Broken Pipe

Vernon Vig, prominent and internationally renowned pipe collector, founder and first President of UPCA, and former President of the New York Pipe Club, passed away Thursday the 13th of February 2025. Vernon was inducted into the Confrerie des Maitres-Pipers de Saint-Claude (Brotherhood of Master Pipe Makers), the pipe version of the Hall of Fame, in 2012. He received The Doctor of Pipes at the Chicago Pipe Show in 2017. His influence on our community was deep and his knowledge was beneficial to any fellow pipe smoker lucky enough to spend time with him. With International Pipe Smoking Day coming up this week we invite you to pause a moment and reflect on Vernon, a man deeply committed to our shared hobby.

The 2025 UPCA National Slow Smoke Contest is coming soon in Chicago!

Yes, fellow pipe smokers, the 2024 UPCA National Slow Smoke Contest is happening once again!. As you may know, the UPCA National Slow Smoke is an annual contest of pipe smoking skills where we ask the question... Who can keep their pipe lit the longest?!?!? 

This year's pipe is a Merchant’s Service Billard by Greg Polla. 

Dimensions:

6” long

2.25” tall

1.42” wide at the rim

Chamber: .82"x~2” deep

Weight : 64g

The tobacco is Spilman Mixture by Iwan Reis

Spilman Mixture is a classically complex English blend of Virginia, Latakia, Turkish and cubed Burley that hasn't been available for 70 years! The reinvention of this classic tobacco took years of research and development. Presented in a detailed recreation of the original can, right down to the replica tax stamp, Spilman Mixture features the coarse cut favored by pipe smokers in the last century, and an honest, straight forward tobacco flavor. As the can says, "Discriminating Smokers smoke and recommend Spilman Mixture on account of its purity. Spilman Mixture is of incomparable Quality. The combination contains the choicest tobaccos. Its rich aroma is guaranteed to be Nature's own." Spilman Mixture is irresistible for anyone interested in trying what their great-great grandfather smoked.

Spilman Mixture can be purchased in 2.5 and 7 ounce cans at https://www.iwanries.com/Spilman-Mixture-C1492.cfm

Pre-Registration will begin at UnitedPipeClubs.org at 3pm on XX February 2025

Entry fee:

Online Preregistration:  $100 for members of active clubs belonging to the UPCA $105 for non-members. Cost to increase at the Chicago Pipe Show.

Online Preregistration ends on April 18,2025

Click Here to Register

Broken Pipe

It is a heavy heart that I have to announce a broken pipe for the passing of Eric Karloski. He passed January 11th at 3:30 pm. He died peacefully with his Mom and Wife by his side in his home. Please take a moment to remember a fallen friend, and enjoy a bowl of your favorite tobacco in his honor. 

(Photo Courtesy of Kayla Himmelman)

2024 National Pipe Smoking Contest

The 2024 National Pipe Smoking Contest was held on Saturday April 13, 2024 at The Chicago International Pipe and Tobacciana Show at the Hyatt Regency in Rosemont IL. Les Young Successfully defended his title as US Champion, laying aside his pipe at 1:01:08. He chose as his prize a Brian Kalnitz Pipe from Smoker’s Haven of West Seneca New York. The International Champion was Pierre Pams, President of the Mexican National Pipe Club Organization with a time of 50:12. His choice of prize was a tin of Three Nuns donated by The Pipery. The Women’s Champion was Abby Deland of Michigan with a time of 34:38 picking up a leather pipe bag donated by Greywoodie. Next year the CPCC plans on getting a larger tent with a section separated completely for the contest. Thank you once again to the CPCC with a special note of thanks to Tin Garrity the Club President and Ronnie Pecorini the Club Vice President and the Showrunner of The Chicago Pipe Show.

2023 UPCA National Slow Smoke Contest

The UPCA once again held its US National Pipe Smoking Contest on the last day of the Chicagoland Pipe Show.  

Lester Young was the overall winner and National Champion of the 2023 contest with a time of 1 hour 6 minutes and 40 seconds.  Tiara Thayer was the women's champ with a time of 33 minutes and 20 seconds.  The best time for an international contestant was Turker Sezgin with a time of 45 minutes and 14 seconds.











We have over a hundred photos of the contest available from the link below.

Contest Photos


Contest Results

 UPCA 2nd Annual FAST Smoke Contest

If our slow smoke contest is too boring for you, let's see how FAST you can smoke a pipe. UPCA held its second FAST SMOKE contestat the smoking tent on Friday evening of the show.

Everyone got the same pipe and tobacco, just like our slow smoke, but the first one out is the winner! Use as many matches (or a blowtorch) as you want. If you go out with unburnt tobacco, you must refill your pipe and light up again.

More Info


Fast Smoke Results

The Chicago Pipe Show is THE major event of 2023

Chicagoland Pipe Show - April 28-30

Linconshire Marriott Resort

The show's venue is the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort, located 18 miles north of O'Hare Airport.

More Info

Muletown Pipe Show 2023

Muletown Pipe Show 2023 

March 17-19, 2023 

Briarworks in Columbia, Tennessee 

Slideshow

Muletown 2023

By John (Tab) Peryam 

The 2023 Muletown Pipe Show kicked off with a massive party on the evening of Friday, March 17, 2023. The parking lot and all nearby streetside parking spaces were filled to the brim by 2:30 pm with the vehicles of pipe smokers eager to take part in the pre-show activities and fellowship. A pipe finishing demonstration and Q&A session was given by Pete Prevost and Sam Adebayo of Briarworks on Friday evening at 7:00 pm. Food service for the duration of the show was provided by two food trucks: Loosewheels (big, delicious cheeseburgers) and Hen House (many chicken offerings). The party lasted until closing time at midnight and was attended by a host of pipe enthusiasts. 

The pipe show opened to a burgeoning crowd on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 11:00 am. Attendees waited in a long line to enter the show floor and the show quickly became very crowded with people elbow-to-elbow in the initial hours of the show. All of the tables were filled with pipes and pipe-related merchandise by vendors from all over the country. A side room held all kinds of Muletown Pipe Show and Briarworks clothing items as well as many Briarworks pipe offerings. In the same room, Laudisi and Sutliff offered some of their pipes and tobaccos. At 2:00 pm, Jeremy Reeves, head blender at Cornell & Diehl, held a pipe tobacco blending demonstration. 

On Sunday, March 19, 2023, the show opened again at 11:00 am but attendees were fewer in number and several of the vendors present on Saturday had unfortunately left the show. A drawing was held at 2:30 pm to give away the pipe that was made during the pipe finishing demonstration on Friday evening. The Muletown Pipe Show is growing by leaps and bounds every year and is the premier pipe event in the southeastern states. 

New Clubs

Welcome to

The Downriver Pipe Club
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and 

The Alaska Pipe Club  
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the latest pipe clubs to join the UPCA