Call of the Tropics art show and festival - July 6-21 in Dayton, Ohio

We're playing host to some great Tiki artists -- and tribute to our late, local Tiki landmarks -- at “Call of the Tropics,” a two-week festival of Tiki art, music and Mid-Century culture on July 6-21 in Dayton, Ohio.

The Tiki art show at Dayton's Color of Energy Gallery features works by Robb Hamel, Doug Horne, Derek Yaniger, “Tiki Tony” Murphy and Dave Hansen, among many others.

The festival's music runs the gamut from surf and rockabilly bands to an Exotica music DJ and a Hawaiian singer-guitarist. In addition, several salon programs during the run of the show will feature guest speakers discussing Tiki culture.

All events are free and open to the public.

The festival kicks off July 6 with a Tiki block party presented by Monster Energy Drink featuring surf and rockabilly bands in downtown Dayton's Oregon Arts District. The "First Friday" event rocks from 5 to 10 p.m. with live music by the Nick Kizirnis Band, Crazy Joe and the Mad River Outlaws, Team Void, and Cherry Lee and the Daddy Katz. Cruise the Oregon District to check out the hot rod displays, Tiki carvers, Mid-Century vendors, and street performers including fire dancers.

The Color of Energy Gallery on July 6 will host the opening of the Call of the Tropics art show, featuring some of the exhibiting artists and a cash bar on the patio with tropical cocktails.

On July 14, music historian, writer and Exotica music DJ Jeff Chenault will talk about the history of Exotica music in Ohio, and then spin Exotica tracks in the Color of Energy's vintage vinyl shop, The Record Gallery.

The July 21 closing event will feature live music by Hawaiian singer-guitarist Francis Llacuna, and a talk by Judge Dan Gehres about Tiki culture in America. Gehres will highlight such golden-era Dayton Tiki landmarks as Georgie Rudin's The Tropics, the Kon-Tiki Theater and the Rhino Club.

Call of the Tropics features a charity raffle for artist collectibles to benefit SICSA (The Society for the Improvement of Conditions for Stray Animals), a Dayton nonprofit that has helped find homes for more than 50,000 homeless dogs and cats. Winners will be drawn on July 21 at the festival's closing event.

For more information, visit the web site at http://www.callofthetropics.com or our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/callofthetropics.

This Friday!

I'm coming down with a bunch of new tikis that are looking for new homes!

It's going to be an awesome art show and an awesome event!

Hope to see you in Dayton!