Which will be the best tiki convention to go to this year?

I have been saving heavily in my tiki bank to go to a tiki convention this year. I looked at the tiki kon in Portland, Or. The tiki oasis in San Diego, CA. but I'm leaning towards the Tiki Con in Pheonix, AR. this fall in October. I can probably only afford to go to one of them (all are in the West, I'm here in NowherespecialVille, Indiana) so, I wanna make the best choice and hopefully meet lots of you in person! What do you all think? Thanks in advance to all posters on this subject...

Clintiki

I have O.T.D: Obsessive.Tiki.Disorder!..:)

[ Edited by: clintiki 2012-07-09 20:49 ]

[ Edited by: clintiki 2012-07-09 20:50 ]

So from someone who's attended Mojave Oasis, Tiki Caliente, Hukilau, and Tiki Oasis, here's my opinionated 2 cents. :)

Wow!! Thanks John O,

well I have to correct John O there,
The SG101 convention is not Tiki,
but many of the surf bands that are playing it this year,
have over the years played many Tiki events,

and,

The SG101 convention is 1 week before Tiki Oasis.
So theoretically you could come out and do both weekend events back to back.
I know of about 25 or so that did both last year.

And that gives you 1 week in between to hit some of the great So. Cal. tiki bars.
and many of the amusement parks(if thats yer thing) or go to the beach.
then be ready to Hit Tikiyaki Orchestra on Thurs. night at Bali Hai in SD.

An awesome way to spend a week vacation if you ask me.
and if yer real adventurous you could jet up to Nor. Cal. for many of the cool tiki bars up there.

Jeff(btd)

Mahalo John-O. Looked at the website. WOW.. what a line-up! Gonna have to collect some more info on this event. Is there a hotel by the "Starting Gate?" I saw in a pic of bike night there and it looks to have one right next to it. I have no buds to hang there with, so I'm on my own wherever I go this year. I really need some good music, good drink, and some badly needed R&R!

Clintiki

Tiki Oasis!!!

Oh, wait, I meant to say TIKI OASIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If yer comin' half way across the country, So Cal is the place you want be! You start out with Bali Hai and the Hanalei in San Diego, and then you can plan a side trip to Disneyland with the Enchanted Tiki Room and Trader Sam's (and Trader Sam's has mugs, bowls and swizzles, in stock now!). And then on up to LA, the original and reigning Tiki Culture epicenter of the world... you can hit Don The Beachcomber in Huntington Beach on your way North, and visit Tonga Hut, Tiki Ti, Bahookah, Purple Orchid, and Damon's while you're there!

There's pretty much no question about where any Tikphile worth their South Seas Salt would want to spend their precious vacation days... just sayin', that's all...

See you at Oasis!

Whoops, double post, but come to Tiki Oasis!

[ Edited by: tobunga 2012-07-09 22:22 ]

My favorite is Mojave Oasis for it's relaxed camping atmosphere. That being said, the monster parties are Tiki Oasis for the West Coast and Hukilau for the East Coast. They probably have the most TC attendees to meet, but the sheer size of the events can make it hard to connect.

This year will be my first Tiki Oasis, but I live in So Cal so I hope to get to SG101 also.

Mahalo Jeff & Eric. How you doin' Eric? Hope yer well. Well, I'm originally from Whittier, CA. and this is all in my old backyard where I used to live years ago. My problem is bro's, I don't know anyone out there anymore, so-- I gotta find out where I'm gonna stay, who I'll "buddy-up" & hang with with when I'm there, etc. To be honest, I've never done this before in my life and I'm kinda anxious about the whole thing if that makes any sense. I'm not a big p*@#y or anything, I just don't wanna go there and sit in some dark corner by myself and collect dust, ya know what I mean? I really wanna make a bunch of new friends and enjoy the hell out of myself! Take all this info for what it's worth, I just needed to let it all out. Again, mahalo all for your posts. I gotta make a decision soon and hit the "tiki" road to fun, excitement, and most of all building relationships with people like myself. It's lonely out here in the corn fields! I really need to move out back West, but I caregive to my beloved Momma 6 mos. outta the year and do my "other" enterprises here too, then go back to the Philippines to my Lil' Tiki Bar & Grill (you're ALL invited to come anytime!!!) and LIVE there. Damn, I jibber-jabber too much here! Just tell me to STFU at anytime guys!..

Clintiki

I have O.T.D: Obsessive.Tiki.Disorder!..:)

[ Edited by: clintiki 2012-07-09 21:44 ]

On 2012-07-09 21:23, clintiki wrote:
Mahalo John-O. Looked at the website. WOW.. what a line-up! Gonna have to collect some more info on this event. Is there a hotel by the "Starting Gate?" I saw in a pic of bike night there and it looks to have one right next to it. I have no buds to hang there with, so I'm on my own wherever I go this year. I really need some good music, good drink, and some badly needed R&R!

