This year has been significant for the Tiki and Polynesian Pop scene in the Sunshine State for both its ups and downs. Luckily, the high points have been more plentiful than the lows with 2024 marked by the arrival of the first new Don the Beachcomber restaurant in decades, the debut of the Tiki-a-Go-Go event, and the triumphant return of the Mai-Kai.
The calm before the storms: The Don the Beachcomber crew, including Justin Peterson (left) and Marie King (right), at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando in April 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
But in true Tiki fashion, there’s always a little bittersweet that goes into any potent cocktail. In this historic year, that meant a tumultuous hurricane season that wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast, leading to the closing of Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach, and heavy damage elsewhere.
But resilience is a hallmark of the southernmost mainland state, and we’re happy to report that this year’s hurricane season did not deliver a knockout punch. To the contrary, many of those affected by the storms have emerged stronger than ever, poised for an even more memorable 2025.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was an extremely active and devastating one, reportedly the second-costliest on record with more than $220 billion in damage. Three hurricanes made landfall in Florida: Debby (Aug. 5), Helene (Sept. 26), and Milton (Oct. 9). The category 1 Debby brought heavy rain, flooding and widespread power outages to Florida’s Big Bend, but it was just a hint at what was still to come.
Three hurricanes made landfall in Florida in 2024.
The category 4 Helene caused widespread damage from the Gulf Coast to North Carolina. It was the deadliest hurricane to affect the continental U.S. since Katrina in 2005, with more than 150 deaths. In Florida, the storm cut a path of destruction from Naples and Fort Myers through Sarasota, Tampa and all the way to Tallahassee.
The category 3 Milton brought significant damage with a destructive storm surge resulting in many homes and businesses damaged. Milton’s impact still lingers with debris clean-ups across Central Florida and residents near bodies of water still dealing with flooding, according to Orlando’s WESH 2.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton both severely impacted Florida’s Gulf Coast and beyond.
Our deepest condolences to everyone impacted by this year’s calamitous tropical weather, especially those who lost loved ones. This story is intended as snapshot of how several of Florida’s most high-profile Tiki establishments were impacted and how they pulled through in a time of crisis.
As my story in the current issue of Exotica Moderne shows, we’re all looking forward to a fresh start in 2025 as we build a bigger and better Tiki community. Check our Tiki Times guide for the latest event announcements and follow our continuing coverage on the blog all year.
Updated April 30, 2025 This blog post will feature continually updated information from official sources at the historic Mai-Kai restaurant in South Florida. It will also include in-depth coverage and photos from journalist Jim “Hurricane” Hayward, along with information gathered from other reliable sources. Bookmark and return for the most accurate and complete guide to the reopening of the Tiki landmark, est. 1956.
• Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening: Full story and photo archive SEE ALSO: Mai-Kai bar and cocktail news, reviews and exclusive insights
For the first time since the Mai-Kai’s 2020 closing, guests can get an up-close view of the exotic tikis and water features in the indoor gardens under the giant A-frame. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / April 24, 2025)
Mai-Kai opens new passageway between Tiki gardens
Posted April 27, 2025
In a perfect example of the Mai-Kai combining its long-running restoration with inventive reimagination, the restaurant just opened a new portal into the inner sanctum that allows guests to once again stroll the exotic indoor gardens under the front of the main A-frame. Like many similar upgrades at the historic property, the new portal appears to be both a stylistic and logistical bonus for guests.
When we arrived shortly after the 4 p.m. opening on April 24, workers were putting the final touches on a new entryway that had been cut through decorative rocks and several feet of the concrete wall at the south end of the new deck outside the Molokai Bar. We were among the first to explore the new walking path, marveling at the towering tikis and waterfalls for the first time since before the October 2020 closing. It was being prepped for a special event that night.
Workers complete a new doorway from the deck outside the Molokai bar to the inside of the Mai-Kai’s original 1956 building. The path leads into the Tiki gardens and waterfalls behind the showroom stage, eventually connecting to the outdoor gardens behind the restaurant. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / April 24, 2025)
The newly refurbished space is fully functional with flowing water, colorful mood lighting and lush tropical flowers courtesy of California designer Shawna Marie Tice, aka The Pleated Peacock. If the end result reminds you of Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room, that’s because Tice created the faux floral arrangements there as well.
