You could forgive the owners, management and staff of the Mai-Kai for taking a deep breath and resting on their laurels in early 2026 after a spectacular 2025, the first full year back in business after a four-year hiatus and $20 million restoration of the historic South Florida restaurant. Luckily for fans of the 69-year-old Polynesian palace, that’s not the case. Not by a long shot.
More than a year after reopening, the Mai-Kai’s lush landscaping is thriving. The signature cannibal carvings bid guests farewell. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, February 2026)
Business is booming as the Mai-Kai remains laser-focused on improving the cocktails, food and entire guest experience. Last year ended with a bang, culminating with a memorable anniversary celebration featuring more than 20 past on-stage performers from the Mai-Kai Islanders. This came on the heels of an elaborate themed overlay and creative cocktail menu for the Christmas holidays.
• 2025 Mai-Kai recaps: Exclusive ongoing coverage | Bar and cocktail news
The new year brought a new selection of modern tropical drinks, plus some creative takes on old classics. Also in January, the Mai-Kai launched a weekly schedule of themed specials, including In the Biz Mondays, Tiki Tuesdays, Wahine Wednesdays, and Karaoke Night on Thursdays. Live bands continue to entertain Molokai Bar guests on Fridays, and more activities for kids are part of the early Sunday festivities (along with a monthly meet-up for classic car owners.)
Skinny Jimmy Stingray and his band perform in the Molokai on Feb. 27. They return to rock the bar on March 20. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
A new food menu was introduced in February, updated with a half-dozen new dishes from chef Justin Sherrer. The Mai-Kai hosted several high-profile events, starting with a Miami Rum Congress pre-party featuring multiple rum brands and special tastings. During the nationally acclaimed South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Sherrer participated in Miami while general manager and beverage director Cory Starr hosted a sold-out Tiki cocktail master class in the Bora Bora Bar.
Bartender Justin Rivera leads guests in creating cocktails during a master class hosted by the Mai-Kai as part of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival on Feb. 21. Students created their own garnish. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
This story will cover all of the above while also offering a preview of upcoming events, plus more. Stay tuned for stories on other major projects around the Mai-Kai property, including the restoration of a 60-year-old tiki icon and construction of a new event center and back-of-house facilities.
More than 600 rum producers, bartenders, brands and enthusiasts are expected for the seventh annual event organized by Federico Hernandez and The Rum Lab, which also produces events in Puerto Rico, Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the U.S. and Europe. [Past event photos] The Rhum Week schedule includes events from Fort Lauderdale to Key Biscayne, allowing more people to get a taste of great rums and cocktails from some of the industry’s top brands and VIPs.
The centerpiece remains the official Rum Congress seminars on Friday and “Grand Tasting” on Saturday at the convention center in the heart of South Beach. Experts from around the world will participate in eight seminars, while the tasting rooms will feature more than 85 brands offering samples of some 200 distinct rum expressions, available neat and in a “Twisted Daiquiri.”
Rhum Barbancourt (Haiti) and Rhum Clement (Martinique) were two of many brands participating in last year’s Miami Rum Congress. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / Feb. 1, 2025)
Mai-Kai pre-party to include seminar, rare Tahiti rum release
Rhum Week activities kick off Thursday (Feb. 5) at the historic Mai-Kai in Oakland Park, northwest of Fort Lauderdale. The restaurant’s Bora Bora and Molokai bars will host the South Seas Soiree, presented by the Florida Rum Society in association with Planteray Rum. The event will feature a talk by master blender Alexandre Gabriel along with complimentary tastings.
The rum society will also celebrate a special new release, produced by Down Island Spirits and sourced from Tahiti. It’s the perfect location to launch the Maiden Voyage expression, believed to be the first Tahitian single barrel rum ever sold in the United States. The Mai-Kai’s founding Thornton family has deep ties to Tahiti. The 69-year-old Tiki temple features artwork from the Pacific island, plus authentic music and dance as part of the nightly Polynesian Islander Revue, the oldest continually-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States (including Hawaii).
