This past weekend the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) was invited to join the Boutique Cigar Association of America for their annual Smoke at the Creek Cigar Festival where Ryan Parada Government Affairs Manager for the association represented PCA at the event. Located right outside Indianapolis Indiana, the Smoke at the Creek is held at the Cedar Creek Winery & Brew Co. who is also a member of the BCAA and produces their own premium cigars.
Day One – Day one of the festival was the VIP gathering, offering amazing food, drinks, and of course, cigars! The VIP event was completely sold out, with not a single seat empty. The event started around 5pm and lasted till after 9pm, plenty of time to see old friends and make plenty of new ones.
Remarks, given by Gaby Kafie, the founder of the BCAA, stated their excitement for next year’s PCA trade show where the BCAA will have a Boutique Cigar Pavillion, where all of the BCAA member companies can showcase their products and place orders. Kafie continued with an exciting announcement that the BCAA will be visiting as observers to InterTabac in Germany this year for their annual trade show. Lastly, Kafie announced that the BCAA will now be a corporate sponsor of the Cigar Rights of America.
Day Two – Day two offered early entry to all distributors and retailers for a chance to get deals from the over 40 vendors that were at the festival. After the two hour window, general attendees were able to join the festival and shop around for their favorite brands and learn about new ones.
The hospitality and warm welcoming from Armen Caprielian, President of the BCAA and owner of DAV Cigars, and Gaby Kafie, founder of the BCAA and owner of Kafie 1901, was second to none. We at the Premium Cigar Association would like to extend our thanks for the invitation, and greatly look forward to the close relationship the BCAA and the PCA have moving forward.
Gaby Kafie emphasized the importance of unity during battles saying: “Our industry is very small, it has and will continue to face some very big regulatory challenges. We must all come together and contribute towards one common goal… deregulation of premium cigars.”