Cigars and Guitars coming next month to St. Petersburg, Florida

If you love cigars and live in the Tampa Bay area or plan on being there in February, you will probably want to head out to Cigars and Guitars. Cigars and Guitars is dubbed as the largest cigar event in Florida, and it will take place this year on February 19^th at the Don Cesar Beach Resort in St. Petersburg.

The event promises plenty of cigars, food, and drinks in an upscale and relaxing atmosphere. You can walk around and view information and setups from some of the most recognized names in the cigar industry. Some of the brands sponsoring the event include Ashton, Rocky Patel, Davidoff, Camacho, Arturo Fuente, CAO, Gurkha, Don Pepin, Oliva, and many more. Attendees who purchase a standard or VIP ticket will receive over $325 worth of freebies that include cigars and other swag. Food will be provided by top restaurants such as The Palm and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, just to name a couple. Drinks will be offered as well. Wine and spirits representatives will be on hand from PRP Wine International, Pinnacle Vodka, Beam Global, and other brands. The guitars part of the event refers to a silent auction that will give those in attendance the opportunity to bid on autographed cigars from popular renowned country music artists. Some of the proceeds will go to local charity too.

You must be 21 or older to attend Cigars and Guitars. A standard ticket costs $150. It gives you access to the event from 5pm to 9pm, plus the aforementioned freebies. A VIP ticket costs $200, which gives you access from 3:30pm to 9pm, the cigar freebies, plus some additional cigars. You can also bring along a friend by purchasing a companion ticket for $25, which gets them food and beverages. Davidoff, Camacho, and Cusano will throw an after party from 9pm to 11pm. Tickets for the party cost $35.

W. Curtis Draper Tobacconist expands into Maryland

W. Curtis Draper Tobacconist, also known as Drapers, was founded in 1887. It's the fourth oldest tobacconist in the United States, and the oldest in Washington D.C. Despite its lengthy history, Drapers never ventured outside of the D.C. area until now, as its owners, John Anderson and Matt Krimm, announced the purchase of Bethesda Tobacco. Anderson and Krimm purchased Bethesda Tobacco from Michael Copperman, who is also a personal friend.

Bethesda Tobacco, located in Bethesda, Maryland, originally opened its doors in 1994 under the J.B. Sims Fine Tobacco moniker. Copperman purchased the shop in 2004 and renamed it. By expanding outside of D.C., Drapers' owners can now service a wider variety of customers. Drapers' main shop is located near the White House and is accustomed to servicing many government employees that work nearby. The new shop in Bethesda will open soon, and it will be renamed to W. Curtis Draper Bethesda. Paul Spence, the former Mid-Atlantic Regional Sales Manager for CAO International, will be the Managing Partner and General Manager of the new store.