Dec. 2 – Holiday Party & Print Release at Shag the Store in West Hollywood. Artist Josh Agle will be on hand to sign the new “Duet for Two Cats” prints as well as merchandise. Wear a leopard print and get a special gift. Complimentary cocktails, plus DJ Wyatt Magnum spinning an all-vinyl, holiday-themed set.
Dec. 3 – Tiki Wonderland 12 at Tonga Hut in Los Angeles. The city’s oldest Tiki bar celebrates its 12th annual holiday event featuring a parking lot sale and art show with holiday tunes provided by Big Tiki Dude. Inside, High Tide will play The Ventures iconic Christmas album in its entirety.
* More on Tiki Central
Slip and the Spinouts scared up some monstrous mayhem at the ninth annual Hulaween party at The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale. Living up to the theme “Monster Tiki Party,” the band and guests rocked for more than six hours on Oct. 27 in the legendary restaurant’s Molokai bar. See below:Exclusive Atomic Grog photo gallery
Slip and the Spinouts get the party started.
Halloween parties, themes and trends come and go. But The Mai-Kai and its annual bash serve as a festive mainstay, never failing to disappoint the retro-minded fans who flock to 60-year-old historic landmark on South Federal Highway. The costume contest annually draws a creative bunch of Tiki-loving guests who get in the spirit of the season with outfits that are both reverential and fun.
Amping the party up to 11, as usual, was South Florida rockabilly band Slip and the Spinouts, performing at their seventh Hulaween. Slip Mahoney and his tight, three-piece band performed three sets of classic roots rock and their own distinctive original tunes.
The trio of Slip Mahoney on guitar and vocals, Rodney Simioni on bass, and Dominick Daniels on drums were decked out for the occasion. During happy hour and between sets, The Atomic Grog presented a playlist of retro Halloween tunes with a monster slant.
The Molokai, which already has a dark and spooky vibe with its widows looking overlooking flaming torches and ominous tikis, was appropriately decorated with creepy decor. The Molokai Maidens, the bar’s distinctive sarong-clad servers, joined in on the fun with special make-up and costumes.
After nine years in Miami-Dade County, the country’s largest celebration of cane spirits is moving up the coast to link up with the East Coast’s most esteemed gathering of Polynesian Pop and Tiki enthusiasts. June 2018 promises a monumental mash-up when the Rum Renaissance Festival and The Hukilau collide near Fort Lauderdale Beach.
The thousands attending the Rum Renaissance Festival on June 9-10 at the Broward County Convention Center will be just a mile from the hordes of Tikiphiles at the 17th edition of The Hukilau at the iconic Pier 66 Hotel, separated only by the whims of the 17th Street Causeway bridge. For the past five years, the Miami Rum Festival was held in April at the DoubleTree Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center.
Organizers of both events say the move will create a synergy beneficial to everyone (with the possible exception of the temperance movement). Just 7 miles away is the historic Mai-Kai Restaurant, the icing on the cake of any rum and Tiki lover’s ultimate weekend. See below:Hotels, pricing, schedules | Rum XP Awards revamped
“There’s lots of crossover potential,” said Robert A. Burr, who with wife Robin founded the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival in 2009. “We can bring more people in” to the rum, cocktail and Tiki scenes, he said, noting that cooperation is the key. While logistics are still being worked out, “we’re going out of our way to not step on each other’s toes” and “not cross swords,” he said.
The Hukilau’s head honcho, Richard Oneslager, stressed that the longstanding Tiki event is not changing. “Our first priority is to our villagers and The Mai-Kai,” he said. “We’re not a joint venture.”
However, he was quick to add: “We want to make it beneficial to guests of both events. We’re neighbors. I don’t see them as being competition. I want to work with them as best as we can.” Many villagers will enjoy both, he said. “If The Hukilau isn’t enough, rum fest is close.”