Gabriel will discuss “the technical secrets behind the blends designed to match the high-octane energy of the Mai-Kai’s iconic cocktail program while meeting the exacting needs of the modern drink-smith,” according to an event invitation. Guests will also get a taste of Planteray’s Mister Fogg Sail No. 2, an inventive new blend that follows the historic methods of Britain’s Royal Navy rum.
Following years of tumultuous news, it was somewhat of a relief to enjoy a year free from extreme upheaval or drama. Sure, 2025 was also devoid of blockbuster good news, but there’s something to be said for a calm normalcy, especially when it comes to Tiki. That’s not to say that nothing happened last year. There were plenty of headlines and stories that evolved over time. But unlike past years, no one or two stories rose above the rest.
If there were any common themes, the first would be a continued reverence for the past, a foundational element for the modern Tiki scene. The other that seems to be evolving is Tiki culture’s slow growth into new territory and addition of new fans. Whether it’s through film, new bars and events, or the continued influence of the torch-bearers, this natural evolution can’t be denied.
Rather than rank these stories by importance, like past years, we present the top seven stories in no particular order. All are significant and deserve equal recognition. Bonus cocktail recipe:A tribute to the Mai-Kai’s Christmas Barrel
**************************
ALOHA NEW TIKI BARS: Openings continue in 2025
The proliferation of new Tiki and Tiki-adjacent bars every year should no longer be a big surprise. We’ve been documenting this trend in our top news stories every year since 2020, even in the grip of the COVID pandemic. That in and of itself makes it a big story in 2025, reflecting what should be recognized as a legitimate and permanent feature of the modern bar and restaurant industry, not just a trend or “craze.” What’s crazy is Tiki bars are often still not recognized on the same level as other craft cocktail bars. What’s clear, happily, is there appears to be no end in sight to the growth of new bars and restaurants.
Dirty Birds Tiki Bar & Grill in Cocoa Beach features authentic design and Tiki decor by “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller (right) and Scott “Flounder” Scheidly, who did much of the work on the Mai-Kai restoration. (Photos by Rob Ripley, Andrew Turner / October, November 2025)
If we missed any, please let us know and we’ll add them to the list. In 2026, be sure to support all local Tiki bars, new and established. The MyTiki.Life website offers a robust database of commercial bars.
**************************
IN MEMORIUM: Remembering those we lost.
Unlike some past years, the losses suffered in 2025 were not as frequent or earth-shattering. But no matter how large or small, they do need to be recognized and remembered.
In April, Kapu Bar closed after two years in Petaluma, Calif. One online report says the building owner sold the property and the bar owners may relocate. … In May, The Sorrow Drowner in Wilmington, N.C., closed after three years of presenting a unique “Tiki-noir” bar experience in an immersive space decorated by “Trader Brandon” Kleyla, who also worked on Disney’s Enchanted Tiki bars on both coasts. The owners are reportedly planning a move to the west coast, so stay tuned. … Marama Room, closed abruptly at the end of May after opening in April in Huntington Beach, Calif. An Instagram post said the owners were “fervently working with potential investors and inquiring about new locations in the Huntington Beach/Orange County area.”
Marty Reyes (left) and Jen Ann Tonic with their crew from Swizzle at The Hukilau in June 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
In July, Swizzle closed its Greenville Avenue location in Dallas after five years, but owners Marty Reyes and Jen Ann Tonic are keeping the brand alive with pop-ups and catering events. … The tropical bar and restaurant Laki Kane closed its Upper Street Islington location in London after seven years of operation to move into a “new chapter.” The venue went out with a bang, featuring a month of farewell events leading up to the Sept. 1 closing. The Laki Kane proprietors announced that this may be goodbye for now, but their “story isn’t over”. A small, temporary Laki Kane lounge opened in October in the Covent Garden restaurant in London and continues to operate in early 2026.
