The Hukilau made its 20th live appearance in South Florida (and 21st overall) last week at the scenic Beachcomber Resort on the Pompano Beach oceanfront. The idyllic setting was perfect for a Tiki weekender featuring four days of nonstop music, cocktails and education on modern and historic Polynesian Pop. RELATED:The Hukilau 2023 live coverage, photos and video from social media
The Hukilau 2023 – June 8-11 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts, The Swingin’ Palms, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, Dan Cunningham, The Ohana Hawaiian Jazz Trio), symposiums and classes (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Garret Richard, Spike Marble, Tiki Tom-Tom, Doc Parks), guest bars and industry professionals, pop-up cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
* TheHukilau.com | Instagram | Facebook page and group
The Atomic Grog’s photos and memories from June 8-11 at the Beachcomber Resort
This year’s forecast calls for four days of Category 5 revelry at the oceanfront Beachcomber Resort in Pompano Beach, plus extracurricular activities that span nearly a full week.
It’s far too early in the year for any significant storms, so why not kick off the summer early with an epic Polynesian Pop party on the beachfront? The 21st live version of the East Coast’s largest Tiki weekender blows ashore June 8-11, featuring some top names in the tropical cocktail world, noted live surf and exotica bands, a marketplace featuring more than 30 vendors, educational symposiums, plus more.
The Hukilau 2023 – June 8-11 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts, The Swingin’ Palms, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, Dan Cunningham, The Ohana Hawaiian Jazz Trio), symposiums and classes (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Garret Richard, Spike Marble, Tiki Tom-Tom, Doc Parks), guest bars and industry professionals, pop-up cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
* TheHukilau.com | Instagram | Facebook page and group
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry serves up a signature Latitude 29 cocktail during the Tiki Tower Takeover event at Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale during The Hukilau in June 2016. (Photo by Kevin Upthegrove)
The Intoxicators from Tallahassee are making their 17th appearance at The Hukilau in 2023.
We also outline what’s new for 2023, including Wednesday’s pre-party at Esotico Miami. And we spotlight all of the musical performers, from those traveling long distances (California’s The Hula Girls and Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts; New York’s The Swingin’ Palms) to those from around the Sunshine State (The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, Dan Cunningham).
The Luau Lads (Kurt Rogers and Michael Bloom) man their booth in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar at The Hukilau 2022. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
Finally, there’s a section on The Hukilau’s history, from its beginning in 2002 in Atlanta to its many years at Fort Lauderdale Beach hotels and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park. The name refers to the traditional Hawaiian gathering of family and friends to cast a giant net into the sea to catch fish. It’s fitting that The Hukilau lures Tikiphiles from around the globe to it’s beachfront locale in our own tropical paradise.
The second story, posted in May, runs down the full list of 17 guest bars and bartenders who will be slinging delicious drinks all weekend. This includes legendary names (The Mai-Kai, Don the Beachcomber, Tonga Hut), many returning favorites (Dirty Dick, Hidden Harbor, The Inferno Room, Tiki Underground), plus some notable newcomers.
The story also lists all 32 booths confirmed for the Tiki Treasures Bazaar, including 16 participants who didn’t attend last year. The roster includes artists, craftspeople, collectors, and a variety of other vendors.
BEFORE AND AFTER: Parties extend The Hukilau revelry to six days
Wednesday’s rum dinner at Esotico Miami, sponsored by Plantation, is sold out. But that doesn’t mean you should skip the pre-party if you won’t have a ticket.
The tropical cocktail hotspot owned by flamboyant mixologist Daniele Dalla Pola has plenty of space for guests to meet and mingle all night. The event is also sponsored by Hi-Tide Recordings, which likely means we’ll also enjoy some vintage tunes by label owners and DJs Vincent Minervino and Magdalena O’Connell.
You can partake in the exotic fare in the main restaurant, then move into the mysterious speakeasy next door for the late-night party. Dalla Pola’s new Kaona Room will host Miami favorites Gold Dust Lounge performing its unique melding of surf, spy and experimental rock.
As if symposiums and cocktails from luminaries including Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and David Wondrich weren’t enough, The Hukilau has added a flamboyant garnish to its 21st Tiki weekend: An all-star lineup of 17 guest bars that will serve tasty tropical drinks throughout the June 8-11 event on the South Florida oceanfront. NEW:The Hukilau 2023 countdown: Full schedule and updates as 21st Tiki weekender approaches
The list includes some historic names (The Mai-Kai, Don the Beachcomber, Tonga Hut), key bars in the modern Tiki revival (Dirty Dick, Hidden Harbor, Inferno Room), plus many returning favorites (Esotico Miami, Tiki Tatsu-ya, Tiki Underground). All will be crafting drinks throughout the four days of pool and beach parties, symposiums, nightly bungalow parties, plus more. Pop-up bars and bartenders:See the full lineup of participants Bonus cocktail recipe below:Passport to Martinique from VenTiki
Also confirmed this week is a list of more than 30 artists and vendors who will be selling their wares in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar. They range from noted artists (Kymm! Bang, Robert Jimenez, Tom Fowner), to longtime Tiki merchants (Aloha Art and Alligators, The Modern Historic), to event newcomers (Bamboo Betty Wear, Trader Van’s). Tiki Treasures Bazaar:See the full lineup of participants
The Hukilau 2023 – June 8-11 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts, The Swingin’ Palms, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, Dan Cunningham), symposiums (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Garret Richard, Spike Marble, Tiki Tom-Tom), guest bars, rum tastings, pool parties, beach parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
* TheHukilau.com | Instagram | Facebook page and group Previous coverage:The Hukilau 2023 preview: 21st Tiki weekender in June is nirvana for cocktail fanatics
Among the Tiki cocktail authors scheduled to appear at The Hukilau 2023 are (from left) Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, Garret Richard, and Matt Pietrek.
