2011 Kona Hawaii Don the Beachcomber THIRD Annual Mai Tai Festival August 13th

August 22, 2009 the First Annual Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival at the Royal Kona Resort.

I'll see you there? If not I'll post some pics of the event.

more info here
http://www.hawaiihotels.com/Main/Index.cfm?ID=381&Ref=TA&Val=0

Edited post to update info- see the current links for the 2011 Festival

[ Edited by: Alii Tiki 2010-08-13 01:31 ]

[ Edited by: Alii Tiki 2011-08-03 17:08 ]

[ Edited by: Alii Tiki 2011-08-03 17:38 ]

Anyone making the trip out here for this event PM me and let's get together for some good times in the Hawaiian sun.

I've been watching for this ever since Jeff Berry mentioned it on his blog a month or so ago. Thanks for the added info - I've never been able to find out any details other than a little graphic on the Don the Beachcomber website.

Still kind of sketchy though, huh? Do you have to make reservations for Jeff's presentation? The only registration box is for mai tai recipes. I guessing the first annual festival is going to have plenty rough edges. . .

It would be very cool to have Jeff Berry in Hawaii and see him give his presentation on Mai Tai paternity. Might be a little uncomfortable though, as I'm pretty sure he's in the Trader Vic camp.

Aloha all here is a little more info, if the bum is there it will be a must see,

Don the Beachcomber First Annual Mai Tai Festival

Join us on August 22, 2009 for the First Annual Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival at the Royal Kona Resort. Festival includes: Farmer’s Market, food from the Big Island’s finest restaurants, music and crafts, and seminar from world renowned BEACHBUM BERRY on the History of the Mai Tai. Additionally, bartenders from all over the globe will compete for title of Best Mai Tai and the $10,000 cash prize! The award winning HAPA will perform that evening.
Aloha all, he's a little more info and an image,

Enter your favorite Mai Tai recipe, using Bacardi Rum, and compete to win top honors and the GIANT Cash Prize. A panel of judges will score the recipes based on various factors that will include flavor and presentation. 24 Finalists will be chosen out of all of the registrations who will be required to travel to the Royal Kona Resort for the final ‘Mix Off’ competition. All recipes must use Bacardi Rum. The winning ‘Mixologist’ and their recipe will also be featured in printed material after the competition.

There will be a small fee to register your Mai Tai Recipe and to participate in the competition. Please submit your contact information and we will contact you with a Registration form.

Special hotel room rates are available for competitors as well as guests and non competitors...
package information will soon be available…mahalo!

Here's the link for registration:

http://www.hawaiihotels.com/Main/Index.cfm?ID=381&Ref=TA&Val=0

Bosko

Aloha -
Tickets are on sale now for the 1st Annual Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival...
BEACHBUM BERRY Seminar is $30 and limited to 100 people.
Thanks for passing along the info to all interested parties!
The Mai Tai Mix OFF should be great fun as well ...not to mention the HAPA concert...$100 VIP passes get you into all the days events...as follows

10am-2pm Battle of the BBQ
1pm - BEACHBUM BERRY Seminar
2-5pm - Mix off preliminary rounds
5:30 - Pupu and cocktail reception with finals rounds of Mix Off
8:00 - HAPA Concert

Confirmed Judges of the Mai Tai Mix OFF-
Joey Gottesman - Mixologist
Chris Teves - Publisher of HI Beverage Guide
SAM CHOY - Celebrity Chef
BEACHBUM BERRY - Famous rum and mai tai expert...

Call with any questions 808-214-8133 Mahalo

My wife and I made the Finals and are hoping to see other TC'ers there! We are glad to meet any other TC'ers and enjoy Beachbum's Seminar! We live in Kona and would like to meet up with any locals and or tourists! Just shoot a message and we can meet up! Aloha!

Here's more details about the Bum's appearance and seminar as the Bum hits Hawaii for the Mai-Tai festival. Hukilau even got a mention!! I so wish I could join all of you lucky ones!!

http://blog.beachbumberry.com/2009/08/07/mai-tai-madness-the-bum-hits-hawaii/

ALOHA ALL -
Don't forget to call and purchase your tickets for the First Annual Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival...with the media exposure ramping up we expect to SELL OUT...call 808-329-3111 or myself for more information! 808-214-8133 Mahalo nui loa! ESPECIALLY don't forget BEACHBUM BERRY's Seminar...sure to be a hit!!!! OH and of course the concert by HAPA!!!

Alright - I'm in! Purchasing tickets was very easily done over the phone.

