Tiki Event-What do you wanna see? - Other Events

S Swanky Tiki Socialite Hapa Haole Hideaway, Knoxville, TN Joined: Apr 03, 2002 Posts: 5398	S Swanky Posted posted on Tue, May 30, 2006 1:18 PM What I have always planned events around was what I wanted to see and do. If you are a fan of the genre (tiki or whatever), you ought to know what people want when they gather. It's that simple. A fan making an event for the fans. Why is Hukilau at the Mai Kai? Because that's a place I always wanted to visit and we knew everyone else did too. And so on. If you stick to that plan, you will do well. If you plan an event for tiki fans and promote it to everybody and design it to appeal to everybody, then the tiki fans won't be happy (maybe). But you have to, to some extent. Big events have to appeal to a lot of people. The biggest issue is size. You can't support having Ape and Don Tiki and Don Ho and Robert Drasnin and a 16 member hula review and so on with 150 attendees. Well, unless they each pay about $500 for tickets. You have to justify people spending what it costs to fly or drive to your event, take time off work and stay at a hotel, etc. while at the same time, keep a focus on the budget and on making sure everyone has a good time. What will 500 people pay for tickets and what will that afford? 700? 200? If you are in Californai where more fans can drive, does that mean more fans will attend? What about Florida? And the budget is the bottom line (duh). If only 500 people show up at Hukilau, or if only 70 rooms are rented in the host hotel, you know what happens? Hukilau goes under. It's not as though you are a corporation with a budget. You can't absorb loss. And you cannot take not making the budget with the hotel or you get fined $20,000. Seriously. There is blue sky event. And there is reality event. There are many many things to consider. But, be a fan and create an event you would want to go to and you should get people to show up. How many people depends on a zillion factors. Ask Pablus. He has been known to throw a near perfect tiki event at the Lagoon Lounge on a near monthly basis. Ask Kalua Geoff about the Hawaiian Inn gathering. Ask King Kuku about Tiki Taix that sounds great. Wish I could go.

What I have always planned events around was what I wanted to see and do. If you are a fan of the genre (tiki or whatever), you ought to know what people want when they gather. It's that simple. A fan making an event for the fans.

Why is Hukilau at the Mai Kai? Because that's a place I always wanted to visit and we knew everyone else did too. And so on.

If you stick to that plan, you will do well. If you plan an event for tiki fans and promote it to everybody and design it to appeal to everybody, then the tiki fans won't be happy (maybe). But you have to, to some extent. Big events have to appeal to a lot of people.

The biggest issue is size. You can't support having Ape and Don Tiki and Don Ho and Robert Drasnin and a 16 member hula review and so on with 150 attendees. Well, unless they each pay about $500 for tickets. You have to justify people spending what it costs to fly or drive to your event, take time off work and stay at a hotel, etc. while at the same time, keep a focus on the budget and on making sure everyone has a good time. What will 500 people pay for tickets and what will that afford? 700? 200? If you are in Californai where more fans can drive, does that mean more fans will attend? What about Florida?

And the budget is the bottom line (duh). If only 500 people show up at Hukilau, or if only 70 rooms are rented in the host hotel, you know what happens? Hukilau goes under. It's not as though you are a corporation with a budget. You can't absorb loss. And you cannot take not making the budget with the hotel or you get fined $20,000. Seriously.

There is blue sky event. And there is reality event. There are many many things to consider. But, be a fan and create an event you would want to go to and you should get people to show up. How many people depends on a zillion factors.

Ask Pablus. He has been known to throw a near perfect tiki event at the Lagoon Lounge on a near monthly basis. Ask Kalua Geoff about the Hawaiian Inn gathering. Ask King Kuku about Tiki Taix that sounds great. Wish I could go.

Post #234766 by Swanky on Tue, May 30, 2006 1:18 PM