Joining Southern California’s The Hula Girls are two other bands from the New Jersey-based Hi-Tide Recordings label. Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts (Long Beach, Calif.) will be promoting a new vinyl LP, Surf Shack Shindig, scheduled to be released this summer. The Swingin’ Palms (Albany, N.Y.) will perform their signature lei’d back Hawaiian instrumentals, while Hi-Tide owners Vincent Minervino and Magdalena O’Connell will join the party with their distinctive DJ sets.
Rounding out the musical lineup are four Florida-based acts. The Intoxicators (Tallahassee), The Disasternauts (parts unknown), and Skinny Jimmy Stingray (Deerfield Beach) all perform hard-driving instrumental rock, liberally mixing original tunes with surf classics. South Florida’s Dan Cunningham, on the other hand, is a classic crooner and one of the area’s top Elvis tribute performers.
The Beachcomber Resort & Club is located on the Atlantic Ocean in Pompano Beach. (Official photo)
The Hukilau is centered around pool parties featuring live music and cocktails at the scenic Beachcomber Resort on the Atlantic Ocean in Pompano Beach, just north of Fort Lauderdale. There will also be two beach parties and nightly bungalow parties. The Tiki Treasures Bazaar and the symposiums are held under tents and thatched huts around the resort property. The overall vibe and festive atmosphere creates a legitimate South Seas paradise in the tropics.
All 140 rooms at the Beachcomber are sold out, but The Hukilau’s villagers can get a special rate at the Plunge Beach Resort, about 2 miles south in Lauderdale By the Sea. Reserve a room via the link on The Hukilau website or call 407-536-2763. Use group code “HUKI” to get the discount.
Event tickets range from $149 (plus service fee) for the Saturday-only Palm Pass, to $599 (plus fee) for the four-day South Seas Pass. The top-tier pass includes many perks, including a VIP lounge, reserved seating at symposiums, and early access to the bazaar. The South Seas and Aloha pass ($359) include all presentations and parties, plus unlimited cocktails.
Among those returning to The Hukilau in 2023 are the Inferno Room (left), Scotty Schuder of Dirty Dick, and Daniele Dalla Pola of Esotico Miami. Photos from The Hukilau 2022 (left) and 2018 (right) by Hurricane Hayward; center photo by Chris Kridler, 2018)
GUEST BARS: 17 top bar teams serve up signature drinks
A staple of The Hukilau, cocktails crafted by some of the world’s top Tiki bartenders are available throughout the event at no extra charge. Indulge freely (and responsibly) as you enjoy the music, symposiums and many other happenings around the Beachcomber resort. Here’s the lineup of bars for 2023, which includes many returning favorites:
Author and Latitude 29 owner Jeff “Beachbum” Berry participates in the Tiki Tower Takeover at the Pier 66 hotel during The Hukilau 2016 in Fort Lauderdale. (Photo by Go11Events.com)
Berry, a New Orleans bar owner and influential author, is returning to The Hukilau for the first time since 2016. Wondrich, an award-winning author and cocktail historian, is back for a second straight year. They will be joined by several other past presenters making their return to the event: Cocktail Wonk blogger and author Matt Pietrek; and New York City bartender Garret Richard, who also has a book in the works.
“Having Beachbum Berry back again is real exciting for us,” said event organizer Richard Oneslager. “In the cocktail would, you couldn’t have two luminaries bigger than David Wondrich and Jeff Berry.”
To top off the boozy offerings, Spike Marble will be on hand for a live recording of his Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour video show. Also expect sponsored nightly parties, rum tastings, and more opportunities for spirited fun, all complimentary with an event pass.
The full lineup of bars and bartenders has yet to be announced, but we can confirm that two legendary brands – The Mai-Kai and Don the Beachcomber – will be attending and slinging drinks at pop-up bars throughout the event at the Beachcomber Resort.