One possible benefit will be the drawing power of the tandem events among industry VIPs and experts. Why wouldn’t a rum company send representatives to both, killing two Tiki birds with one stone? “We hope brands are receptive to coming to both,” Burr said, adding that there may also be some co-branded events.
Global rum ambassador Ian Burrell, founder of the UK Rumfest, presents a symposium at The Hukilau in June 2017. (Atomic Grog photo)
“There will be economies that make sense for everyone,” Oneslager said, adding that The Hukilau will focus more on cocktails than rum, along with the event’s core emphasis on music, art, history and Tiki culture. “We’re still working out details on how to best work together.”
One possibility are perks for people who attend both events. “There will be some sort of benefit if people hold tickets to both,” Oneslager said. Burr also mentioned “fringe benefits” for attending both.
Burr agreed that the move to Fort Lauderdale and close proximity to The Hukilau and The Mai-Kai “will be much better for the Tiki junkies.” The host hotels are just across the Intracoastal Waterway bridge from each other. “It’s an easy walk,” Burr said. There’s also the possibility of a dedicated bus shuttling guests between the festivals, he said.
According to Google Maps, the Rum Renaissance Festival and the Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center are almost exactly a mile from The Hukilau and the Pier 66 Hotel. The trip takes roughly 6 minutes by car, 9 minutes by bus, and 17 minutes on foot. The rum fest’s official hotel, the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, is near the mid-point between the two.
Both sites are also conveniently located within 5 miles of Fort Lauderdale International Airport and the cruise ships at Port Everglades. The public beach near the B Ocean Resort (home of the famous Wreck Bar and Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid‘s swimshows) is just a mile north of Pier 66 on Seabreeze Boulevard (aka State Road A1A). [See map] Roughly 7 miles due north is The Ma-Kai, the 60-year-old historic landmark that serves equally historic rum and Tiki cocktails. [See map]
Rums of Puerto Rico representatives at the 2017 Rum Renaissance Festival in Miami. (Atomic Grog photo)
Before the name change to Miami Rum Festival and the move to the Airport Convention Center in 2013, the Rum Renaissance Festival spent its first four years at Miami Beach hotels. The Burrs have always run their event with assistance from son Rob V. Burr, who also contributes to his father’s rum guide and online video show (Rob’s Rum Guide and Rum Minute).
Since the change to the larger convention space, they’ve constantly received requests to move back to more of a beach setting. “The main reason we are moving is people did not like the atmosphere at the DoubleTree after time,” Robin Burr said. “They want to be back by the water again.”
Nov. 4-5 – Dapper Day Expo at Disneyland. Live music plus vintage and contemporary merchandise marketplace at the Disneyland Hotel, plus fall outings to both parks of the Disneyland Resort.
Nov. 5-11 – Bamboo on the Bayou in Houston, a week-long, Tiki cocktail crawl featuring some of the city’s top bartenders. Participating bars include Lei Low, Howie’s Tiki, Anvil Bar and Refuge, and many more. The Bamboo Bash street party has been postponed until March 31.
* Social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
South Florida’s favorite roots and rockabilly band, Slip and the Spinouts, will scare up some monstrous mayhem on Friday, Oct. 27, at the ninth annual Hulaween party at the legendary Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. The theme for this year’s retro-themed bash is “Monster Tiki Party,” and the highlights include an always irreverent costume contest with cash and prizes to the winners.
The festivities kick off with happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. in the historic Mai-Kai’s nautical themed Molokai bar, featuring half-priced drinks and appetizers plus specially themed monster music curated by The Atomic Grog. This year’s Hulaween cocktail is the “Appleton Monster Barrel” featuring sponsor Appleton Rum. This month’s “Friday Flashback” cocktail, Last Rites, also fits perfectly with the theme.
Slip and the Spinouts perform in the Molokai bar during Hulaween 2016. (Atomic Grog photo)
The Appleton Monster Barrel is a new, enhanced version of the iconic Barrel O’ Rum featuring two rums from the venerable Jamaican brand. Last Rites is a cocktail from The Mai-Kai’s original 1956 menu that was retired decades ago. It made its first return from the grave at the 2012 Hulaween party.
