EVENTS
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND GLAMOUR OF THE
THIRD ANNUAL VAPOUROUND AWARDS
When you’re the leading magazine and media platform
in the vape trade, you have no one to compete with but
yourself. And boy do we get competitive.
The third annual Vapouround Awards ceremony took place on
May 4, as the curtain fell on B2B day at the Vaper Expo UK.
We rolled out the red carpet, greeted our entertainers and posed
for team photos while the 450-strong crowd sipped prosecco and
toasted to another extraordinary Vaper Expo weekend.
The Vapouround Awards are about bringing together all corners
of this electric industry – and it’s safe to say there were a few
sparks on the night.
With the expo well underway and another day of business under
our belts, leading figures from as far as Malaysia and Australia
gathered and shared stories of their vaping backgrounds and
their lives before this mania began.
Before the official ceremony started, guests were treated to
teasers of the acts to come. Our favourite magician Nick Einhorn
proved why he has become a cornerstone for the Awards by
previewing his set with some astonishing trickery, including the
ability to transform a bystander’s ten-pound note into a five-pound
note – and back again, much to their relief.
He then found a way to keep even the old card trick standby fresh,
somehow guessing which card a Vapouround staff member had
chosen despite even the most rigorous shuffling. The fun and
games were welcomed by all after a long day on the expo floor.
106 | VM17
The Events Company brought their own befuddling mastery of
sleight-of-hand, such as the apparent levitation of a glass ball
with no strings attached – literally. Their entourage also included
a harlequin on stilts, another photo opportunity.
At 8pm, guests filled the hall and sat down to a delicious first
course served with wine, and a very special side. These were
limited edition 60ml bottles of Pinkman and Heisenberg e-liquids,
provided by our generous official sponsor, Vampire Vape. The
bottles came wrapped in ornately-patterned labels worthy of such
a prestigious event. Truly, there was no better choice, as last year
Pinkman on Ice won the Vapouround Award for Best Menthol and
Heisenberg took Best High PG.
With everyone settled, Vapouround’s Managing Director Paul
Caplin rose to the occasion on stage and told of the staggering
statistics behind the Awards, which included a public vote
exceeding 50,000. Paul urged everyone present to stop what
they were doing for just a moment to look around the room at the
people who have undoubtedly saved lives in their advocacy of
and activism for vaping.
“It’s been a year of controversy, ups and downs, but the
Vapouround Awards has always been a celebration of the
industry and its people. We’re all united in our desire for a smoke-
free future.”
Speaking of saving lives, Paul then reminded attendees that the
Vapouround Awards is and will remain a philanthropic endeavour.
Just as the vaping industry is a force for the good of public health,
this event is a platform and enabler for charity. Last year we
collected over £4,000 for the victims of the Manchester Arena
terrorist attack. This year we supported mental health charity
MIND and played a special video message from the organisation’s
president and television personality Stephen Fry.