The Hukilau 2023 – June 8-11 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts, The Swingin’ Palms, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, Dan Cunningham), symposiums (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Garret Richard, Spike Marble, Tiki Tom-Tom), guest bars, rum tastings, pool parties, beach parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
* TheHukilau.com | Instagram | Facebook page and group
The Hukilau villagers enjoy the pool party at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach in June 2022. (Photos by Spike Marble / Spikeandthecamera.com)
Rooms at the resort are already sold out, but a second nearby hotel is available at a special rate. Go to TheHukilau.com to book your accommodations and order event tickets. A South Seas pass gives “villagers,” as The Hukilau lovingly calls its attendees, reserved seating at all symposiums, plus early access to other events, a VIP lounge, plus more. The mid-level Aloha Pass covers all of the Thursday-Saturday events, plus free cocktails all weekend. The budget-friendly Palm Pass gets you into Saturday’s marketplace and pool party, plus evening bungalow parties.
Live music from some of the Tiki scene’s top surf and exotica bands is another signature of the event. Among those scheduled to appear at the daily and nightly poolside parties are California’s The Hula Girls and Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts; and Florida’s The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts and Skinny Jimmy Stingray.
Saturday’s Tiki Treasures Bazaar will feature dozens of vendors of vintage and retro-inspired goods, from mugs and aloha shirts to carvings and artwork. The Beachcomber’s scenic locale right on the Atlantic Ocean will also provide the perfect setting for daily beach parties Friday and Saturday with special entertainment. One of the parties will feature Polynesian dancers with ties to The Mai-Kai, while the other will include popular Elvis tribute performer Dan Cunningham from South Florida.
The Surfrajettes perform poolside at The Hukilau 2022 last June. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
Here are details on of The Hukilau’s special guests, plus info on tickets, the daily schedule and more.
Wednesday’s pre-party at Esotico Miami is not new, but it’s on the official schedule this year. Acclaimed mixologist and owner Daniele Dalla Pola is a longtime participant at The Hukilau, going back to his memorable Tiki Tower Takeover appearances in 2017 and 2018. Last year, he served up a four-course meal featuring three cocktails and a flight of three rums. Expect nothing less this year, along with a chance to check out the new adjoining Tiki speakeasy, Kaona Room.
Members of The Mai-Kai’s Polynesian Islander Revue perform at The Hukilau’s luau on June 10, 2022. They will return this year for an expanded beach party. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The Friday evening luau has been replaced on the schedule by the daily beach parties on Friday and Saturday. A special menu of food will be available for purchase during the parties.
Top-tier passholders will find an expanded South Seas Lounge, relocated to a bigger space in the main lobby area with more food, along with exclusive cocktails. Passholders will be able to fortify with a continental breakfast, lunch and hot hors d’oeuvres in the evening. The lounge will also feature meet-and-greets with event VIPs, such as artists, speakers, and musicians.
On April 20, The Hukilau announced that its 19th annual Tiki weekender scheduled for June 3-7 in Fort Laduerdale was being postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. In its place will be a series of events across the country aimed at raising money for Tiki bars devastated by shutdowns. Click the link below for more info.
Passes and tickets for The Hukilau 2020 are selling briskly after last week’s announcement of the full entertainment lineup for the 19th annual Tiki weekender June 3-7 at the B Ocean Resort and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale.
The Surfrajettes perform at The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale during last year’s Hukilau preview party on March 2. The Canadian group is one of the 2020 headliners. (Atomic Grog photo)
Our previous report hinted at many of the headliners and new participants while offering up key details on the East Coast’s largest and longest-running gathering of Polynesian Pop culture enthusiasts. Now, with the launching of The Hukilau’s updated website, we can run down the full list of bands, symposium presenters, guest pop-up bars and more.
THE MUSIC
The biggest news was the reveal of the musical headliners. Returning for their second appearance at The Hukilau are The Surfrajettes from Toronto, Canada. Rising stars on the instrumental surf circuit, these four women have lived up to the hype after exploding onto the scene in 2015. Viral videos propelled their popularity, but their subsequent live performances and signing with Hi-Tide Recordings have proved that this band is more than just an Internet sensation. We were treated to their blend of classic surf, unique covers, and their own originals at The Hukilau 2018, followed by a special appearance at The Mai-Kai last March. Appearances last year at such high-profile events as Nashville Boogie, the Surf Guitar 101 Convention, and Tiki Oasis solidified their place as an event headliner. Look for a new single on Hi-Tide in April.
Eddie Angel (left) and Greg Townson (right) perform with Los Straitjackets in The Mai-Kai’s Tahiti room during The Hukilau 2018. The guitarists will be jamming, sans masks, at The Hukilau 2020. (Atomic Grog photo)
Perhaps the best known and most popular band to ever play The Hukilau is Los Straitjackets, who graced the festival in 2009 and 2018. While the masked marvels of instrumental rock won’t be returning in 2020, two of its key members will jam out this June in Fort Lauderdale. Guitarist Eddie Angel, who co-founded Los Straitjackets in 1988, also played The Hukilau with two other bands, The Martian Denny Orchestra and The Neanderthals. The Nashville-based guitarist has also had a longtime career as a sideman and solo artist, appearing on dozens of albums by some of the retro rock scene’s greats, dating back to 1978. At The Hukilau 2020, he’ll perform a solo set at Friday’s High Tide Party, backed the The Hi-Risers. On Saturday at The Mai-Kai, he’ll sit in as a fourth member of the roots rock band from Rochester, N.Y., for a few songs.