The Mai-Kai is honoring its cultural legacy on its 69th anniversary, inviting more than 20 past performers from the Polynesian Islander Revue to participate in a two-day event Dec. 27-28 at the South Florida restaurant. The national historic landmark opened its doors Dec. 28, 1956, adding an authentic dinner show in the early 1960s. Live coverage below:Photos, video of alumni anniversary weekend
• Saturday (Dec. 27) features alumni shows at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. with a meet-and-greet from 7 to 8. • Sunday (Dec. 28) showcases a 69th anniversary show at 1, 4, and 7 p.m.
The stage show combines music (by the Mai-Kai Serenaders) and dance (by the Mai-Kai Islanders) into a flamboyant but culturally accurate tribute to the islands of the South Pacific, running up to three shows a night, seven days a week for the past six decades. After a four-year interruption when the Mai-Kai was closed for a $20 million restoration and reimagination, the revue remains the oldest continually-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States (including Hawaii).
Since the Mai-Kai reopened in November 2024, the show has returned bigger and better than ever, featuring second and third-generation performers. The bond between the current and past has never been stronger, creating a familial atmosphere that opened the doors to this year’s unprecedented reunion.
Pasefika Iosia performs the fire knife dance at the Mai-Kai in 1975. He was also an accomplished musician and member of the house band (top left). (Mai-Kai photos)
The festivities will be dedicated to the memory of a legend who we recently lost. Pasefika Iosia, a native of Samoa who spent more than three decades as an entertainer at the Mai-Kai, passed away Dec. 1 in Port St. Lucie, Fla., at age 87. Many whose lives he touched gathered at the Mai-Kai on Dec. 14 to remember “Fika,” who started his career as dancer in 1970 and later performed in the band.
The Mai-Kai paid tribute in an official social media post: “His talent and charisma on stage were unforgettable, and off stage he brought people together through friendship, sports, and laughter. Pasefika wasn’t just a performer – he was family. Thank you, Pasefika, for the joy, spirit, and memories you shared. You will always be in our hearts.”
Among those who came to pay their respects was Mai-Kai matriarch Mireille Thornton, who was one of the original dancers before taking over as choreographer and cultural director for the next six decades. She married owner Bob Thornton, leading the family ownership group after his death in 1989 through the 2020 closing.
Mileto (center) takes a bow at the end of his final performance as a member of the Mai-Kai Islanders, led by Polynesian cultural director Lono (right). (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Dec. 19, 2025)
On Dec. 19, a new name was added to the list of alumni when Luiz Mileto ended a more than 25-year run as one of the Mai-Kai’s signature fire knife dancers. Mileto (aka Letz) received an on-stage tribute during his final show, garnering a flurry of leis from his fellow performers and a standing ovation from the hundreds of attendees in the audience. He has long been the Mai-Kai’s most recognizable male dancer, the elder statesman known for his good humor, but serious and skilled on-stage talents.
The Mai-Kai is embracing the season to be jolly like never before with a Christmas overlay featuring extensive decor, a limited-edition mug, and a new menu of 12 creative cocktails that celebrate spirits and flavors from around the world. RELATED:Mai-Kai legends return to the stage for 69th anniversary celebration
The Mai-Kai’s holiday lights and theming immerse guests from the beginning to the end of their journey to the Polynesian wonderland. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, December 2025)
The minute you arrive at the historic South Florida restaurant, you’re swept away to a tropical winter wonderland, surrounded by giant wreaths and swaths of palm trees clad in holiday lights. Santa hats adorn the signature cannibal carvings under the banyan trees, and a large wreath hangs from the signature water feature, the bubbling caldera in the center of the vehicle roundabout.
The Bora Bora Bar and main entrance are awash with lights and festive touches, including the outdoor space’s own Christmas tree looming above the bartenders. Presents surround another tree high above the front doors under the restored porte-cochère.
