Updated Sept. 20
The world’s first (and largest) multi-day event celebrating the Polynesian Pop revival celebrated its 25th anniversary with a bang Aug. 6-10, when Tiki Oasis literally took over the sprawling Town and Country Resort in San Diego. Thousands of guests enjoyed five days of non-stop fun with more than 25 musical guests and 30 DJs, 50 seminars on an endless array of topics, a Tiki marketplace packed with 150+ artists and vendors, plus lots more.
Bonus cocktail recipe below: Jungle Bum from the Mcbiff Cocktail Hour at Tiki Oasis 2025
Previous coverage: Tiki Oasis celebrates a quarter century as subculture’s preeminent event
Tiki Oasis 25th anniversary: Aug. 6-10, 2025, at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, featuring live entertainment (The Blue Hawaiians, The Bomboras, Lenny Kaye, The Ghastly Ones, The Hula Girls, Martini Kings, The Tikiyaki Orchestra), DJs, seminars and classes (Sven Kirsten, Charles Phoenix, Kevin Lively, Ian Burrell, King Kukulele, Medusirena), artists and vendors, cocktails and room parties, plus much more.
Official program: See all the participating guests, artists, and events
Listen to the bands: Tiki Oasis 2025 playlist on Spotify
We were privileged to attend and participate in this historic happening, teaming up with the Mai-Kai’s Cory Starr and “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller for the presentation Sneak Peek into the Historic Mai-Kai’s Secret Bar on Saturday (Aug. 9). Check out the photos below from our seminar and others. The warm welcome was much appreciated, and we hope to return next year for Tiki Oasis 26.
The main performance stage was a blast from the past, with some of the event’s most notable bands returning for the 25th anniversary event’s nightly concerts. We posted videos of some of the bands in a playlist on our YouTube channel. They’re also playable below, along with other performance clips.
Naturally, Tiki Oasis features the world’s largest marketplace catering to all things Tiki, where you could find just about anything your heart desires. Live music and pop-up bars enhanced the experience, captured in many marketplace images shared below.
Speaking of pop-up bars, the nightly room parties were another highlight as both professional and home bartenders hosted events small and large, serving both classic and creative new cocktails. See photos and video below and also try the recipe for a great drink we enjoyed at the Mcbiff Cocktail Hour party.
It wasn’t hard to find friends and VIPs everywhere with the event attracting some of the top names in the Tiki revival for its many activities and events. A list of everything we enjoyed would be extensive, so we thought a selection of social media posts would be the best way to showcase the overall vibe as well as the good time had by all.
Mahalo to everyone who shared photos and video on public online social media pages. We’ve tried to include as many varied posts as possible. If we missed you and you’d like to be included, just shoot us a message on Facebook or Instagram.
And be sure to follow the Tiki Oasis Instagram and Facebook pages for more upcoming recaps. You can also subscribe to the official YouTube Channel and join the Facebook group.
Jump to photos and video: Entertainment | Tiki shows | Seminars | Marketplace | Special guests | Parties | Special events | Miscellaneous fun
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FULL COVERAGE: Mai-Kai reveals new rum, Sven Kirsten mug at Tiki Oasis
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VIDEO RECAPS
BANDS & ENTERTAINMENT
Hear the music: Tiki Oasis 2025 playlist on Spotify
ONLINE TIKI SHOWS
SEMINARS & PRESENTERS
MARKETPLACE & VENDORS
SPECIAL GUESTS & PARTICPANTS
BARS, DRINKS & ROOM PARTIES
SPECIAL EVENTS & FEATURES
MISCELLANEOUS FUN
Bonus cocktail recipe
Some of the most memorable drinks at Tiki Oasis were not the ones crafted by the many professional bartenders attending the event. Sure, it was great to meet mixologists and sample cocktails from top Tiki bars, including Marie King (Don the Beachcomber), Shelley Bowers (the upcoming Hoku Hoku Tiki), and the crews from Strong Water Anaheim and The Golden Tiki, to name a few.
Many of their well-crafted cocktails were outstanding, but it’s always fun to find a impromptu room party or home ethusiast making their own signature drink. Ran Mosessco’s classic 151 Swizzle is a perennial go-to. A new favorite emerged during the Mcbiff Cocktail Hour, hosted by the Southern California artist at noon on Friday (Aug. 8).
There was a reason for the early hour. Mcbiff was due in the Tiki Oasis Marketplace when it opened at 3 p.m. sharp, one of 150 vendors who set up shop in the world’s largest collection of Polynesian Pop merchandise.