The Hi-Risers were formed by guitarist Greg Townson, a member of Los Straitjackets since 2010, and bassist/vocalist Todd Bradley back in 1998. The three-piece band will join forces with Los Straitjackets guitarist Eddie Angel for their first appearance at The Hukilau. For 20 years, the band has been constantly touring, recording and releasing rock ‘n’ roll records with a retro spin. Hi-Tide dropped a new single, Christmas with The Hi-Risers, in December and plans another record before June.
Another Hi-Tide band, Argentina’s Los Freneticos, is making its first appearance at The Hukilau. Founded in 2008, this foursome went against the grain of what was popular in their home country to establish a worldwide following with their mash-up of instrumental rock, surf, spaghetti western, and even a bit of punk. A 2012 debut album, El Playa, was followed by another album and global touring. Hi-Tide put out a third record, Teletransportación, in 2019, propelling the band through a full summer of U.S. festival dates. Another recording is due this spring.
Los Freneticos from Argentina will be making their first appearance at The Hukilau. (TheHukilau.com)
Also new for 2020 is a recently formed “surfxotica” combo, The Manakooras from Charlotte, N.C. Featuring members of surf stalwarts The Aqualads, The Intoxicators, The Penetrators and Satan’s Pilgrims, the band combines their love of exotica, surf, and Hawaiian music by employing distinctive instrumentation including lap steel guitar. The band is joining forces with Hi-Tide to release a record by the time The Hukilau rolls around.
Previously announced bands who will be performing at the B Ocean and The Mai-Kai during the rocking five days of festivities are The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Gold Dust Lounge, and Skinny Jimmy Stingray. Once again, King Kukulele will emcee the festivities while DJs spinning eclectic tunes will include Brother Cleve, Vincent Minervino and Magdalena O’Connell from Hi-Tide, Spike Marble of The Hula Girls, and Hukilau favorite James Brown’s Sweat from South Florida.
The bands and DJs can be found at the B Ocean on Thursday through Saturday during daily Rum Island pool parties and Friday’s High Tide Party in the hotel’s distinctive Point Room. The Mai-Kai hosts performances during Wednesday’s pre-party, Saturday’s main event, and Sunday’s finale. Performance times will be announced Feb. 15. More below:Symposiums, classes and pop-up bars
While the live performances keep the party rocking, there’s more to The Hukilau for attendees thirsty for “edutainment” covering everything from rum cocktails, to Tiki history, to vintage clothing. A new symposium, Alfred Shaheen: Iconic Hawaiian Textiles ($10), will offer a deep dive into the largest and most innovative mid-century aloha wear manufacturer. Pull Your Head Out of Your Glass! Secret Treasures of Tiki Bars Hiding in Plain Sight ($10) will offer a deep dive “to uncover the wild, weird and wonderful artifacts found in Tiki bars.”
Ayme Harrison prepares cocktails with her Death or Glory bartender Cassidy Moser during the Tiki Tower Takeover at The Hukilau 2019. She’ll teach a class in 2020 on how to make a fun and easy party punch. (Atomic Grog photo)
Previously revealed were presentations by music and Tiki historian Brother Cleve (Exotica! The Sound of Tiki, $10), rising New York City bartender Garret Richard (New Traditionalist – Can Cutting-Edge Science Revive Tiki’s Forgotten Cocktails?, $59), and The Atomic Grog’s Hurricane Hayward (How The Mai-Kai Perfected the Modern Tiki Cocktail, $59).
For the fourth straight year, The Hukilau will offer hands-on cocktail classes as part of its Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy. Students will be treated to an all-new slate of courses, such as Where’s the Proof? with bartender and Tiki ambassador Oriol Elias of Spain. Death or Glory owner Ayme Harrison will join forces with Tiki TNT owner Todd Thrasher for Punch Up Your Party – Less Work, More Fun. The most ambitious new class is My Zombie Is Killer!, a “cage match” featuring four bars competing to see who has the best Zombie cocktail. Expanding beyond rum is a new class titled Waiter! What is This Tequila/Whiskey/Gin Doing in My Tiki Cocktail? Tickets for all classes are $59. The symposiums by Richard and Hayward will also count as credit toward a diploma from the academy.
For the fifth year in a row, the signature event at The Hukilau has sold out months in advance. The Tiki Tower Takeover, held every June in the 17th floor rooftop ballroom at Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale, will have added significance in 2019.
It’s hard to beat the view, or the cocktails, in the 17th-floor Pier Top Lounge during the Tiki Tower Takeover at The Hukilau 2018. (Photo by Joanne Galka)
The festive cocktail party that spotlights some of the world’s top Tiki bartenders will celebrate Women Who Tiki with eight female mixologists serving their own special creations. With the hotel closing for a massive refurbishment immediately after The Hukilau, it will also be the last Takeover in the tower for at least two years.