The walls, floors and ceiling still need a few finishing touches, but the space is jaw dropping, even if you’ve been there before. There is much eye candy to behold, including many vintage tikis, both original wood carvings and those cast in cement from molds that original owner Bob Thornton had made in the 1970s. It should be fully operational any day now.
A variety of vintage tikis can be seen as you walk through the Mai-Kai’s newly reopened indoor gardens. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / April 24, 2025)
Why is this new entrance important? Until now, the entire area was off limits to guests since the large crew of dancers and musicians in the Polynesian show have needed most of the space behind the stage, as well as the Samoa dining room, to prepare for their performances, which occur multiple times per night. Their former dressing room under the stage is still being redesigned.
As November approaches and most of the country starts to buckle down for the winter, South Florida’s thoughts turn to … RUM, of course. More specifically, the Miami Rum Festival in Coral Gables, which celebrates the world’s most diverse spirit with three days of seminars and tasting events that target everyone from newbies to high-end enthusiasts, to industry professionals.
But the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival is the grand daddy of them all in the hottest of the rum hotbeds, launched in 2009 by longtime rum collectors and enthusiasts Robin and Robert Burr, author of Rob’s Rum Guide. This year’s gathering will be fifth at the historic Coral Gables Woman’s Club and the 15th overall.
Rum giant Bacardi, which has its American headquarters in Miami, regularly sends representatives to the Miami Rum Festival. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Nov. 12, 2023)
“South Florida is the number one rum market in the world and its only fitting that we present Miami Rum Fest as the best rum tasting program in the United States once a year in this location,” Robert Burr is quoted as saying. “Its also a chance for the international rum community to come together, from the islands of the Caribbean and the Americas to Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and beyond.”
The participating brands are carefully curated by the Burrs, reflecting both their interests in the global variety but also boutique and local producers who may not yet be major players. The website lists 68 different brands, and you can expect most to bring multiple expressions of their rum to the grand tasting, set for 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10. If you buy a VIP ticket, you get early entry at 12:30.
If you want to dive deeper into the history and techniques used to create today’s finest rums, be sure to check out the seminars on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Marriott. One ticket allows you access to all three, including Tiki Evolution: The Historic Rums and Iconic Cocktails of The Mai-Kai, which I’ll have the pleasure of presenting along with Kern Mattei and Cory Starr, the longtime manager and new beverage director at the Fort Lauderdale restaurant (est. 1956).
While I’ve attended and covered the festival for the blog nearly every year (see links below), this will be The Atomic Grog’s first seminar and our first time participating since the memorable Zombie Jamboree cocktail competition hosted by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry in 2011. We hope to see you there!
Robert and Robin Burr (center) with their staff at the 2019 Rum Renaissance Festival. (Photo by Miles Maximillian Vrahimis)
Following is a rundown on what you can expect at the 2024 festival.
Saturday’s seminars
The Miami Rum Festival has always offered a wide array of seminars and expert master classes for its participants. In recent years, these educational opportunities have been held on the event’s first day at the Marriott Courtyard Coral Gables, less than a mile from the tasting venue at the Coral Gables Woman’s Club.
That’s not to say the seminars don’t involve tasting rums. To the contrary, many of the intimate events have featured numerous samples of rare and exclusive spirits. The all-inclusive ticket ($79) also includes food and refreshments served during the breaks between seminars. Seating is limited, so advance reservations are encouraged. Get your seminar ticket now.
The revival of the iconic Don the Beachcomber brand has entered a new chapter with the opening of the first Gantt Reserve Collection bar in downtown Tampa. A sneak preview of the Morgan’s Cove speakeasy was held July 13, with the official public opening announced July 18. The hidden door swings open daily at 4 p.m.
Another large restaurant – considered to be the brand’s flagship – is in the works for Hamlin, near Disney World in Central Florida. This ambitious, ground-up buildout is not expected to be finished until next summer. Other restaurant locations are planned, but in an effort to expand the brand in a quicker (and less costly) manner, 23 Restaurant Services announced a creative new “brand within a brand” concept in April.
