Downtown Toronto Pipe Club

2015 Fall BBQ Event Details

This event is rain or shine!

Tickets are available at the door for $10, or you can purchase them in advance.

Schedule of Activities

 10am – Doors Open

  • If you did not purchase a ticket or pay online, this is the time. Also, be sure to collect your complimentary raffle ticket.
  • Grab a name tag and stick it somewhere prominent (shirt, forehead, etc.) so we all know who you are.
  • Coffee will be served!
  • Set-up for the Pipe Show Contest begins, to be judged by the casting of ballots submitted by attendees. Categories for judging:
    • Best collection from a Canadian companies/carvers – bonus points if pipe(s) are actually made in Canada (we’re looking at you, contemporary Brigham pipes!)
    • Best Canadian pipe shape collection
    • Best overall “Canadian” collection based on two above categories

Note that a “collection” is considered one or more pipes. (i.e. A single, excellent specimen is as good as a bazillion average pipes in any category as far as a “collection” is concerned.)

Tables and placards (for your name) will be provided for you to show your pipes. If you have a very nice table cloth or pipe stands / racks, feel free to bring them to help pimp your presentation!

  • Set-up for the Buy, Sell and Swap We will provide tables and placards so you can put your name next to your wares—interested parties can track you down so you don’t need to man your table the entire day. We suggest you price your items beforehand.

Noon — Master Class Presentation

You are invited to partake in a joint workshop/presentation on The Art and Stages of Pipemaking with three local pipemakers:

  • Michael Parks: Mike has been making pipes full-time for more than 20 years. He has been featured in many pipe publications, travels to the major pipes shows annually and has the honour of producing the Pipes & Tobaccos Magazine “Pipe of the Year” for 2015. He has shaggy hair and is pretty handy with a shotgun.
  • Giovanni Placentile: John, or “Gio”, is an up and coming Toronto pipemaker. He likes bicycles.
  • Evan Wiseman: Evan hails from the great city of Hamilton. (Hey, we all have to start from somewhere. Look at Mike.) Ironically, he always seems to be smoking a cigar.

(Note: The presentation will be recorded for posterity and posted on the DTPC website.)

1pm — Lunch

For the second year in a row, our famously misnamed “BBQ” will be catered by Norm’s Delicatessen. Food will include cabbage rolls, pierogis and schnitzels. Warning: We do not recommend operating any heavy machinery after eating—this is pretty hearty fare!

2pm — Raffle and Contest Results

Around this time we will be holding the raffle for the many items that have been contributed by our generous sponsors:

(Additional raffle tickets will be available for purchase throughout the show.)

We will also have tabulated the votes from the Pipe Show Contest and the winners of each category will be announced.

3pm — Slow Smoke Contest

A “slow smoke contest” is essentially where contestants try to see who can smoke their pipes the longest without relighting! We will be following normal contest rules but loosening some elements to make it more fun (and since we can’t control all the variables.) If you are interested in participating:

  • Bring a “group 4”-sized briar pipe of your own choosing (i.e. a “normal” sized pipe; there is no specific definition for this, but you probably know what we’re talking about)
  • Three grams of tobacco of the official Contest pipe tobacco (TBD) will be allotted for you—you can use as much or as little as you’d like in your packing
  • Bring your favourite lighting implement—you may use as many matches, or even a lighter—for the lighting portion
  • You will have 5 minutes to prepare your tobacco and pack your pipe followed by 1 minute for lighting
  • While smoking: the pipe must be in the mouth when the tamper is used; pipe cleaners are not allowed; it is not allowed to keep the pipe alight by blowing in the bowl of the pipe; you may not relight; you may be asked to produce smoke at any time.
  • You can find more help and tips here!

4pm — End of Day