The Hukilau: Wednesday through Sunday, June 5-9, 2019, at the Pier Sixty-Six Hotel & Marina, B Ocean Resort and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Featuring Tikiyaki Orchestra, Tikiyaki 5-0, Surfer Joe, The Volcanics, The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Gold Dust Lounge, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, The Swingin’ Palms, Slowey and the Boats, King Kukulele, Brother Cleve, Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid, Ian “Rum Ambassador” Burrell, and 25 top Tiki bars and bartenders from around the world.
* TheHukilau.com | Facebook: Page and Group | Instagram
A view of downtown Fort Lauderdale from the Pier Top Lounge at the Pier Sixty-Six Hotel & Marina during the Tiki Tower Takeover at The Hukilau 2018. (Photo by Scott Broadway)
In addition to the all-female theme, the 2019 event will feature a significant increase in participants over past years, when no more than five bartenders were included. The Hukilau takes over the Pier Top Lounge from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 6. Prior to boarding the elevators to the tower, villagers can enjoy a welcome drink in the hotel’s ground-floor Windows on the Green.
While individual tickets are no longer available, there’s still one way to gain VIP entry. There are a limited number of South Seas passes available ($399 plus fee) that include exclusive early access at 4 p.m. to the Tiki Tower Takeover plus a custom mug from Tiki Farm. This top-of-the-line pass also gets you admission to all five days of events (not including symposiums and classes). Click here for a rundown on all the ticket options, as well as updates on what’s sold out.
Here’s this year’s all-star lineup of bartenders. All are making their first Tiki Tower Takeover appearance, though two have previously served the welcome drink. No previous events have featured more than five bars, so expect an action-packed (and cocktail-filled) party in the Pier Top Lounge this year.
Updated Feb. 8, 2018
The Hukilau gave its loyal fans a New Year’s treat by announcing an expanded lineup for the East Coast’s largest Tiki-themed event, giving its regular “villagers” early access and discounts on tickets. The general public can now join the party at the 17th annual mash-up of Polynesian Pop and cocktail culture.
Here are the highlights of the announcement, sent via email and posted on the official website. I also spoke directly with the event’s owner and co-organizer, Richard Oneslager, to get all the scoop on 2018. NEW: As of Feb. 8, this preview is now updated with the late January announcement.
Party like it’s 2009: Los Straitjackets (left) will headline The Hukilau for a second time, while The Intoxicators will make their 13th appearance at the Tiki party in Fort Lauderdale. (Photos from The Hukilau 2009)
PREVIEW: The Hukilau 2018 highlights
* MUSIC: More headlining bands. The 2018 event will include some of the world’s top surf and exotica bands, including Los Straitjackets, The Madeira, Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica Quintet and The Martian Denny Orchestra. Villagers will also be thrilled to see the return of The Intoxicators, who missed 2017 after 12 straight appearances. Other performers include The Exotics, Black Flamingos, Czarna Wolgastar, The Royal Pacifics, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, and The Hukilau’s one and only emcee during its previous 16 years, the ubiquitous King Kukulele. Look for more bands to be announced, along with special guest DJs. Bands will perform on all five days in various venues. [More details below]
* BARS: 12 Tiki pop-ups. Seven of last year’s 10 acclaimed bar teams are returning, joined by five new Tiki-themed pop-ups from around the world setting up shop all over Pier 66 at special events, tastings, and classes. Due to popular demand, a second afternoon pool party with complimentary cocktails has been added to the schedule. Back for more more rum and cocktails are bartenders from Dirty Dick (Paris), Flask & Cannon (Jacksonville), Hidden Harbor (Pittsburgh), Nu Lounge Bar (Italy), Three Dots and a Dash (Chicago), Pagan Idol (San Francisco), and S.O.S. Tiki Bar (Atlanta). Coming on board for 2018 are Death Or Glory (Delray Beach), Foundation Bar (Milwaukee), Frankie’s Tiki Room (Las Vegas), Tonga Hut (Los Angeles), and Trailer Happiness (London). [More details below]
Rum ambassador Ian Burrell presents a symposium at The Hukilau 2017 (Atomic Grog photo). He’ll be joined in 2018 by cocktail pioneer and influential musician/DJ Brother Cleve (Photo by Audrey Harrer).