Clintiki

Clintiki,

there is way more info about the event here.
http://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/17547/
http://surfguitar101.com/convention/HOME.html
http://www.facebook.com/SG101Convention?sk=info

for place to stay try here: Dons Turf Motel, about 200 yards down the street.
http://losalamitos.patch.com/listings/dons-turf-motel-of-los-alamitos
if its full there is 2 Marriott in the area.

and for other shows happening around that weekend.
http://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/17835/

Jeff(btd)

as for hanging out with people,
(most) surf and tiki people are pretty friendly,
you just need to have the initiative to introduce yerself.

John O who posted in the thread earlier is usually solo
maybe you could team up with him.
I would offer, but I will be baby sitting band gear etc.
for the Belgium band that will be playing both events,
and bar shows in between the 2 weekends.

If ya come out to So. Cal. I highly recommend both events.
they are equally awesome but in different ways.

SG101 is pure music overload. and that is what its intended to be.
Tiki Oasis has bands,entertainment,movies,art,seminars,drinking, and
a little more drinking.

Jeff(btd)

Actually have you seen Fong Fest at Chef Shangri-La in Chicago on Sept 7-8 ??

You could probably drive to this.

It looks like a fantastic event. I wanna go !! :)

WOW! John-O, it looks as if you hit spot on for the Fong Fest! I'm only a mere 4 hrs away from that shin dig. I looked at the website-- Damn! Lots'o Witco & tiki everywhere! For $40, it's a steal for the 2 day event. I would like to go there in advance (Thursday) and meet up with others at the Hala Kahiki. Also, like you said, I CAN drive there, no prob! If you're goin' there, lemme know thru PM and maybe we can buddy up & enjoy all the great music (and drinking, of course!) and food too. This is one event I can't pass up, even if I still go out West for one of the others.

Clintiki

Mahalo Jeff for your post. I have been studying both sites online and it seems as if the Tiki Oasis would be really cool to attend. If I see both, I just need to make the proper arrangements. I'm so excited! Gotta go, go, go...

Any of you on TC ever go to the Tiki Kon before up NorthWest? I wished I could have went to the Tiki Caliente though, I looked at the site and it looked really sweet too. Oh well, there's always next year!

Clintiki

I'd say Tiki Oasis in SoCal or Ohana Luau at the Lake in Lake George, NY are the 2 BEST Tiki events I have ever been to.

You're in time for Tiki Oasis this year & then you can save your pennies to join is in Lake George at the historic Tiki Resort for Ohana next June :D :D

Tiki Oasis: http://www.TikiOasis.com/2012

Ohana: http://www.LuauAtTheLake.com

Oh, and given your location, also don't forget Fong Fest, taking place in Chicagoland at The Chef Shangri-la. It would be an easy day drive for you, so may not replace one of these others, but to supplement your tiki event attendance - ha!

Anyway - you can read more about it HERE: http://chefshangrila.com/ & then scroll down on the home page to read more. I think there may also be a FB page for it, too (??)

I vote for The Hukilau (you will have to wait for next year). Come on - the Mai Kai, South Florida, and more rum and entertainment than you can absorb. There is nothing like visiting the Mai Kai with so many tiki enthusiasts and later a midnight swim in the Atlantic with 50 of your fellow revelers (I missed it this year). Oasis is also a winner. However the hotel is a bit isolated (unless you rent a car) and it can get a bit crowded - but the parties are awesome (Room Crawl)! Go to Oasis this year - and then go to Hukilau next year! It doesn't take long to make friends at these events - just an open mind and an open bottle of rum!

I have certain biases based mainly on not being a normal guest at most events. I am working a lot. But, here is my advice.

Since you are in Indiana, you might be better off to attend a Tiki event where you are more likely to meet peopel from Indiana or at least the East Coast where you might see them again in Dayton or Chicago or where ever. That would mean Hukilau or Luau at the Lake seem best, though there are smaller things to do instead.

Tiki Oasis is huge. There are lots of people and chances to meet peopel, but, TC people may be hard to find. I'd say TC people are a small percentage and Tiki-philes even smaller. Oasis casts a BIG net. But you can connect with TC people there and true tiki-philes there. But, the chances to meet and mingle are a bit reduced due to size if you are a bit shy or not in the know.