There are many other dark and deadly drinks available, including the Black Magic and Shrunken Skull. In addition, the usual Friday night special features half-priced Jet Pilot and Shark Bite cocktails all night. The Mai-Kai’s drinks are considered among the best Tiki cocktails in the world, revered by such award-winning authors and bar owners as Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and Martin Cate.
The Molokai bar in the iconic Polynesian restaurant, established in 1956 and recently named to the National Register of Historic Places, will be transformed into a rockin’ retro shindig with The Mai-Kai’s acclaimed Tiki cocktails and classic pupu platters sharing the spotlight with the lively crowd of undead revelers.
Guests at Hulaween 2017 can enjoy the Appleton Monster Barrel featuring premium Appleton rums from Jamaica. (Atomic Grog photo)
Ghoulish guests also get half off from 5 to 7 on all of The Mai-Kai’s Polynesian appetizers and small plates, including favorites such as the Pupu Platter, crab, escargot, beef, pork, duck, octopus, sushi, vegetarian options, and lots more. If you haven’t explored all the menus recently, you’re missing out on the transformation led by chef Mark Rivera.
It’s also hard to resist the full-blown experience of The Mai-Kai’s famous Polynesian Islander Revue (est. 1961), the longest-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States, including Hawaii. Friday’s showtimes are 7 and 9:30 p.m., so you can work it into your Hulaween experience. Or, if you prefer the dark and mysterious, adjourn to one of The Mai-Kai’s secluded dining rooms, or grab a table outside near a waterfall in the Tiki garden. To guarantee a seat, be sure to make advance reservations for dinner.
Oct. 1 – Tiki Safari in Australia, a celebration of Tiki culture featuring live music, DJs, merchandise, food and carver Tiki Bob plying his trade.
Oct. 3-7 – El Floridita’s 200th anniversary celebration in Havana, Cuba. Tales of the Cocktail presents a once-in-a-lifetime excursion to celebrate the bicentennial of the legendary cocktail bar with special events, tours, tastings, competitions and more.
Oct. 7 – Voices of the Xtabay: A Tribute to Yma Sumac at the Hammer Museum at the University of California, Los Angeles. A free event featuring Latinx vocalists and musicians reimagining the songs of legendary Peruvian singer Yma Sumac, whose vocal range was said to be well over five octaves. The concert honoring the queen of exotica was inspired by the Hammer exhibition “Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960–1985” and features a band led by Alberto López of Jungle Fire.
From the ashes of the Week in Tiki (and, later, the Month in Tiki) rises The Tiki Times. Still ambitious, but more practical, this monthly guide to what’s going on across the world of Tiki culture will hopefully be a definitive resource of where to find special events that touch on topics of interest to many Tikiphiles. You’ll find all the major Tiki festivals, plus smaller gatherings along with events that scratch our itch for rum and cocktails, surf and rockabilly music, mid-century modern design, even Disney. And don’t forget authentic Polynesian culture, the well from which Tiki springs. The biggest will get extended coverage as “spotlight events.” Social media:Follow our Facebook page for daily news updates Pinterest | Coming soon: Twitter and Instagram
Aug. 4-6 – Surf Guitar 101 Convention at the Alpine Village in
Torrance, Calif., and Surf Dogs Sports Grill in Huntington Beach. The 10th annual event draws the best instrumental bands from around the world dedicated to preserving the ’60s surf sound. Headlining bands include the Huntington Cads (California), El Caminos (Japan) and The Kilaueas (Germany). Fostered by the Surf Guitar 101 website and organized by Jeff “Big Tiki Dude” Hanson, this is one of the premiere surf music events of the year. The convention has expanded from one to three days in 2017. Saturday remains the main event with all the heavy hitters hitting the stage from noon to midnight, along with vendors raffles for vintage guitars and other gear. Friday’s opening night features all current California bands from 8 p.m. to midnight. Sunday’s closing party spotlights a second venue and bands playing alternate sets of songs not played on Saturday.