* INDUSTRY VIPS: Cocktail influencer makes debut. Boston’s Brother Cleve will bring his vast knowledge of cocktails and music to The Hukilau for the first time. This prime mover of the craft cocktail scene in the 1990s and former member of the groundbreaking band Combustible Edison will present a symposium, make a special DJ appearance, and also have his own bar in the Tiki Tower Takeover event. In addition, rum ambassador Ian Burrell returns from London for a second straight year to host a symposium, two cocktail classes and a special rum tasting. [More details below]
* TIKI TOWER TAKEOVER: Signature cocktail party expands, returns for Round 4. Held on Thursday night in the hotel’s revolving Pier Top Lounge, the fourth edition of one of Tiki’s most exclusive events is likely to sell out just as fast as the previous three. Tickets are limited to passholders, so act now. The lineup will grow from four to five pop-ups (featuring six different bar teams), including returning participants Three Dots and a Dash and Daniele Dalla Pola of Nu Lounge Bar. Scotty Schuder of Dirty Dick also returns, teaming up with Pagan Idol for a special two-bar mash-up. The final two pop-ups will feature the craft cocktail stylings of Brother Cleve and the crew from the U.K.’s Trailer Happiness. [More details below]
* MERCHANDISE: Works of top Tiki artists on display. The official artists for The Hukilau 2018 are Joe Vitale and Donella Vitale, whose work can already been seen on the website and promo artwork. The couple is based in Orlando, where they both work for Disney in addition to being among the most recognizable artists of the Tiki revival. Fun fact: The Vitales are among a select few who have attended The Hukilau all 16 years, along with emcee King Kukulele and co-founder Tim “Swanky” Glazner. Villagers will get first shot at the event merchandise, including the 17th annual mug produced by Eekum Bookum. There will also be special items for some villagers, including a South Seas passholder pendant by Crazy Al Evans.
Bar teams from Pittsburgh’s Hidden Harbor (left) and Atlanta’s S.O.S. Tiki Bar will return for this year’s expanded Rum Island Pool Party at The Hukilau 2018. (Atomic Grog photos)
* ENHANCEMENTS: Feedback from villagers. The Hukilau listened to its attendees and will implement quite a few changes: Extended hours and a second pool party on Saturday (in addition to Friday) including live music, more bars and bands (see above), a “Villager’s Lounge” tent to “meet and hang with old friends and new,” a party featuring all exotica music, and more food trucks.
* MORE SPECIAL EVENTS: Symposiums, Medusirena Marina swimshows. Symposiums, craft workshops, Okole Maluna cocktail classes, hula lessons, plus more new additions were announced in late January. These include three swimshows featuring Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid in her home at the nearby Wreck Bar in the B Ocean Resort, plus symposiums on Disney’s Trader Sam’s Tiki bar concept and the heyday of Tiki on television. Craft workshops will feature a trio of noted Tiki artists, while cocktail classes will include bartenders and experts from across the country. UPDATE:The Hukilau 2018 symposiums to include Disney imagineer, Tiki on TV
The Hukilau, the East Coast’s largest and longest-running Tiki weekender, has confirmed an all-new lineup for one of its signature events during the 16th annual festivities in Fort Lauderdale in June. When the acclaimed Tiki Tower Takeover returns to the revolving rooftop ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 for a third straight year, it will feature four new Tiki bar teams and a special master of ceremonies, globetrotting “rum ambassador” Ian Burrell.
The Tiki Tower Takeover is a unique three-hour happy hour with panoramic views of Fort Lauderdale featuring some of the world’s top Tiki bartenders. During its first two years, it included such Tiki cocktail royalty as Beachbum Berry, Martin Cate and Paul McGee. These high-profile Tiki bar proprietors helped launch the special event in 2015 and returned last year for an encore. For 2017, there’s a whole new lineup, announced Sunday in an email to ticket-holders by The Hukilau’s Richard Oneslager.
“The new line-up is a great mix of contemporary American Tiki bars, and two world class standouts from Europe,” Oneslager wrote. “In addition, we have one of the world’s leading rum experts emceeing the event for us.”
Ian Burrell, founder of the UK RumFest, on stage at The Mai-Kai during the “Rumposium” at The Hukilau 2011. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / The Atomic Grog)
Oneslager and partner Mike Zielinski of Idle Hands Events Management took over ownership of The Hukilau in 2015. Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White stepped down after 15 years as co-creator, co-founder, producer and organizer in December. Oneslager and his team have faced a challenge in White’s absence, but the latest news signals that the event is still on track, with more details set to be announced soon.
The charismatic Burrell, who is based in London and hosts the annual UK RumFest, is billed as the international ambassador of rum. He’ll lend his expertise to several events at The Hukilau, including tastings and symposiums. As host of the Tiki Tower Takeover, expect him to raise the energy level and add his unique brand of humor and enthusiasm. Burrell’s one and only previous appearance at The Hukilau was 2011, when he helped judge a cocktail contest and participated in a special “Rumposium” event with Berry, Cate and other luminaries. He’s truly the spirit’s global ambassador, spreading the gospel at events around the world. In 2013, he made appearances on all seven continents.
* More on Ian Burrell: Take 5 interview
* At The Hukilau 2011: Rum Rat Pack | Rum Barrel Challenge
* At Miami Rum Festival 2014: Tiki seminar and cocktail recipe
Scotty Schuder is a cocktail renaissance man: An American who was born in England, lived in Germany and opened a Tiki bar in Paris in 2013.
During the June 8 event, signature cocktails will be served up by four of the world’s top bar teams, two from Europe and two from the United States. Here’s the official lineup of pop-up bars announced Sunday:
Scotty Schuder of Dirty Dick in Paris, France. The co-owner of this funky neo-Tiki bar is also known for his expertise in helping craft Plantation’s new O.F.T.D. rum (along with Berry, Cate, McGee and others). Dirty Dick is legendary for its fun atmosphere, its rum selection and its expertly crafted cocktails. Occupying a former brothel space (hence the saucy name), It recently made the list of the World’s Best Bars.