I really look forward to meeting Jeff Berry and hearing his presentation. We just don't get opportunities like this very often out here in the middle of the Pacific.

Here's to hoping it's the first of many annual Mai Tai festivals.

Congratulations to the staff of the Royal Kona for a fun Mai Tai Festival - it was very well organized with lots of staff on hand to help, and the venues were great.

This was the first time I met Jeff Berry - he was exactly as I imagined from reading his books. Funny, informative and just so damn knowledgeable. He really told a great story about the creation of the Mai Tai, and presented just amazing evidence in the form of old menus, bartender notes, and rum production data to support or discount the claims of Trader Vic, Donn Beach, and Harry Owens. Good fun, appreciated by the attendees.

The talk was given in the Alii Surf Room - a big round room just off the Don the Beachcomber main dining room. The entire Royal Kona hotel is a marvel of 60's architecture - here's one of five chandeliers in the Alii Surf Room:

If you're on Maui, he's giving the talk one more time on Tuesday night in Lahaina - don't miss it.

Thanks to Jeff for coming all the way out to Hawaii - it was really appreciated. Next time come to Oahu - I'd love to see the Zombie presentation in front of the waterfall at La Mariana.

Here is the twenty minute link to the awesome video with a great interview with Jeff Beachbum Berry. Everyone had a great time, and I am gearing up for next year in hopes it will be as much fun as this year!

http://www.bigislandweekly.com/articles/2009/08/26/read/a_and_e/arts01.txt

Wow! How fabulous! Who would have ever thought.... Truly, the Bum rules!

And a Bacardi based Mai Tai won!? But it had to be blowtorched to get that aged rum taste:

"I took Don's traditional drink and evolved it by adding house-made Falerno, an almond-based syrup with clove, ginger, citrus notes, Tahitian limes and Bacardi rum," said Matsubara, who went on the explain how he used a culinary tool called the smoking gun on the concoction to give it an aged rum taste and characteristic flavor. "Then I used a blowtorch on the packed brown sugar around the rim like a brulee."

What we have here is a Witco-Mai Tai, folks! :D

Wish I could have made it over to the Big Island, Sounds like it was a lot of fun.. I love that old hotel..
Koolua, Do you know where in Lahaina Jeff is going to be??

He was at the old Don the Beachcombers at the Royal Lahaina Resort on August 25, so he's pau.

This is a cool look at Dons on the big island, and the Mai Tai festival they had, plus some good stories from Beachbum Barry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jrDO5qE7a0

Just one more day until the party that Oasis wishes it could be.
NahNahNah --- I'm just jealous that I won't be at the biggie vent!!!

The 2010 Mai Tai Festival is upping the ante for you all though.
Beachbum Berry is coming back to Kona, Brad Parker painting live,Eric Gilliam and Henry Kapono performing throughout the day, GECKO hopping islands and setting up a booth at the marketplace, Don the Beachcomber giving the beach a fresh comb-over for Third Eye Blind acoustic and under the stars (what? you don't know maybe they're totally into Tiki?... )
AND our own Brice going into the competition for the second time, I'm rooting for the home-team here my friends, I know what he's planning to do with the BIG CHECK afterwards.
!!!Okole Maluna !!!
I'm looking forward to a couple days of seeing friends and having a few decent drinks.
If only somehow we could bring more of the Tiki crowd to the event.
Can someone over at Tikiyaki Airways add a new destination?

http://www.donsmaitaifest.com/Events.cfm

[ Edited by: Alii Tiki 2010-08-13 02:43 ]

Some info on the upcoming third annual Mai Tai Festival.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/travel/20110731__Sweet_and_tart_the_mai_tai_as_art.html

Aloha all !!!
It's just a few days away and this year is looking to be tons o' fun.
Braddah GECKO coming to town with more of his amazing art !!!
Henry Kapono rocking it Wild Hawaiian style poolside.
Mick Fleetwood & Sam Choy joining Beachbum Berry at the judges table.
The Spin Doctors ending the day with a seaside concert underneath the stars,
AND the really BIG event that I'm personally looking forward to the after party at OKOLEMALUNA Tiki Lounge, Brice & Lisa are putting together something special.
Hope to see you there,I've already confirmed a room at the resort and taken the day off from work.

http://www.donsmaitaifest.com/Index.cfm

And here's the scoops on the aftaparty ...

See you there, Alii Tiki! Rumshaker of Frankie's Tiki Room in Las Vegas competing for the first time this year!! Who's up for Murky Lagoons afterwards? Only for those in the know!

Thats where i'll be, but i'm there right now enjoyin a painkiller cheers...