2017 performing bands Friday, Aug. 4 (Alpine Village) – The Surf Rockers, Outerwave, Par Avion, Tequila Worms, The Volcanics, Insect Surfers. Saturday, Aug. 5 (Alpine Village) – The Mystery Men?, Atomic Mosquitos, Tribute to Jim Fuller and The Surfaris, Lively Ones reunion, The Dynotones, The Exotics, The Kilaueas, Tribute to the Astronauts, The Madeira, The El Caminos, Venturesmania, The Huntington Cads reunion. Sunday Aug. 6 (Surf Dog’s Sports Grill) – SG101 Members Jam, The Exotics, The El Caminos, The Madeira, Atomic Mosquitos, The Mystery Men, The Kilaueas, Special Secret All Star Band.
Surf Guitar 101 Convention highlights
* Huntington Cads reunion. The instrumental surf band that was a mainstay in the Los Angeles scene in the 1990s will reunite for a rare appearance. The band released several cult classic albums (Go Exotic! in 1996 and Introduce the New Sound in 1998), but is perhaps better known for featuring budding artist Josh Agle (aka Shag) on guitar.
* Lively Ones reunion. This first-wave instrumental surf rock band from the 1960s Southern California scene is perhaps most well known for their 1963 song Surf Rider (written by Nokie Edwards from The Ventures), which was featured in the final sequence as well as the end credits of the seminal 1994 film Pulp Fiction.
* Tribute to Jim Fuller and The Surfaris John Blair (of Jon and the Nightriders) will join an all-star cast of musicians playing vintage, early Surfaris songs from the influential band’s early 1960s catalog. Fuller, a co-founding member of the band whose lead guitar work is featured on the signature hit Wipe Out, died in March at age 69.
* Pre- and post-convention shows. Many of the bands performing over the three-day weekend, plus others not featured at the main event, have scheduled shows throughout Northern and Southern California before and after the convention. Check this thread on the Surf Guitar 101 website for all the dates.
More than 100 Tiki explorers took a trip through time, from 1956 to the present day, via the lavish tropical drink menus of the world famous Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale during The Hukilau on Sunday, June 11. “The Menus of The Mai-Kai: 60 Years of Tiki Cocktail History” was an interactive slideshow presentation that examined vintage menus and traced the chronology of the legendary cocktails at this acclaimed mid-century landmark.
An early Mai-Kai menu.
Rare “lost cocktails” from the early menus were served as journalist/mixologist Jim “Hurricane” Hayward of The Atomic Grog blog presented a rum-fueled history lesson on the evolution of dozens of influential cocktails still served today at The Mai-Kai using their original secret recipes.
* Hayward’s blog profile | About The Atomic Grog | Interview with Hurricane Hayward
This special event in The Mai-Kai’s main dining room took place at 1:30 p.m. as part of The Hukilau’s final day of festivities. The party started at noon in The Molokai bar with live surf music by Skinny Jimmy Stingray and three special “lost cocktails” from The Mai-Kai’s 1956 menu. The Hukilau’s villagers enjoyed drinks and classic pu-pu appetizers all day while Skinny Jimmy performed several high-energy sets, keeping the dance floor hopping. This rare daytime event at The Mai-Kai was exclusive for attendees of The Hukilau.
From the ashes of the Week in Tiki (and, later, the Month in Tiki) rises The Tiki Times. Still ambitious, but more practical, this monthly guide to what’s going on across the world of Tiki culture will hopefully be a definitive resource of where to find special events that touch on topics of interest to many Tikiphiles. You’ll find all the major Tiki festivals, plus smaller gatherings along with events that scratch our itch for rum and cocktails, surf and rockabilly music, mid-century modern design, even Disney. And don’t forget authentic Polynesian culture, the well from which Tiki springs. The biggest will get extended coverage as “spotlight events.” Social media:Follow our Facebook page for daily news updates Pinterest | Coming soon: Twitter and Instagram
May 13 – Shag print signing at TikiCat in Kansas City featuring the acclaimed artist Josh Agle. He’ll be signing prints of the new painting he did for the recently-opened Tiki bar.