* Previous coverage: Don the Beachcomber announces new bar concept, three upcoming locations in Florida
The revival of the Don the Beachcomber restaurant concept was kicked off in Madeira Beach in February 2024 by 23 Restaurant Services. (Official photos)
Gantt Reserve Collection bars will be much smaller, concentrating on elevated cocktails and immersive decor. The themes will vary based on location, but all will try to maintain the high standards established by Donn Beach (born Ernest Raymond Gantt), when he created the world’s first Tiki bar as a speakeasy in 1932.
Indeed, it didn’t take long to get Morgan’s Cove up and running in just three months after the announcement. There are many reasons for this, which we’ll detail below. The next Gantt Reserve Collection bar won’t be open until early 2025.
Marc Brown (left), the 23 Restaurant Services president, welcomes designer Daniel “Tiki Diablo” Gallardo to the sneak preview party on July 13. Gallardo and his team created a spectacularly immersive space. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
We were privileged to attend a sneak preview of the Tampa bar on July 13. Mahalo to Brown and his team for the exquisite hospitality. Following is a comprehensive recap.
Imagine the Olympics without a closing ceremony. The Super Bowl without a halftime show. The equivalent in the Tiki world is The Hukilau without The Mai-Kai, which has been the unfortunate “new normal” amid the historic South Florida restaurant’s ongoing restoration project in the wake of its closing in late 2020 due to a severe back-of-house roof collapse.
A view of The Mai-Kai from Federal Highway before the tour groups arrived on June 7. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
For 17 years, the elaborately themed Polynesian palace was the centerpiece of the annual gathering of Tiki enthusiasts from around the world. It hosted a spectacular main event that filled the entire 600-capacity venue to the brim with Hukilau attendees for two performances of the Polynesian Islander Revue in the main dining rooms, plus bands such as Los Straitjackets and Tikiyaki Orchestra performing all night in the Molokai Bar and Tahiti dining room. Related:The Mai-Kai through the eyes of The Hukilau villagers (2021)
There were also annual pre- and post-event parties, memorable symposiums, movie screenings, and lots more. Even when there was nothing scheduled, you couldn’t keep The Hukilau passholders, affectionately known as “villagers,” away from The Mai-Kai during its popular nightly happy hour in the bar.
For many villagers, the Molokai Bar is the space they remember the most, which made this year’s event even more special. Following a cocktail party held outside under the porte-cochère during the first post-pandemic Hukilau in September 2021, there have been no opportunities for guests to visit amid the massive reimagination of the 2.7-acre property in Oakland Park.
In 2024, the timing was right. Hukilau organizer Richard Oneslager (part of the investment team backing the $15 million in renovations) made good on his promise that villagers would return to The Mai-Kai this year. Multi-day passholders were given access to exclusive tours on June 7 that allowed them to get a peek inside many of the finished spaces, starting in the beloved Molokai. A full reopening is expected in late summer to early fall.
Mai-Kai creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller and artist Scott “Flounder” Scheidly (left) enjoy The Hukilau festivities at the Beachcomber Resort on June 6. Artist Tom Fowner, who is also working on the restoration efforts, makes a hat from palm leaves while vending in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar on June 8. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
Large busses transported around 50 villagers at a time from The Hukilau headquarters at the oceanfront Beachcomber Resort in Pompano Beach. Throughout the day, four groups made the 5-mile pilgrimage, meaning several hundred got the chance to look behind the curtain and meet the manager and two of the creatives deeply immersed in the project.
The tours were led by 30-year general manager Kern Mattei, creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller, artist Scott “Flounder” Scheidly, and this writer (Hurricane Hayward of The Atomic Grog). The groups were organized by another 30-year veteran, Mai-Kai sales and marketing director Pia Dahlquist, who was handling the planning and logistics for The Hukilau
Our previous story covered the highlights of the experience enjoyed by the villagers, which included complimentary cocktails and a rare chance to pick up Mai-Kai merchandise. In this story, we’ll go into more detail on exactly what we saw during the tours, along with additional exclusive photos of the Molokai Bar.