Chelsea and Avery welcome you to the Molokai Mistletoe Lounge, where the servers clad in their holiday sarongs treat guests to the Twelve Drinks of Christmas. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Dec. 7, 2025)
Inside, the Molokai Bar is ground zero for the holiday cheer, nearly every available space covered in lights, ornaments, and lots of mistletoe. It’s over the top but tastefully done. The “Molokai Mistletoe Lounge” servers have joined the fun with their cheery new outfits. Just don’t try to catch one of the sarong-clad servers under a mistletoe … they move fast. More below:Photos, video of the Mai-Kai’s holiday theming
Just as robust as the decorations, the events calendar started Dec. 1 with the launch of the new “Twelve Drinks of Christmas Around the World” menu. The new craft cocktails (plus a Christmas Mystery Bowl), take center stage on the main cocktail menu, available in both bars plus the dining rooms.
The good cheer extends to the late-night hours in both bars, which host special happy hours from 9 to 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday throughout December. Like the regular happy hour, which runs seven days a week from 4 to 7 p.m., most signature cocktails (including the 12 Christmas drinks) are 50 percent off the regular price. There’s also a special late-night food menu. Check the reviews and photos below as we taste our way through the cocktails. Christmas cocktail guide: Analysis, ratings, insights from bar manager Michael DeMahyUPDATED
Mai-Kai fans and collectors received an early Christmas treat on Wednesday, Dec. 3, when a limited Christmas Rum Barrel mug was released at a special event attended by Florida artist John Mulder. His merry holiday version of the Mai-Kai’s signature mug, limited to 250 numbered pieces, sold out by mid-December.
The grand reopening year at the Mai-Kai reached a fitting, frightfully fun climax on Halloween night with the Polynesian palace’s signature Hulaween party. Hundreds of revelers, many in creative costumes, enjoyed the event’s 13th edition, the first held inside the restaurant since 2019.
South Florida rockabilly favorites Slip and the Spinouts made their 10th Hulaween appearance, jamming all night in the Molokai Bar. Meanwhile, DJ Banzai Bill played an eclectic mix of tunes outside in the Bora Bora Bar, where the highlight was a costume contest with dozens competing for the $1,000 grand prize.
Slip and the Spinouts kick off Hulaween 2025 on Oct. 31 while the Molokai mermaids prepare to serve thirsty guests. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, the Mai-Kai)
Oct. 31 was the highlight of a month filled with Hulaween-themed events, including Wicked Bingo, the Blue Hawaii Elvis Show with Dan Cunningham, a ’70s disco night, and a party for kids. This monthlong celebration was a first for the Mai-Kai, featuring elaborate decor throughout the grounds continually updated in the lead-up to Halloween night.
The two artists responsible for the highly themed artwork – Tom Fowner and LuRu – got into the spirit of the event, both earning a spot in the costume contest finals with their significant others.
The six finalists lined up under the porte-cochère in the new Bora Bora Bar, competing not only with their inventive creations but also joining an impromptu dance-off when Michael Jackson’s classic Thriller blasted out of the speakers before the winners were announced. If was definitely a scene to behold, one of the few times of the year when the Mai-Kai sets aside decorum and lets loose with abandon.
No doubt, the shenanigans were well-deserved and long-anticipated. It was the first Hulaween bash in five years, when a drive-in movie party was held in the parking lot on Oct. 30, 2020, amid the COVID pandemic and just days after the restaurant’s closing. Caused by a catastrophic roof collapse over the kitchen, this disaster was as scary as any horror movie. But, luckily, it has a happy ending.
An ominous sea monster and Tiki deity welcome you to Hulaween at the Mai-Kai in October 2025. (Official photo)
A sale to new ownership in 2021 led to a $20 million restoration and reimagination that consumed 2022, 2023 and much of 2024. But, like a classic creature that can’t be stopped, the Mai-Kai emerged bigger and better than ever last November. Hulaween 2025 fittingly served as a celebration of the Mai-Kai’s first year back from the brink of disaster.