Hukilau has one gigantic thing that say YOU MUST GO, and thet is the Mai-Kai and the Mai-Kai full of Hukilau peopel and performers. There are a lot more room parties and small group things going on there that will make it easier to meet people. Meeting new TC people at Hukilau is often my favorite part. The penthouse parties (which are not exclusive, but often sponsored by booze vendors) are way laid back and easy ways to meet and mingle. Plus the vast majority of attendees are from the East Coast.

Luau at the Lake I have not attended, but, from my observations it is all about the meet and mingle. A small event which is aimed at the members of the FOM being together in person to talk and have fun. It seems to be one social event after another, and has a strong contingent from your area. The actual Tiki content is less than other events, but Lake George seems like a great vintage jewel to visit.

So, in terms of getting a great Tiki event, with chances to meet TC people from your area and have some top notch Tiki-centric events is going to be Hukilau. To just plain meet lots of people from your area in a Tiki location, Luau at the Lake. Tiki Oasis if you want BIG. You can make of that event what you will, as in meeting people, meeting TC people, and catching Tiki-centric events and LOTS of vendors and just lots to do. But I'd say it is very CA-centric crowd and is a small percentage from your area.

I've only been to Hukilau (which was amazing) so I can't really say which one to go to.
BUT, whichever one you decide to go to...VOLUNTEER!
They can use the help, and since you're traveling alone, there's no better way to meet a few people, who'll introduce you to a few people, who'll introduce....
Well, you get the idea.

Mahalo Swanky, Alohastation, Creo67, and Pittsburg pauly for your input. Toady I "officially" made the reservations for the Fong Fest in Chicago, Ill. That will be my 1st go at it. Next will be the Hukilau in Florida (I lived in Jacksonville for 3 yrs and traveled all over Florida for my business, so I know the state well.) Then I will go to the Luau at the Lake in N.Y. too when they happen next year. I might still go to the Tiki Con in Pheonix, AR. in Oct. cuz I got 2 buddies that live there and they know about the possibility of my trip, so-- that's what I've decided so far. I'm sooooooo excited to go to my 1st one folks! I talked with Betty on the horn at Chef Shangri-la's & she got me all set up! So, if any of you are going, please PM me and will make plans to hang out and talk some serious tiki, dig? All of you here have been great so far on this thread, I sure feel the "ohana"...

Clintiki

Also-- I am going back down to Florida next week for some business there and I might try to go down to Ft. Lauderdale and take a peek (hehe, more than that!) at the world's famous Mai Kai! If I do, I will take lots-o-pix & post them here for all of you to see. But, definitely going to "Da Big Kahuna" Restaurant & tiki lounge in Jacksonville Beach, since I'm only minutes away from there.

Clintiki

I feel so dejected now.
:(

Jeff(btd)

On 2012-07-10 15:14, clintiki wrote:
I might still go to the Tiki Con in Pheonix, AR. in Oct.
cuz I got 2 buddies that live there and they know about the possibility of my trip,

Clintiki

Clint,
I keep looking in Other events for something in Az. in Oct. and I can't find it.
Are you possibly getting this mixed up with the Tiki Kon in Portland Or. in Aug.?
more info here:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=42789&forum=4&7

Not meaning to razz ya, just trying to clarify, as I like Az. and would possibly go to something there in Oct.

Jeff(btd)

Aww Jeff! I'm so sorry to burst your bubble man! But, the one in Pheonix, AZ. is @ http://www.tikicon.com. It's just a "front page" that says more info coming soon on a tiki weekender there. I signed up for their email alert (pressed bottom contact button) to let me know when it's going to be held. Let's meet up there Bro! My 1st true "tiki temple" experience will be next week in Jacksonville, Florida (where I do most of my biz) at the newly opened "Da Big Kahuna" Restaurant & Tiki Lounge. I will be meeting some of our Jacksonville TC ohana there on the 20th.

Clintiki

There is also a Big Kahuna in Ft Lauderdale - located right on the main strip in a mall called BeachPlace. If you come on a Friday you can see Marina swim at the Wreck and Kreepy Tiki usually has something going on at The Five Points Lounge late into the night.

Mahalo Aloha Station for the heads up on that Ft. Lauderdale location. If I go down there to see the Mai Kai, I will definitely stop by and check it out. Already gettin' a lil' group of TC people that's gonna meet at the JAX location next week. Looking forward to it.

I have O.T.D: Obsessive.Tiki.Disorder!... :)

[ Edited by: clintiki 2012-07-11 11:26 ]

I would take this Arizona event with a large grain of salt. If the event is planned for this year but in mid July there is still no more info than "stay tuned" I would say the liklihood that this will ever actually happen are slim.

Regarding that possible 'Tiki Con' event in Arizona, here is the link to the domain registration info, including contact information, for the "tikicon.com" website.