What villagers didn’t see was all the work that went into the preparations before they arrived. During the week before the Friday event, The Mai-Kai renovation crew (which also includes artist Tom Fowner) was joined by Hukilau volunteers who helped them get the tour sites cleaned up and looking shipshape.
Rich Allsmiller helps restore one of the model ships displayed throughout the nautical themed areas of The Mai-Kai. Click for larger image. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, Marina Anderson / Official Mai-Kai photo)
Speaking of ships, when it came time to restore some of the scale models that adorn the Molokai Bar, Allsmiller turned to an expert close to home. His dad, Rich Allsmiller, briefly joined the crew to lend his expertise as a world-class model builder. (In April, the Allsmiller boys discussed this topic in a presentation on the iconic Nautilus from the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Seaat Tiki-a-Go-Go.)
Mattei and his team also had to plan the tour logistics well in advance, coordinating with Dahlquist. They came up with a flawless plan that allowed each of the four busloads to have roughly 2 hours at the restaurant, including smaller 20-minute guided tours.
There was a lot to see, and the villagers were eager to do as much as possible. Here’s an overview of what each busload experienced.
You know the summer event season is underway when The Hukilau blows through South Florida in early June, serving up a whirlwind weekend of live music, expert symposiums, pool parties, vendors, and cocktails crafted by notable bartenders from around the world. As a bonus this year, hundreds of Hukilau passholders were invited to attend an event inside freshly renovated spaces of the historic Mai-Kai restaurant for the first time in five years. RELATED:The Hukilau 2024 live coverage, photos and video from social media
A power trio of authors at The Hukilau 2024 (from left): Matt Pietrek, David Wondrich and Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / June 8, 2024)
The Hukilau 2024 – June 6-9 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (Messer Chups, Surfer Joe, L’Exotighost, Slowey and the Boats, Lords of Atlantis, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, The Mermers, Skinny Jimmy Stingray), symposiums and classes (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, Ian “Rum Ambassador” Burrell, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Daniele Dalla Pola, Spike Marble, Marie King, Lucky Munro), 20+ guest cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
• The Hukilau on social media: Instagram | Facebook page and group
The location is also hard to beat. While South Florida’s heat and humidity can be stifling at this time of year, the location of a boutique hotel directly on the Atlantic Ocean with its gentle breezes and beachfront access makes up for that. The Hukilau takes over the entire 140-room Beachcomber Resort for three nights and parts of four days, meaning the immersion in a tropical paradise is complete. Attendees spill over into other beachfront hotels, and classes were also held this year in a nearby event space.
After more than 20 years (this was the 21st live event in South Florida and 22nd overall), event attendees (known as “villagers”) know what to expect with the weather. Sporadic showers are welcome to cool things off, but this year was even hotter than usual, averaging around 90 in the day and 78 in the evening. Many activities are held outdoors, which can be a challenge.
The Hukilau’s Saturday’s pool party at the Beachcomber Resort. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / June 8, 2024)
But the resort’s pools and shaded areas, not to mention all the cool beverages, gave guests ample ways to beat the heat. Other than an early Saturday storm, the event was free of rain and nobody seemed to mind the challenges Mother Nature presented. Like Tiki itself, the event was the perfect escape from the daily grind.
As detailed in our full preview in March, the lineup of bands performing this year had an unprecedented global flair. Surf and exotica groups dominated, and musicians hailing from Russia, Spain, Italy and around the United States made the trek to perform on the main poolside stage as well as several other spots around the Beachcomber property.
The performances lived up to the hype and anticipation with all the bands delivering top-notch sets, from the Mermers on Thursday night to the Saturday night headlining hijinx of The Disasternauts. Saturday’s early afternoon rain slowed the momentum but couldn’t stop the party. Slowey and the Boats shifted to an evening set under the courtyard tent, where they also played Friday night to give the bungalow parties a perfect laid-back soundtrack. They also performed poolside on Friday afternoon.