May 18-21 – Tiki Caliente returns to Palm Springs, Calif., for its ninth gathering with the theme “Beyond the Reef.” Featuring live music, seminars, room and pool parties, art shows, vendors and more at the historic Caliente Tropics resort.
Tiki Caliente highlights
* An always creative event mug (available only at the event) that pays tribute to Tiki history, crafted by Doug Horne and Eekum Bookum. This year it’s the Menehune Mug, which honors the United Airlines mascot from the 1970s. There’s also a special Handpainted Event Mug Art Show in the lobby of the Caliente Tropics, where more than 20 artists will be taking blank event mugs and painting them in their own unique styles. Artists include Sam Gambino, Doug Horne, Tiki Tony, Big Toe, Christine Benjamin, Bamboo Ben, Thor, John Mulder, Dawn Frasier, Matt Reese, Woody Miller, Crazy Al Evans, Dave Warsaw, Michael Fleming, Eric October, plus more.
* Symposiums and special events featuring some of the West Coast’s top Tiki movers and shakers. This year, guests can enjoy “Shag: Amongst the Tikis,” a unique opportunity to join artist Josh Agle as he talks about the influence of Tiki art and culture on his paintings, his childhood in Hawaii and his young adult years chasing vanishing Tiki bars before they went extinct. Shag will also show images of his art, his own Tiki collection and historic photos of Waikiki in the late 1960s. Bartender Kelly Merrell from Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at Disneyland will present “The No-Rum Tiki Symposium” on both Friday and Saturday, delving into the history of exotic cocktails that use whiskey, gin, scotch, tequila and a few other surprises.
From the ashes of the Week in Tiki (and, later, the Month in Tiki) rises The Tiki Times. Still ambitious, but more practical, this monthly guide to what’s going on across the world of Tiki culture will hopefully be a definitive resource of where to find special events that touch on topics of interest to many Tikiphiles. You’ll find all the major Tiki festivals, plus smaller gatherings along with events that scratch our itch for rum and cocktails, surf and rockabilly music, mid-century modern design, even Disney. And don’t forget authentic Polynesian culture, the well from which Tiki springs. The biggest will get extended coverage as “spotlight events.” Social media:Follow our Facebook page for daily news updates Pinterest | Coming soon: Twitter and Instagram March events:Shag art shows, Tiki bars and festivals, surf rock and more February recap:Bar openings and closings, cocktail competitions, Modernism Week
April 1 – Surfeño 2017 in Mexico City. The annual surf music festival features live performances by Daikaiju, The Volcanics, Los Elásticos, Hikury Beach, Los Granujas, Dr. Tritón, The Sonoras, Los Caguama, and many more.
April 2 – Surfin’ Sundays at the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. A free, all-ages summer concert series at the Huntington Beach Pier in Southern California. Featuring Neptune Cocktail, The Curl Riders, The Riptides, Par Avion, Tiki Creeps, and Tikiyaki 5-0.
April 2 – Tonga Hut Parking Lot Sale & Art Show in Los Angeles celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Kon Tiki expedition. See an original piece of rope from the Kon-Tiki raft, on public display for the first time. Also featuring DJ Tonga Tom, food and drinks, Jason Lee and the Black Tides, vendors and artists, plus more.
April 8 – Midwest Rum Festival in Chicago. Featuring industry events plus a public grand tasting, seminars, mixology demos and artist booths. Hosted by The Rum Lab at the Logan Square Auditorium with special guests including Richard Seale (Foursquare Distillery in Barbados) and Bryan Davis (Lost Spirits Distillery in Los Angeles). Pre-party on April 7 at Hala Kahiki.
* Press coverage: Chicago GoPride | The Spirits Business