The immersive decor and elaborate story only added to the anticipation of the Halloween night finale. In an alternate tale of the Mutiny on the Bounty, the Mai-Kai became ground zero of a battle between skeleton pirates and a giant sea monster. The scenes played out all along the entry driveway, the bubbling caldera, the walkway and Bora Bora Bar, the Molokai Bar and its new front deck, plus the sprawling rear tiki gardens.
Fowner estimated that the artistic team installed 60 pirate and 10 mermaid skeletons, plus 40 kraken tentacles containing 2,100 suckers. As he explains in a video walk-though we filmed three days before Halloween, you never see the actual monster, just the tentacles. Which is even scarier because it means its so enormous, you can’t see it all. “He’s everywhere,” Fowner warned.
Tom Fowner and LuRu are responsible for the elaborately themed decor during Hulaween 2025.
It would not be facetious to say that the release of the Mai-Kai’s new signature rum is so close you can taste it. In fact, there will be multiple ways to enjoy the long-awaited Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 in association with the 16th annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival. See below: Social media recaps
You still must wait a little longer before you can take a bottle home, but you can be among the first to see and sample the new 100-proof blend from Barbados and Jamaica since its recent bottling and initial shipment to the historic Fort Lauderdale restaurant. You’ll have three opportunities this week:
You can taste Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 at several upcoming events as part of the 2025 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, August 2025)
Thursday, Nov. 6: Sneak Preview Party at the Mai-Kai from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 will be offered to guests both neat and in cocktails. It won’t be officially available for purchase in the gift shop yet, but beverage director Cory Starr said the Mai-Kai is planning a full-blown launch party in December.
Saturday, Nov. 8: A special presentation on the rum’s development at the Coral Gables Marriott at 2 p.m. as part of the festival’s seminar day. You’ll be able to taste the unique blend and learn about its development in a one-hour session with Adrienne Stoner of Maison Ferrand, which produced the rum sourced from the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados and Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica. An $89 ticket gets you into all three of that day’s seminars from noon to 5 p.m. [More info below]
Sunday, Nov. 9: The Grand Tasting event from 12:30 to 5 p.m. at the Coral Gables Woman’s Club as part of the annual sampling of hundreds of rums from around the world. The Mai-Kai will host a booth featuring the rum along with merchandise, joining the many distilleries, importers, producers, distributors and boutique brands on display. Tickets range from $89 to $109 and include unlimited samples.
Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 was previewed on Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour in July.
Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number One, as it’s officially known, has been eagerly awaited by rum and Tiki cocktail fans who frequent the 68-year-old Polynesian palace. This week’s tastings are the latest to whet our appetites while we await the official release date. The rum received high marks from the crowd at Tiki Oasis in San Diego during a special preview in August. [Photos, full recap]
The Miami Rum Renaissance Festival is the perfect platform to once again showcase the Mai-Kai’s first branded spirit. Last year’s event included a presentation with Starr and longtime manager Kern Mattei joining the Atomic Grog for a look at the Mai-Kai’s legendary bar program, plus tastings and cocktail samples featuring Rum No. 1. The rum was also featured during a panel discussion at Miami Rum Congress in February. [Photos, more coverage]
Miami Rum Renaissance attracts hundreds of hobbyists and rum experts from around the world to South Florida for a weekend filled with educational and informative explorations of cane spirits. Founded by rum collectors and enthusiasts Robin and Robert A. Burr in 2009, the event was one of the first of its kind in the United States. It remains a cornerstone on the ever-growing spirts calendar.
In addition to the Thursday event at the Mai-Kai, there will be a Rum Renaissance free kickoff event on Friday from 4:30 to 5:30 at Primo Liquors & Fine Wines in Fort Lauderdale. The Sunrise Boulevard store will host a Planteray Rum pop-up happy hour with Adrienne Stoner, the brand’s national ambassador. [Reserve a spot via Eventbrite] Primo, which has six locations in Broward County, is the festival’s new on-site and online rum sales partner.