Russia’s Messer Chups enjoy their debut set at The Hukilau on Friday night. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / June 7, 2024)
Messer Chups, L’Exotighost and Lords of Atlantis all played The Hukilau for the first time, while Surfer Joe made his second appearance. They peformed on the main stage both Friday and Saturday, allowing villagers more opportunity to catch these rare treats. Hukilau stalwarts The Intoxicators also played twice, headlining Thursday night under the South Tiki Hut and returning for a blistering afternoon set poolside on Saturday. And don’t forget local guitar slinger Skinny Jimmy Stingray, who kicked off Saturday’s party on the main stage.
Below you’ll find photos of all the bands presented in chronological order. We also captured six of the nine bands on video. You can watch the full song clips below, or click here and bookmark our Hukilau 2024 playlist on YouTube for future enjoyment.
Returning to The Hukilau seven years after their 2017 debut, The Mermers bought tons of talent and creativity to their set of instrumental alternative surf and exotica. The foursome from Gainesville, Fla., has two albums to its credit and performs extensively across the region.
The Mermers open The Hukilau’s Thursday night festivities under the South Tiki Hut. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / June 6, 2024)
Hailing from Madrid, Spain, L’Exotighost brought a new spin on classic exotica to The Hukilau with a distinctive style that employed guitar, drums and bass ukulele, plus vibraphone, theremin and other exotic sounds. The four-piece band’s poolside sets Friday and Saturday featured songs from its latest album, Kamongo (2022), available on Hi-Tide Recordings.
L’Exotighost performs Friday afternoon on The Hukilau’s main stage. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / June 7, 2024)
For the 22nd time, Tiki enthusiasts known as “villagers” enjoyed a long weekend full of surf and exotica music, expert symposiums, artists and vendors, world-class cocktails, and much more. The oceanfront location in South Florida was the perfect setting for the revelry. More on YouTube:Live videos of six of the performing bands More Hukillau 2024 highlights: The Atomic Grog’s photos, video and memories
The Hukilau 2024 – June 6-9 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (Messer Chups, Surfer Joe, L’Exotighost, Slowey and the Boats, Lords of Atlantis, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, The Mermers, Skinny Jimmy Stingray), symposiums and classes (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, Ian “Rum Ambassador” Burrell, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Daniele Dalla Pola, Spike Marble, Marie King, Lucky Munro), 20+ guest cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
* The Hukilau on social media: Instagram | Facebook page and group
As The Mai-Kai prepares for an invasion of Hukilau villagers this week, the expansive restoration project continues to engulf the 2.7-acre historic property. Passholders treated to special tours will see several of the fully restored indoor guest areas, but the massive parking lot project remains in low gear until all the permits are in place.
Since our last update at the end of April, several projects have advanced while others await a green light to take flight. The new kitchen, bar and back-of-house areas continue to come to life while creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller and his team add their finishing touches. They also continue to restore, replicate and reimagine many other areas across the property.
A view of The Mai-Kai from Federal Highway. At right you can see the work being done to restore the rock work. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, May 2024)
The Hukilau offers guided tours of The Mai-Kai
Multi-day passholders attending the long-running Tiki weekender will get exclusive guided tours of The Mai-Kai on Friday, June 7. [See previous coverage] They will be escorted in small groups, allowing for a unique glimpse into the day-to-day operations of the renovation crew.
Upon arrival, tour attendees will receive a restoration update as they gather in The Molokai bar for a cocktail. They will then break into smaller groups for a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at some of the restored dining rooms and reimagined back-of-house areas.
There will be a strict “no photos” policy inside The Mai-Kai. The owners and staff request that guests respect their desire to be the ones to reveal their finished work. The creative director suggests the proper mindset: “Just take it in with your eyes, and know that you’ve seen something that nobody else has seen.” The tours will be given by Allsmiller, artist Scott “Flounder” Scheidly, manager Kern Mattei, and yours truly. I hope to see you there!
Operating under these same photo guidelines, we visited the restaurant in late May to get an update on the $15 million project that kicked off in early 2022 following the partnership between the founding Thornton family and a new ownership team led by historic preservationist Bill Fuller of Barlington Group. The sale was necessary after a catastrophic back-of-house roof collapse in October 2020 that destroyed the 1970s-era kitchen in the 67-year-old facility.
