I recently put out a press release about Cigar International and the elimination of their annual CigarFest mega herf. The annual CigarFest was an event that sold out almost immediately and brought brothers and sisters of the leaf together from around the country to celebrate the cigar culture. This year, the company decided they would offer three events, each held at their Cigar International shops in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas spanning five weeks. Of course these events are going to be slightly different than the CigarFest mega herf. We don’t know all the details on it but it seems to be a localized regional event. Time will tell if the new format is as good as the large gathering of the original.
If you are wanting to attend mega herfs around the country, there are still quite a number to choose from.
The Great Smoke by Smoke Inn
I just recently came back from the annual Smoke Inn – Great Smoke, which I think is the best event in the state of Florida. It drew attendees from around the country as far as far away as Alaska. Spanning multiple days, the event culminates in a Saturday mega herf at the South Florida Fair Grounds in West Palm Beach and offers attendees 40 premium cigars, whiskey and wine tasting, beer and soft drinks and plenty of food and entertainment not mention amazing deals on featured boxes of cigars. The $165.00 pricie is a no brainer for this event so mark it on your calendar for next year.
Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival
There is also the annual Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival which is being held August 22, 2022. It sells out every year almost instantaneously upon its announcement. Attendees have the chance to mingle with the most prominent cigar manufacturers and celebrities from around the world. All attendees purchasing a cigar ticket will be provided with an official festival bag containing over 40 premium cigars samples, cutter, lighter, festival glass, t-shirt, drink tickets and much more. Each attendee is provided with a free meal. Early bird tickets go one sale from April 4th to April 24th and can be purchased here.
Drew Estate Barn Smokers
Every year, Drew Estate fans gather in various locations around the country for what the company calls –Barn Smokers. It is a chance to get some amazing DE Swag, cigars, food and drinks, all while getting a tour of selected farms that cultivate the leaf used in many of the company’s products.
This year, the company announced that there will be four barn smokers held in Florida, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Kentucky. They also added a special event – The Savage Feast – to be held at the South Fork Ranch in Parker, Texas. The events start May 13-15 in Florida and end October 21-22 in Texas.
What is cool about this years line up is each event will be span two days, with a massive pre-party event on the first day with Cigars, Food, Drinks and Entertainment. The second day will be the traditional Barn Smoker format with tours and educational sessions not to mention more cigars, drinks and food. This year will also feature a selected regional chef for each barn smoker who will be serving up their best food and then culminating in a pig cookoff at the Savage Feast event in Texas. Limited tickets are still available for these events here.
The Big Smoke
You can also partake in the Cigar Aficionado Big Smoke event, held each year in Las Vegas and Florida.
The Vegas Big Smoke is being held at the brand new Resorts World, taking place on November 11 and 12, featuring two nights of Big Smoke evenings and a day of cigar seminars that showcase some of the biggest names in the cigar business and the editors of Cigar Aficionado magazine.
The Florida Big Smoke is being combined with WhiskyFest and will be held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida on May 28th. The combined event will feature the finest handmade cigars with exclusive whiskies and rare vintages of Scotch, Bourbon, rye and much more. There are educational cigar seminars and whisky pairings in the morning followed by a good life celebration in the evening.
Cigar Heritage Festival – Ybor City
Billed as the largest one day herf, the Cigar Heritage Festival has been growing year after year. It is held either the 1st or 2nd Sunday in December and gathers both large and small brands to show off their craft. The festival is held in Ybor City’s Historical Centennial Park and features over 150 vendors showcasing hand made cigars from around the world. They have entertainment, food, dessert, jewelry, art, and clothing, not mention beer and wine. The event is free to attend but you can buy what ever you like. Brothers and Sisters from around the country attend this one and it is a great way to take a short Florida weekend away from the cold.
Destination Herf Miami
Did I mention that Florida is one of the best places to live if you like cigars, There are festivals and herfs going on throughout the year. Another event I like to attend is Destination Herf Miami. This is a multi-day celebration that highlights the black cigar culture but is by no means limited to that demographic. The event features a number of lounges throughout the Miami area and where attendees meet and greet, leading up to a main event. This year the main event was held at Virginia Key State Park, which is rich in Miami Black history. There is plenty of food, drink and fun, and even some dancing at this event. It is held in the beginning of January each year.
Smoke at the Creek
Entering its second year, Smoke at the Creek is a true boutique cigar festival presented by the Boutique Cigar Association of America. The event is held at the Cedar Creek Brew Co in Martinsville, IN and this year it will take place Aug 12 and 13. The 15 acre property is home to the finest Distillery, Winery, and Brewery in Indiana. The venue will feature a live band (concert), DJ on site, and many food trucks to complete the entire experience.
No FUCKS Given (NFG) – Underground Cigar Shop
It may sound like this is a just a shop event, but it is much bigger than that. The Underground Cigar Shop in Fort Worth, Texas hosts an annual event called NFG (No FUCKS Given). It draws fans of the shop from all over the country for a weekend of fun every March. They shop has access to a large outdoor area where they set up tents to display numerous cigar vendors that offer amazing deals along with a terrific Texas BBQ to main day of the event. The name says it all and please don’t have thin skin if you go this one as there is plenty of ball and chop breaking throughout including the annual cigar industry roast.
I know there are plenty more that I have not mentioned, so feel free to comment on this article and let fellow Brothers and Sisters of the leaf know what’s going on.
Smoking Tent Event in Columbus, OH is the Midwest event!
Steve, do you have more info on this:)