You’ve seen them on social media. Grinning guests at South Florida’s historic Mai-Kai restaurant, posing in front of an array of distinctive icons and immersive features that immediately tell you where they are.
The Mai-Kai’s volcanic caldera and indoor tiki garden are two of the many one-of-a-kind photo locations spotlighted by Hurricane Hayward. (Atomic Grog photos, April 2025)
Your first instinct is to be happy for them, to give them a “like” and even a “wish I was there with you!” comment. But it’s also hard to suppress the jealousy. You might wonder: “Why didn’t I think of that photo spot?”
We’re here to help you, as well as the many newbies who may be making their first visit and feel overwhelmed when confronted with the 2.7-acre property filled with dozens of scenic vistas. Take your time and enjoy the moment, of course. But you want to return home with some cool memories of your visit.
That’s why we’ve created this guide to getting those classic shots of you and your friends and family on your next trip to the Mai-Kai. These 16 locations are the ones that scream “Mai-Kai!” with no explanation needed. We could have added a dozen more exotic areas to photograph, both with and without smiling faces in your viewfinder. But we’re sure you’ll discover those on your own. SEE THE TOP 16:Jump straight to the tour below
Watch the “Mai Kai Photo Safari” episode of Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour before, during or after checking out the detailed guide below. (Spike’s Breezeway)
When we told Matt “Spike” Marble about our plans for this guide, he jumped at the chance to film an exclusive walk-through video of these 16 must-capture images during his visit this summer. We were joined by model Brittany on July 20 for what became the “Mai Kai Photo Safari” episode on his popular YouTube channel, Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour.
Our guide to the essential Mai-Kai photos, as documented on Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour with model Brittany, includes both classic and new locations. (Photos by Spike Marble, July 2025)
A professional photographer, Marble also shot still images of the Mai-Kai during his week-long visit. Some of the more casual shots he posted on social media are included in this story. Click here to see more photos and coverage of Marble’s tour with Allsmiller, and look back at our original story on our video tour of the photo locations.
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.
Medusirena performs with The Tikiyaki Orchestra on Aug. 7 during Tiki Oasis 2025. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
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.
The Don the Beachcomber brand was represented at Tiki Oasis 2025 by Erin Sullivan (left) and beverage director Marie King serving cocktails, and creative director Justin Peterson selling merchandise in the marketplace. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, August 2025)
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.
Among the many seminars at Tiki Oasis 2025 were Ian Burrell (left) discussing the finer points of Jamaican Rum, and Adrian Eustaquio exploring the history of the Tiki-Ti and founder Ray Buhen. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, August 2025)
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.
Rewind to the summer of 2001: Sven Kirsten’s The Book of Tiki, the influential bible of what would become known as the Polynesian Pop renaissance, was less than a year old. Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log, which lit the fuse of the Tiki cocktail revival, was barely 3. Tiki Central, which would explode into an online gathering place for enthusiasts from around the world, was a year away from leaving Yahoo to become a stand-alone website. The first modern Tiki bar (Taboo Cove in Las Vegas, designed by Bosko Hrnjak) would not open until September.
Official Tiki Oasis artwork by Derek Yaniger: The 2005 event was the last in Palm Springs. This year will mark the event’s 25th anniversary, and 20th year in San Diego.
Into this pubescent scene burst Tiki Oasis, making its debut as the world’s first all-encompassing event dedicated to celebrating the art, architecture, cocktails, fashion, music, history and overarching aesthetics of the forgotten 20th century pop culture craze that took hold in the 1930s, peaked in the 1950s and ’60s, but never really went away. A new generation, led by a loosely knit clan of California bohemians, was fully immersed in creating a new movement that has lasted well into the 21st century. Tiki Oasis became their playground.
