AWA R D S
VAPOUROUND AWARDS
CEREMONY REVIEW
First Vapouround Magazine Awards Ceremony Hailed Huge Success
The first ever Vapouround Magazine
Awards Ceremony attracted many of
the top industry leaders who enjoyed a
glittering gala dinner at Birmingham’s NEC.
In fact it was such a success that as news
spread about the event at the Vaper Expo
UK event the following weekend, people
were inquiring how they could get tickets
for next year’s ceremony.
The NEC proved to be an ideal choice
of venue and the ceremony itself was a
great pre-show event as it was just days
before the Vaper Expo itself which was
also held at the same venue.
Attendees were welcomed to the
ceremony at a Champagne reception
where they got a chance to mingle with
other guests, strike up new friendships and
catch up with people they already knew.
The organisers wanted to ensure that
this was not going to just be a local event
as it was designed to recognise the
worldwide vaping industry as a whole so
it was great to see so many people from
around the world.
The ceremony itself took place in the
Concourse Suite of the NEC where a
packed program of entertainment was
in place.
As well as the ceremony itself, there was
a gala dinner, charity auction, music and
top class magic acts. Not only was this a
night to remember for all who attended
but it also raised a lot of money for two
very worthwhile causes and some very
desirable items were won at the auction.
Hosts Chris Tucker from Villain Vapors
42 ISSUE 05 VAPOUROUND MAGAZINE
and Ashley Hanson from Strawberry
Queen were engaging, witty and
charming and proved to be the perfect
duo to keep the event running smoothly.
Both were instant hits with the audience
and really captured the feel of the event
and set the tone for the entire evening we could not have asked for better hosts.
While there was a ‘no vaping’ rule in
place inside the Concourse Suite itself
due to fire regulations, there was a huge
vaping area in the bar just outside and
this proved to be a very popular area
for people to meet and socialise during
scheduled breaks in the proceedings.
Magician Nick Einhorn and his team
were nothing short of amazing from start
to finish. Table magicians provided close
up magic tricks during the night while
Nick did a special magic show from the
main stage.
Nick’s warm up trick was to produce a
bottle of wine from a red balloon he blew
up on stage and this (the wine not the
balloon) was presented to one of the
attendees as a surprise present.
When he made one audience member’s
watch appear inside a sealed tin of
popcorn which had been locked inside
a wooden box, the audience went wild.
Nick was billed as the man who fooled
Penn & Teller and he certainly lived up to
his billing as a master magician and first
class entertainer.
Vapouround Magazine Editor Paul
Caplin said: “Because this was the very
first event I was a little apprehensive
before the show but I was surprised how
smoothly it all went.
“This proved to be a fantastic industry
night and it was great to see so many
people from near and far turn out and
really enjoy themselves.
“It is great to bring together
manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers,
retailers and bloggers in the one room
enjoying the night.
“I want to thank everyone who worked
so hard to make the night the success
it was and I especially want to thank
everyone who supported the night
and, of course, all 325 people who
came along and were part of the first
Vapouround Awards Ceremony.”
Paul added: “Many congratulations to all
those who won awards on the night and
it was great to see many of the winning
trophies on display at the Vaper Expo UK
event a couple of days later.
“Finally we raised more than £6,400
for our two charities - Nora’s Dream
and Help for Heroes - and this was a
tremendous effort from everyone who
took part in the charity auction at the end
of the night.”
One attendee summed up the evening
when she said: “When I go to a vape
expo I don’t normally attend any of the
pre-show events but I made an exception
for this one and I am so glad I did.
“Those who were not there really missed
out on a great night. It is a mistake they
will not want to make twice.”