Let’s start with a blatant cliché: If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times (that’s the cliché part); God bless TPE for providing carpet. If you’ve ever worked a trade show in this space, you understand my sentiment. If you’ve walked one, you feel it. Admittedly though, my hyper focus on this seemingly small detail might be related to the fact that I have flat feet. That’s not an exaggeration; these ponies are so absurdly bereft of arches that my mother still jokes to this day that as a toddler, she knew I was coming to see her because she could hear my little meat slabs flapping against the tile floor like a deep sea diver out of water. We all laugh politely each time she tells the story and pretend it’s the first time we’ve heard it, while I suppress urges to ask her if Donald Duck was our milkman. That especially lands because I also have a pair of webbed toes on each foot. I count it a blessing that none of my significant others over the years have had foot fetishes. 
But enough about fallen arches and potential interspecies infidelity. This isn’t about my handicaps or the genetic testing I may need to consider in my future. This is about the Total Product Expo, the annual convening of the titans of our industry where real business gets done, dreams are realized, and the halls are teeming with counter-cultural wares that are sure to leave your customers begging for more.
Granted, maybe it’s not as “cool” as some of the other trade shows in the space. That lovable hippie quotient so present at other events is surprisingly low, there are no skate ramps, and there’s no glass art exhibition at its core; but it makes up for that with an impressively professional vibe conducive to serious business, a very competent staff, and once again, carpet—gloriously plush, soft carpet to cushion my steps from the unforgiving concrete beneath. 
That’s not to say that the event isn’t a blazingly good time. This is the smoke shop industry, after all. The pictorial speaks for itself; this event is absolute fire. I unfortunately didn’t have my camera with me at the afterparty, but I can say with no reservation that TPE throws the best, most luxurious parties of any event I’ve attended—and I’ve now shown up to dozens of these things over the years, if not hundreds. Sure, there are some third-party events out there that might give it a run for its money, but as far as tradeshow-produced soirees, this one always wins, hands down.
There’s no question that consumables are now ruling the day. While accessories still had their place, they were merely peppered in between the throngs of towering booths, slinging everything from kratom, to the sundry and endless variety of hemp flower extracts, all the way to consciousness expanding tryptamine compounds, offered in every form imaginable; gummies, pre-rolls, syrups, poprocks, vapes, capsules, tablets, et f-cking al. Hot. Damn.
And yet, despite the dominance of consumables, it’s impossible to ignore the quiet persistence of quality glass, the kind that turns casual window-shoppers into collectors. Sure, the footprint was smaller than in years past, but those who showed up brought heat. The photos tell the story—and that is that there was still plenty to drool over. The crew at West
Coast was there, showcasing their Canadian-made luxury and icon-branded tributes with their usual finesse. Blown Glass was also present in full force, with a brand-new electronic dab attachment on display to tease their loyal fans. Milkyway made an appearance as well, boasting a beautiful array of sandblasted bongs that blurred the line between art and prodo with such effortless grace, I had to remind myself that GlassVegas wasn’t in the building this year.
Even more interesting, however, was the shift in tone from some of the long time industry players—veterans who, in previous years, might have grumbled about the onslaught of hemp-derived products but now seem to be embracing the evolution. Some were even making moves to incorporate their own consumable lines, proving once again that in this industry, adaptability isn’t just a virtue—it’s survival.
So, thank you, TPE, for yet another incredible event. Thank you for supporting and nurturing this amazing culture and industry, full of the most lovable dissidents, freaks and visionaries you’ll find anywhere. And finally, thank you for that f-cking carpet.
