jeremiah Sandahl.
Thursday things really got going on the 14th floor with many rooms open for business. It was a late night with smoke filled rooms filled with folks I hear having a great time until 4am. I was up with our LVIPS Hospitality Suite till 2:30 Thursday, Friday, Saturday and things broke up early Sunday a 1am.
Friday the rooms were busy until we opened registration and the Las Vegas Intl Pipe Show Smoking Lounge at 5pm. The line was long when we opened the doors but we managed with the help of our wives and volunteers to get everyone in pretty quickly. The Collectors Showcase was a hit. We had 6 8ft tables full of some great wood to look at including a WO Larsen retrospective laid out with a printed handout by my buddy Rex Poggenpohl. I showed off my little Castello shape 30 collection and was able to add another piece to that group with a Perla Nera the next day!
Saturday came early but guys were waiting to setup when we opened the door at 8am. There was another long line waiting for the show to open to the public at 10am. Again with the help from our wives and volunteers we got people in very quickly. We were overwhelmed with raffle donations and ticket sales. With the help of volunteers including BoB member
@BriarBeagle we pulled numbers for around 30 very generous prize lots at 2 and 4pm followed by the drawing for the pre sale pipe sets. A lot of people went home very happy they bought raffle tickets. We really wanted to welcome the YTPC and social media pipe groups to the show and content creators kept our 2 "social media studio" tables busy throughout the show Saturday and Sunday. Checkout our various hashtags starting with #LVIPS2022 and #vegasppipeshow and go from there for pictures and search Las Vegas Intl Pipe Show on YouTube and where you download podcasts.
The Saturday Awards Dinner exceeded exceptions with 88 tickets sold. Dinner was delicious and Show Award Clocks were given to Kurt Ballbey, Best Pipe of Show, Murf's Sculpted Pipes, Best Hobbyist Display and Smokingpipes, Best Industry Display Nate King gave an interesting talk about his world in transitioning from being an Indy Car pit lane mechanic to pipe carver. The smoking lounge was packed till it closed at midnight and everyone headed to the 14th floor to keep the party going late.
Sunday was another good day for sales and fellowship. The lounge and "social media studio" tables were busy right up to when the show closed at 3 and we cleared the room at 5pm before we again took the smoke filled fun to the 14th floor for another late night before we said goodbye in the morning.
Thanks to our Sponsors, The Virtual Pipe Club, C&D, PipesMagazine.com, Cup O' Joes, Sutliff a McBaren Company, TinBids, Savinelli, PipeStud, Missouri Meerschaum and Friends Fred Janusek, Bill Pope, Rick Newcombe and especially to everyone who donated to and bought raffle tickets. Until we gather in Vegas again in 2023 please support other the pipes show in your area! Thanks, Dave