* Related: Drinks International profile
* New interview: Inside the Desert Oasis Room podcast
Daniele Dalla Pola was part of an Italian team that won the 42 Below Cocktail World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.
Daniele Dalla Pola of Nu Lounge Bar in Bologna, Italy.Also rated by many to be among the best bars in the world, Nu Lounge is a neo-Tiki bar known for its chill, retro vibe and world-class craft cocktails. Dalla Pola, the general manager and an award-winning mixologist, oversees a bar program known for its wide selection of spirits, bitters and homemade syrups.
* Related: Interview by A Mountain of Crushed Ice
Bartenders to be announced from Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago. This modern neo-Tiki bar made a splash a year after opening by winning the award for Best New American Cocktail Bar of 2014 at Tales of the Cocktail. Originally conceived by Paul McGee before he opened Lost Lake, this popular downtown lair is a mash-up of modern Tiki with craft cocktail aesthetics. The current beverage director is Kevin Beary, who finished third in the Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival’s cocktail competition in August with bartender Cory Starr.
* Related: Bar of the week | Cocktail of the week
Garret Richard at the 2016 Tiki Tower Takeover. The New York City bartender has participated in both previous events as first mate of Capt. Brian Miller and his Tiki Mondays With Miller crew. (Photo by The Atomic Grog)
Garret Richard of Slowly Shirley in New York City. This young gun is a veteran of The Hukilau, leading his Big Apple bar’s pop-up at last year’s Tiki Road Trip Pool Party and serving on the Tiki Mondays With Miller crew during the first two Tiki Tower Takeovers. The Greenwich Village underground bar shares space with another craft cocktail hot spot, The Happiest Hour, giving Richard a launching pad for his modern take on classic Tiki. He has also competed in The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown at both the New York City and South Beach wine & food festivals.
* Related: Bar of the week
In addition to the elite bartenders taking part in the Tiki Tower Takeover, there are plans to increase the number of pop-up bars from around the country participating in other special events to eight. Look for upcoming announcements on special guest bars and bartenders.
If the idea of a cross-country road trip to five Tiki bars in five different states seems daunting, The Hukilau will make it easy for you during the 15th annual gathering of Polynesian Pop enthusiasts June 8-12 in Fort Lauderdale. During the event’s Friday afternoon festivities, guests will have the opportunity to sip cocktails and chat up the bar staff from five current and upcoming Tiki establishments spread across the Southeast, East and Midwest. More below:New sponsor rums | Shag glassware, more merch
The Tiki Road Trip Pool Party will include cocktails from four well-known tropical drink destinations: Porco Lounge & Tiki Room (Cleveland), Foundation Tiki Bar (Milwaukee), Aku Aku (Orlando), plus The Happiest Hour and Slowly Shirley (New York City). Also joining the party will be Cooking Channel star Jim Stacy, who will be offering up a sneak preview of his upcoming Tiki bar in Atlanta, the Barnacled Mermaid.
Also on hand will be James Teitelbaum, whose seminal 2003 book, Tiki Road Trip, inspired the party (as well as many actual trips). The book chronicled Teitelbaum’s travels to Tiki bars across the world while he was a touring musician in the early days of the Tiki revival. Updated in 2007, the book also documents many legendary establishments from the past. Teitelbaum will be signing copies of both Tiki Road Trip and his latest book, Destination: Cocktails: The Traveler’s Guide to Superior Libations (2012), at a time to be announced in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar.
The Pier 66 pool will be transformed into a Route 66 of tropical cocktails during the Tiki Road Trip Pool Party on Friday, June 10, during The Hukilau.
Tickets for the Tiki Road Trip Pool Party are available now for just $20 for weekend passholders, $49 for non-passholders. It will run from noon to 4 p.m. in the courtyard surrounding the main pool at the host hotel, the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale. It’s a good idea to snag a weekend pass before they sell out. The Aloha Pass ($155) includes Thursday through Sunday, while the Luau Pass ($135) covers Friday through Sunday.
The Hukilau’s co-founder/organizer, Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White, said a pool party has been a top guest request since the event moved to Pier 66 last year. The waterfront hotel includes what it calls a “three-pool tropical oasis” in its center courtyard, and White plans to put it to good use with what she’s calling an “epic pool party” featuring “five bars serving the best in exotic cocktails from around the U.S.”
Catching up on news from the first half of February, we have reports on the debut of Tiki-themed bars in Texas, Maine, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Miami Beach, plus a recap and photos from two of Shag’s parties at Modernism Week in Palm Springs. Quick sips include The Wreck Bar, the Polynesian Village Resort, the Rapa Nui Reef, and Tiki Month on the Pegu Blog. Regular features spotlight California artist Michelle Bickford; Milwaukee surf band The Exotics; New York City craft cocktail bars The Happiest Hour and Slowly Shirley; and Tiki mug collecting website Ooga-Mooga. The Rum of the Week, Plantation Pineapple Stiggins’ Fancy, is featured in an original Atomic Grog cocktail, Kilauea Iki.
