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Some people get a kick out of the idea of putting on a Hawaiian shirt and sipping a Mai Tai. For others, these are but gateway activities that can lead to an entire subculture of fanciful, polynesian-inspired sights, sounds, and flavors. And for those in the know, Tiki Oasis (and its sister event, Arizona Tiki Oasis) is the place where tiki culture aficionados annually flock to bask for several days in polynesian pop art, to experience the world’s largest tiki bazaar, to attend themed seminars and workshops, to compete in the Mx Tiki Oasis pageant (which is all gender inclusive), to enjoy live musical performances, to hoot at burlesque dancers, to learn about the nuances of tiki beverages from the world’s top mixologists, and, of course, to get sloshed and stumble around the grounds at the colorful, after hours, room parties.
Taking place at the Town and Country Resort, in San Diego, California, this year’s unique event theme is Way Out West. The event’s press release identified the ways in which the distinctly Californian theme manifests. “There are plenty of westerly attractions to capture the imagination of visitors, from gold mines to beach sunsets to drive-through trees to Hollywood star sightings, but during the 1930s-1960s, a new kind of California Gold Rush occurred: visitors steered west in search of liquid gold — Zombies and Mai Tais!”
“After World War II, the Tiki craze took America by storm, and California was the epicenter,” the press release continued. “With the opening of Don the Beachcomber in the South and Trader Vic’s in the North, California was steeped in South Pacific romanticism and ripe for a Tiki tidal wave to hit popular culture. Concurrently, as mainstream attractions such as Disneyland steadily drew tourists, West Coast subculture began to explode with the sudden popularity of pop phenomena such as hot rods, theme parks, roadside vernacular, Googie and novelty architecture, the Beat Generation, and the rise of surf culture, as well as music movements such as West Coast Jazz, Exotica, Western Swing, and the Bakersfield sound.”
So, in addition to the all-purpose tiki-themed events, activities, and attire, the western motif will manifest in a variety of ways throughout the festival’s programming as well as in the ways that the guests choose to celebrate it. That means that elements from the above descriptions will occur in the event’s costume contest, in the outfits of the burlesque performers, in the styles and song choices of the musical acts, in the seminars, and in the design motifs of the room parties (both those thrown by guests as well as those which are being held by the sponsors).
This year’s featured musical acts include Ixtahule, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, and Al Jardine and his Endless Summer Band. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg; every evening includes a full roster of mainstage entertainment, and additional live performances and DJ sets are always peppered throughout the days and evenings at different parts of the hotel grounds.
If you are in need of a good time and do not take life too seriously to enjoy a festival based on a kitschy escapist movement (with its own unique fashions, architecture, and overall vibe), then you might want to check out Tiki Oasis, this July 31 – Aug. 4.
For more event details and hotel information, click here.