Update edit: The registered contact phone and street address for 'tikicon.com' matches that of A Second Look consignment superstore, in Phoenix, whatever that portends. Store owner's a big tiki enthusiast?

2nd Update: OK, this get's interesting. In addition to the store's, this person has also registered the domains for two bands, San Antonio's King Pelican and Phoenix' Surfside IV, and a photographer (with web design similarities on all sites). Surfside IV turns up lots of hits, on Tiki Central's Search. They played at the aforementioned Surf Guitar 101, in 2010. Surfside IV's Facebook page reads:
Biography
"Killer instrumental surf sounds from Phoenix, Arizona...hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean. Fueled by a love of a Fender guitar drenched in spring reverb and the big surf beat (and perhaps a rum-laden cocktail or two), we don our fezzes and salute the lost art of playing real music with real instruments."
Band Interests
"The smell of burning rubber, the eerie 60Hz hum of the nearby beer sign through an old Fender amp, a tasty Mai-Tai made with crushed ice but shockingly little mixer."

So, someone around here's gotta know this person (Initials, "L.R.", I'm avoiding putting his name here, look it up)? I'd guess he is very close to Surfside IV (if not a member of the band). So, the intent of putting on a tiki event, in Arizona, is likely serious and sincere. But like PiPhiRho said, there's not much evidence that an event, supposedly only a few months away, is really going to come off. But if it IS, encourage him to get more information up, soon!

"The rum's the thing..."

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2012-07-11 12:32 ]

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2012-07-11 13:55 ]

Hmmm, very interesting news fellas. Well, I guess I'll just have to "wait & see" if I ever really get a reply to my email about this event. Mahalo to you both for your diligence in your investigation.

Clintiki

Aloha Limbo,

I went on their consignment store site and literally sent them an email about the whole thing we're discussing here and we'll see if they reply back with some good news. Mahalo for your updates.

Clintiki

Oasis. I met many, many more people this past year at Oasis than I have in the past several years of Hukilau combined. Two words for mixing and mingling: Room Crawl. If you can't make friends during the nightly room crawls, you must have the personality of a brick.

That said, Hukilau is a blast. I really enjoy seeing friends every year and catching up. I didn't make it this year, but plan on going back next year now that it's moved back to June. If I could swing Oasis this year, I'd be there in a heartbeat, taking in SG101 the weekend before.

Since I live out here on a Rock I don't get to attend any of these great events but two years back I was able to go to my first Oasis and had such a killer time.. The people, the mai tai's, the music, people vending, ROOM CRAWLS!!, mai tai's, :wink: car show, ETC, ETC....

DANG I WISH I WAS GOING THIS YEAR!! :x :x

Have a blast wherever you go though!!

Mahalo Phinz & Beach Bumz. I will definitely go to the Huki Lau next year. I wanna go to the Tiki Oasis, but I just think I need to meet people on a smaller scale 1st, make some cool friends, and then hit the big ones. I am actually very extroverted in nature. I love to party, socialize, and I have no fear of striking up conversations. The room "crawl" you talk about sounds AWESOME (wish there was one @ Fong Fest!)and I know I would have a blast, but-- I'm just goin' solo on my very 1st event ever in Chicago and I know I'll have a rockin' tiki time. Relationships will be forged, cell#'s & emails exchanged, more tiki ohana on my FB page, etc. I have truly found my "home" amongst some of the most coolest people on this planet: TC... ALOHA ALL! (tears welling up..lol!)

Clintiki

Please post photos of your trip, Wendy

I surely will Wendy. btw, when I do post pics here of my tiki trips on TC, under what thread should I post them at if I may ask? Mahalo in advance.

Clintiki

On 2012-07-09 20:48, clintiki wrote:
I have been saving heavily in my tiki bank to go to a tiki convention this year. I looked at the tiki kon in Portland, Or. The tiki oasis in San Diego, CA. but I'm leaning towards the Tiki Con in Pheonix, AR. this fall in October. I can probably only afford to go to one of them (all are in the West, I'm here in NowherespecialVille, Indiana) so, I wanna make the best choice and hopefully meet lots of you in person! What do you all think? Thanks in advance to all posters on this subject...

The best one is any one you go to. Seriously, though, it's been my experience that every one is different, every year. Different people, different vibes. So even if one was a blowout last year, it may not be as much in the future. Just go with the flow, and you'll have fun. Hope to see you at whichever one you choose, cheers!

Mahalo Loki Tiki,

I too believe in your words about whichever one I go to will be great. They're ALL tiki meets, right? Everything tiki is going to be one of a kind and special in it's own way. Come on September, FONG FEST HERE I COME!!!

Clintiki

Did you make it to Fong Fest Clintiki?