T
History
he first Tiki convention ever in the U.S. Tiki Oasis is an exploration of Mid-Century style and design often referred to as “Polynesian Pop”. Tiki Oasis was originally launched in 2001 as a fundraiser event to save The Caliente tropics hotel (1964), Palm Springs, from getting a de-Tikified remodel. After five successful years at The Caliente Tropics, Tiki Oasis had grown too big for the tiny roadside motel. In 2006 Tiki Oasis relocated to the Crowne Plaza San Diego (originally The Hanalei Hotel, 1959) in Hotel Circle and the historic Bali Hai Restaurant (1954) on Shelter Island. In 2020 Tiki Oasis changed locations once again to the spectacular 44-acre island location of Paradise Point Resort (originally Vacation Village, 1962). Over the years Tiki Oasis has become a beloved event that includes live entertainment, top mixologists, educational seminars, tiki carvers, aloha fashion and more, all to a tiki soundtrack. What makes the event unique is that it has a different theme each year. These themes are deeper explorations of ‘Polynesian Pop’ and Mid-Century Pop Culture such as Spies, Beatniks, or Space Age. While these themes would be considered tangential to Tiki, they are a great way to explore other aspects of Retro Culture in a fun and playful way. Below is a quick look at the past Tiki Oasis events we have hosted over the last 19 years!
2019 CATCH THE NEW WAVE
Incorporating two ideas of the Second Wave Surf Music which started in 1980 and “80s Exotica” elements found in New Wave music such as The B-52s and Adam & The Ants, Tiki Oasis took a bold step outside the boundaries of Polynesian Pop imagery and style. 104
2018 SOUTH SEAS CINEMA
We paid homage to “South Pacific” with the help of Los Angeles based group “South Seas Cinema.” South Seas Cinema is also a motion picture genre that is set on tropical islands of the Pacific.