It’s still called the Tiki “revival,” but there seems to be no end in sight. The scene remains joined at the hip with Tiki Oasis, begun humbly by Otto and Baby Doe von Stroheim in Palm Springs. Otto was instrumental in both documenting the golden days and nurturing the nascent movement in his Tiki News fanzine (1995-2001). He also put together the first big Tiki music event (Exoticon ’95) and the genre’s first major art show (21st Century Tiki, 1996), both in Los Angeles.
He was also long notorious for his wild backyard Tiki parties featuring vintage mugs and cocktails, authentic music, and just a touch of anarchy that came naturally for the generation that grew up on punk and other underground subcultures. After he joined forces in 1996 with the creator of the Baby Doe’s Obsessed website, they set their sights on bigger and better events. She produced the first-ever burlesque convention, Tease-O-Rama, in 2001.
Tiki Oasis began as fundraiser for historic hotel
Baby Doe and Otto von Stroheim visit the Mai-Kai and manager Kern Mattei in January 2025. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The original intent of Tiki Oasis – which made its debut on Aug. 18, 2001 – was altruistic: Raising money and awareness to preserve the vintage Caliente Tropics Resort in Palm Springs. The first year was modest, featuring around 50 guests. But the event grew rapidly over the next four years, selling out the small hotel and precipitating a move to San Diego in 2006. (The hotel has not only survived, it has thrived amid the Tiki revival, serving as the current host venue of the long-running Tiki Caliente and Circa Caliente events.)
The popularity of both Tiki culture and Tiki Oasis exploded during the next 14 years at the Crowne Plaza (formerly the historic Hanalei Hotel), expanding into a five-day event that has defined the concept of “Tiki weekender” for a new generation. The von Stroheims also added new events to their portfolio, including Arizona Tiki Oasis in Scottsdale (2019-present) and Resort-O-Rama in Santa Rosa, Calif. (2023).
• 2014 flashback: 5 questions with Otto von Stroheim
Tiki Oasis spent one year at the expansive Paradise Point Resort during the COVID restrictions of 2020, then moved in 2021 to the Town and Country Resort, where it has remained for five years. The 23-acre property in Mission Valley oozes mid-century style and charm.
The Town and Country Resort provides the perfect setting for a salute to mid-century Tiki culture. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, August 2023)
The event takes over the entire 600+ rooms and nearly 300,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space. Originally built in 1953 as a roadside lodge, the Town and Country has a rich history that was honored during a major renovation in 2019.
Tiki Oasis will honor its legacy, as well as the early days of the revival, with several symposiums this year. On Friday, Aug. 8, at 9:30 a.m., Sven Kirsten will host The Book of Tiki Turns 25, discussing how photographing and collecting the remnants of the lost mid-century culture led him to understand its unique qualities, and how that convinced him of the importance of documenting and preserving it.
The von Stroheims have lined up an array of guest speakers for 25 Years of Tiki Oasis, hosted by David “Dr. Skipper” Marley at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. They promise “rarely seen photos and untold stories from Tiki Oasis’ past, followed by a lively Q&A.”
History, reimagination of legendary Mai-Kai back bar to be revealed
The Atomic Grog’s seminar for Tiki Oasis 2025, “Sneak Peek into the Historic Mai-Kai’s Secret Bar,” will explore the mysterious space from the early days of mixologist Mariano Licudine through the reimagination by “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller and bar program of Cory Starr. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
We’ll reveal details and show exclusive photos of the multimillion-dollar restoration that preceded the November 2024 relaunch after a four-year closing due to extensive damage to the back of house kitchen and bar. Given a clean slate to rebuild, Allsmiller took the former utilitarian space to a new level and made it a showpiece that’s now on the same level as the guest areas, some of which date back to the 1956 opening.
Starr will serve up a reinvigorated classic cocktail from those early days, enhanced by a new rum that’s due to be released in the coming weeks. We’ll also serve samples of Mai-Kai Rum No. 1, a 100-proof blend sourced from historic stills at the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados and the Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica. Event attendees will be among the first to get a taste of the final product. Related: Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 coming soon, symposium and tasting planned for Tiki Oasis
