Vapouround magazine ISSUE 21 | Page 64

FEATURE FOUR YEARS OF GLITZ AND GLAMOUR The history of the Vapouround Awards and what you need to know ahead of May’s spectacle It’s a whole new year, and in vaping one always has another calendar date to mark down. The annual Vapouround Awards stand as one of the vaping industry’s must-attend events. Hot on the heels of B2B day at the Vaper Expo UK, the awards ceremony is a perfect way to end the first act of the expo and usher in the spirited rush of two B2C days by richly rewarding and commending the people and companies who make this all possible. On Friday May 3, we’ll be bringing the Vapouround Awards to you for the fourth year running. We’re honouring the industry’s competitive spirit by continuing the tradition of outdoing ourselves in every possible way since the last outing. Beginning at the second Vaper Expo in May 2016, the awards instantly became a pillar of an industry that had entered a golden age and was still full of promise. The awards proved to be prescient in their predictions, as several winners have since become leaders and examples for us all to follow. Remember this when entering your own products – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. May 2017 saw further diversification, with the night evolving into a full-blown extravaganza of entertainment. BHVape’s irrepressible Johnnie Lovell joined Ashley Hansen from Strawberry Queen, forming a now inseparable double act. The two have become synonymous with the Vaper Expo and Vapouround Awards, ushering in both rising stars and established standbys. DJ Richard Kibble provided the music, and magician Nick Einhorn pioneered another discipline on this night: the obscure art of vape-related magic tricks. Each subsequent show has ushered in more fun, more sparkle and more memories. In May 2018, we added the comedic brilliance of Ian Irving. But for all the pageantry, we never forgot that the most important part of the awards are those watching the stage. Last May’s awards evening brought 450 leading figures into the suite and we welcome any business owner or affiliate who wants to join us next year at our new venue. The Vapouround Awards are also known for honouring new, emerging trends in the industry which become essential mainstays. Last year we gave out our first trophy for Best CBD, in 2019 we debut Best Salt Nicotine – as it has been hugely helpful in getting smokers off cigarettes, going hand-in-hand with starter kits and smaller, pod-based devices. In addition to new trophies for the industry’s new stars, we’ll be holding the festivities in a new venue. The 2019 awards will take place in the National Conference Centre, within the National Motorcycle Museum, a stone’s throw from the NEC. Full details of our sponsorship packages can be found at the ceremony’s official website: Vapouroundawards.co.uk We hope to see you there. 64 | VM21 Official Sponsor