We got an update on the new kitchen and bar from Mattei, the longtime manager, plus news from Allsmiller on his projects. Photos of the outdoor area also show some slow progress on prep work for the ambitious reimagination of the entry experience and parking lot.
At left is a finished lamp, shared on Instagram by Scott “Flounder” Scheidly on May 16. “There’s still a ton of work to do at The Mai Kai but I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he wrote. Fellow artist Tom Fowner shared the photo at right that shows the condition of some of the massive hanging lamps in the showroom, before and after restoration.
Among the project updates from Mattei and Allsmiller:
There’s probably no better tour guide through the exotic landscape of carvings, masks and other Oceanic art contained within The Mai-Kai than Will Anders. The South Florida artist first explored the historic property as a child in the ’60s, became its exclusive cigarette vendor for decades, then transitioned into an artistic career that saw him carve the most significant large tikis added during the new millennium. See below:Audio walking tour with Will Anders, Kern Mattei (2018)
Artist Will Anders is a self-taught expert at recreating Mai-Kai carvings in cement using molds made from the originals. (Photos by Tiki Tom-Tom for Polynesiacs: Tiki at Home)
But some of his most important contributions to the restaurant’s 2.7-acre property aren’t original creations at all. Over the past 20 years, Anders took on a unique role as a sort of “keeper of the tikis.” If you see a small or medium-sized figure or art piece in the back garden and other outdoor areas, it’s likely it was replicated by Anders in his nearby compound with his own cement mix using molds curated by the founding owners.
It’s a fascinating story that will be explored during a presentation on June 8 at The Hukilau, the annual Tiki weekender that has been joined at the hip with The Mai-Kai since 2003. Anders will share a tale or two during The Mai-Kai from the Outside In, which will reveal the artist’s back-story, his carving tips, his approach to creating cement tikis, plus lots more.
The Atomic Grog is honored to be hosting this exclusive look at Mai-Kai history with Anders. It starts early (10:30 a.m.), the perfect way to kick off The Hukilau’s Saturday schedule. We may even have a special cocktail for attendees to enjoy and start their day right. The presentation is included in all multi-day passes.
Carvings by Will Anders featured at The Mai-Kai include King Kai (left) and Hiroa Nui, shown sporting new coats of sealant in June 2023. His Hawaiian Lono (left) stands with tikis carved by fellow Florida artists Jeff Chouinard and Tom Fowner at the entrance to The Mai-Kai in September 2021. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
Below you’ll find more info on The Hukilau and Anders, including photos and audio of a special walking tour we conducted with manager Kern Mattei in 2018. The walk-through of much of The Mai-Kai property in suburban Fort Lauderdale was recorded for an episode of Marooned: A Texas Tiki Podcast. Now, as the restaurant nears the final stages of its multi-year, multimillion-dollar restoration project, it’s an interesting look back at the state of the property around six years ago.
The Hukilau – June 6-9 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (Messer Chups, Surfer Joe, L’Exotighost, Slowey and the Boats, Lords of Atlantis, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, The Mermers, Skinny Jimmy Stingray), symposiums and classes (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, Ian “Rum Ambassador” Burrell, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Daniele Dalla Pola, Spike Marble, Marie King, Lucky Munro), 20+ guest cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
* The Hukilau on social media: Instagram | Facebook page and group Previous coverage: Symposiums, vendors and more announced for 22nd Tiki weekender June 6-9
Mai-Kai from the Outside In – Saturday (June 8), 10:30 a.m. Don’t rush inside – learn about the history of the gardens and tikis outside from artist and carver Will Anders. Forty years of personal Mai-Kai stories up to and including the current restoration of the historic tikis. Will’s tales are woven with threads of passion and reverence, offering a glimpse into the soul of this sacred sanctuary. So, linger a while, and let the whispers of history caress your senses, for in these moments of reflection lies the true essence of our enchanted realm. – From TheHukilau.com
Will Anders teaches a carving class during The Hukilau 2016 in the lounge at the top of the Pier 66 hotel. (Photo by Sherill Gross)
In addition to his long history with The Mai-Kai, Anders has been associated with The Hukilau for decades. His art pieces gained a cult following after he showed them in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar. He then began sharing his knowledge as a presenter and instructor. His hands-on classes have included DIY – Carving 101 (2016) and Carve Your Own Tiki Pendant (2017- 2019).