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New Tiki bars open in Texas, Maine, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Miami Beach
It was a banner year for Tiki in 2015 with an unprecedented number of high-profile bars opening across the country. [Year in Tiki recap] It’s too early to know if 2016 will come close to the quality level of new establishments such as Lost Lake, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and The Golden Tiki , but the number of openings could easily top last year. [Previous: See our 2016 preview] And the variety is astounding, from a classic rum den in frigid Maine to the world’s first vegan Tiki bar in Seattle. Already open as of mid-February:
Howie’s Tiki in Spring, Texas. (Facebook photo)
Howie’s Tiki in Spring, Texas: North of Houston, owner Mark “Howie” Voros is aiming for classic Tiki, including lamps from Oceanic Arts, exotic music, and a selection of classic tropical and modern cocktails, according to a Critiki News story. Artwork by California artist Ken Ruzic adorns the walls, with a Big Toe piece coming soon. Communal drinks include the Scorpion Bowl and Blood of the Kapu Tiki.
* Facebook page | Instagram | Critiki
Rhum in Portland, Maine: A tribute to classic Tiki bars as well as the craft and romance of rum, this full-service restaurant has already made a splash in the heart of winter. “It’s about escapism,” co-owner Jason Loring, who owns several other Portland hotspots, told a Portland area blog. The food is an inventive, modern take on Polynesian-themed cuisine. The cocktails show off the bar’s massive rum collection, running the gamut from the Mai Tai to the Painkiller to the Fogcutter served in unique mugs made by a local artist. Another blogger raved: “It’s what Portland has been missing – a lounge full of escapism with an air of mystery.”
* Official site | Facebook page | Instagram | Critiki
Hidden Harbor’s Tropic Thunder. (Facebook photo)
Hidden Harbor in Pittsburgh: This small “modern Tiki spot” opened Jan. 19 in the city’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood under the guidance of co-owner and cocktail director Adam Henry. There’s a small menu of creative tapas (Deconstructed Tuna Tacos, Lamb Curry, etc.) and some unique takes on tropical cocktails. Ishmael includes clove-infused Jamaican rum, Tropic Thunder features a house five-rum blend, and Josie’s Faraway Vacation employs Arrack (Indonesian rum). You can also find drinks with sake, gin, rye and coconut-washed vodka. But purists shouldn’t fret: Every Tuesday is the Tiki Time Machine, featuring classics such as Don the Beachcomber’s Pearl Diver and Missionary’s Downfall. “It’s clear that the team at Hidden Harbor respects the classic tiki playbook,” according to the Pittsburgh City Paper. “But it isn’t afraid to add some notes in the margins.” The decor is described as minimalist by Tiki standards, with a few distinctive carvings and nautical knick-knacks.
* Official site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
No Bones Beach Club in Seattle: Easily the most distinctive of the new offerings is the world’s first vegan Tiki bar and restaurant. This former award-winning food truck and pop-up tent now serves Southern California-meets-Asian tropical treats in the city’s Ballard neighborhood. Highlights of the 100 percent plant-based menu include Sweet Pineapple and Soy Curl Sizzling Lettuce Wraps, tomatillo-avocado salsa-topped Jackfruit Flautas, and Smoked Golden Beet Poke, VegNews Magazine reports. Owner MacKenzie DeVito told Seattle Met’s Nosh Pit that the goal is to make guests in the sometimes dreary city “feel like they’re on a little vacation.” The drinks are made with local spirits and served in Tiki and tropical mugs. The decor includes a large Tiki, bamboo and thatch accents, plus colorful lanterns.
* Official site | Facebook | Twitter | Critiki
The Coconut Daiquiri from Naked Tiki. (Facebook photo)
Naked Tiki in Miami Beach: The new restaurant/bar/lounge from celebrity chef Ralph Pagano (Hell’s Kitchen, Pressure Cook) held its soft opening on Feb. 11, with a grand opening Feb. 20. Located in the recently re-branded Stiles Hotel, a historic property in the heart of the Art Deco District on South Beach that dates back to 1936, Naked Tiki is a multi-level space that must blend in with the upscale property, so don’t expect over-the-top decor. But the food is outstanding, from the wings, ribs and bacon-wrapped shrimp rumaki to the handmade dumplings, decadent crab rangoon, inventive buns and signature Bang! Bang! Rice. Pagano obviously knows his way around a kitchen (watch him battle Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America). The cocktail menu is less ambitious but very solid, featuring a nice assortment of classics (Mai Tai, Scorpion, Painkiller, Singapore Sling, Aku Aku). “I have a borderline obsession with rum and tropical drinks,” Pagano told Miami New Times. “I’ve taken basically all that I love and put it under one roof.” The decor and music is more South Beach than South Pacific, but it makes sense in this neighborhood. It will be interesting to see how this space evolves.
* Official site | Facebook page