A centerpiece of the Mcbiff booth was an array of “Jungle Bum” items based on a new painting of the same name. After selling out of everything at Tiki Oasis, Mcbiff rushed to make a small batch of Zombie glasses and prints, which you can pick up at Mcbiff.com while supplies last.
• More on Mcbiff: Official website | Instagram | Facebook
When I saw the flyer for the cocktail hour, I knew I had to attend and kick-start the day with Mcbiff. I had the pleasure of hanging out with him and fiancée Anna Syntek at the Mai-Kai in April, when they visited for a signing and special event when Mcbiff’s “Mystery at the Mai-Kai” print and related merchandise were released at the historic Polynesian restaurant.
The Mai-Kai’s general manager and beverage director, Cory Starr, just arrived from Florida an hour earlier when we ventured over to Mcbiff and Anna’s room to meet up with Mai-Kai creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller, his wife Kari, and various other rapscallions expected to attend.
It turns out there were many, including longtime Tiki Oasis emcee King Kukulele, official mug creator John Mulder of Eeekum Bookum, and acclaimed artist Shag, who hosted his own pop-up event in the marketplace the next day. But the real star of the party was the cocktail, crafted by Anna and graciously shared with us below.
Pick up a few Jungle Bum Zombie glasses and host your own VIP party. If you treat them to this cocktail, your guests won’t be disappointed.
JUNGLE BUM
(By Anna Syntek, as served at the Mcbiff Cocktail Hour at Tiki Oasis 2025)
• 1 ounce dark rum (Planteray Original Dark)
• 1/2 ounce overproof rum (Smith & Cross)
• 3/4 ounce creme de banana or banana liqueur
• 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce pineapple juice
• 1/2 ounce orange juice
• 1/4 ounce cinnamon syrup
Shake or flash blend in a spindle mixer with 1 cup of crushed ice. Pour unstrained into a Zombie glass or Tiki mug, adding more ice to fill. Garnish tropically.
Tasting notes
An extravaganza of bold and distinctive flavors that’s hard to sip slowly. But it’s worth slowing down to savor exotic combination of pinapple, cinnamon and banana with the pefect balance of rums. Deliberate sips reveal the interplay between the spirits and juices that create an addictive treat.
Ingredient notes
The rums noted above were used in the cocktail’s creation as well as the batch served at at Tiki Oasis. They’re highly recommended, but the true genius of this drink is its ability to showcase different rums in the same general “dark” and “overproof” categories. For example, we found ourselves low on the big and bold Smith & Cross Jamaican rum (114 proof), so we simply subbed the equally powerful (and 118-proof) Beachbum Berry’s Zombie Blend from Hamilton Rum. For the dark rum, we went with Hamilton 86 Demerara, slightly punchier and stronger than the utilitarian, 80-proof Original Dark.
I would encourage you to experiment with different dark overproof rums, from Worthy Park 109 to Planteray O.F.T.D. (138 proof), to your favorite 151 proof Demerara rum. If you go into high ABV territory, I wouldn’t stray too far from 80 proof on the complimentary rum, but there are many great low-budget options. Bounty Dark (St. Lucia) and Old Brigand Black Label (Barbados) come to mind, along with a wide array of fine Jamaican rums (Coruba, Appleton, et al.). Experiment with different combinations to your heart’s content.
As you can see in the photo above, we employed Crème de Banane from Tempus Fugit Spirits, a 52-proof small-batch liqueur that features distinctive caramelized banana flavors and less cloyingly sweetness than other brands. The sample bottle also arrived with a jar of old-school candied cherries in a brandy syrup, which were were happy to use liberally as garnish.
Whatever rums and accessories you choose for your Jungle Bum, we’re sure it will be the hit of the party.
Related coverage
• Mcbiff introduces print, merchandise during special event at the Mai-Kai
• Mcbiff cocktails toast artist’s arrival, ‘Mystery at the Mai-Kai’ event
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TIKI OASIS PREVIEW
Tiki Oasis celebrates a quarter century as subculture’s preeminent event
The world’s longest-running and largest Polynesian Pop weekender returns to San Diego for five days of live entertainment, DJs, seminars and classes, artists and vendors, cocktails and room parties, plus much more.
Event history plus preview of 2025
Mai-Kai at Tiki Oasis: History, reimagination of legendary back bar to be revealed
• Flashback & photos: Tiki Oasis 2023
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UPCOMING EVENTS
UPDATES: The Tiki Times: Exclusive events guide
Check the calendar for all of the major happenings around the world, from Tiki weekenders to rum festivals to marketplaces and music fests.
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