Anders is a true old-school artist with no website and little social media presence. You can easily find him, however, on the Tiki Central message board, where his long-running “Will carve” thread is chock full of photos of his latest work. For a deeper history on The Mai-Kai’s Tiki carvings, click here.
Some wider exposure came recently when Anders was featured in Polynesiacs: Tiki at Home, the popular book on home bars and collectors from author Tiki Tom-Tom, published by Wonk Press in 2023. The peek inside Anders’ home studio tells the origin story of the veteran carver, who discovered The Mai-Kai in sleepy Oakland Park, Fla., as a bike-riding youth who had to be chased from the Tiki gardens by restaurant staff.
As Tiki Tom-Tom tells it: “Will was nine years old, living just a few blocks away with his parents. His family, like many others, were Jersey transplants. For Will, it was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with tikis at the Mai-Kai.”
Just a few of the many tikis created by artist Will Anders in his home studio. (Photos by Tiki Tom-Tom for Polynesiacs: Tiki at Home)
The affair later included decades of seemingly mundane work: Filling the cigarette machine inside the historic restaurant. But this was not only a thriving business for Anders, it kept him coming back to study more than just the cocktails. He became enamored with the rich decor and artistry of The Mai-Kai, especially the large carved tikis.
Anders became a carver relatively late in life at age 40, but just in time to put his indelible stamp on The Mai-Kai. His early carvings caught the attention of management, and he eventually contributed two giant tikis to the rear garden: King Kai and Hiroa Nui. A notable third carving became part of a trio that greets guests under the porte-cochère.
The East Coast’s longest-running Polynesian Pop weekender features an all-star lineup of musical, mixological and scholarly talent for its annual gathering in South Florida next month. In other words, The Hukilau 2024 is a top-tier smorgasbord of Tiki delights.
The Hukilau attracts retro and modern “villagers” from near and far. (Ash and Simona at The Hukilau 2023 / Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
With the early June dates just around the corner, organizers have been busy finalizing all the various seminars, classes and expert presentations featuring some of the top names in the spirits world. Fans of the worldwide instrumental surf scene will happy to see the schedule features some of the top bands playing on multiple nights.
Along with the plethora of guest bartenders, nightly bungalow parties, and marketplace full of artists and vendors, the challenge (as usual) will be how much fun The Hukilau’s “villagers” can pack into the four-day event. Following is a handy guide that might help.
The Mai-Kai will be the site of exclusive tours by The Hukilau passholders on June 7, 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, January 2024)
This story will cover recently confirmed additions, including a day-by-day schedule, full lineup of classes and symposiums, the Tiki Treasures Bazaar vendors, plus the official 2024 mug. You’ll also find details on the exclusive tours of The Mai-Kai.
Rooms are still available, so if you plan on attending you should reserve now before they sell out. The Hukilau reservations are available only by phone at (954) 941-7830. Note: You must book three nights (Thursday-Saturday). If the Beachcomber sells out, or if you prefer a quieter hotel just 2 miles to the south, you can book a room at the Plunge Beach Resort via the link on The Hukilau website.
Author Jeff “Beachbum” Berry recalls a memorable past symposium during his appearance at The Hukilau in June 2023. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
After lodging is secured, you’ll want to start your Hukilau adventure on the tickets page, where you can secure your multi-day pass that will give you access to most of the fun at no extra charge. The passes page includes a breakdown of what you get with the South Seas ($599 + fees) and Aloha (379 + fees) passes. There’s also a Saturday-only Palm Pass ($169 + fees) that will get you into that day’s pool party (featuring all of the top bands), the Tiki Treasure Bazaar, and that evening’s bungalow parties.
While most presentations are included with a multi-day pass, premium tastings and classes require a separate tickets. All are listed on the site and noted below. Cocktails during the pool and bungalow parties are included with all passes.
