Beach Bohemians of the 20th Century - The History of Beachcomber Style

The success of Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood made the Beachcomber bar concept famous and inspired countless “Beachcomber” businesses across America and the world. Beginning with the historic characters that created the myth of the Beachcomber, Sven Kirsten will reveal a plethora of unpublished Polynesian Pop eye candy and explain some of the intricacies of the style.

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM • T&C Ballroom B • $25

Sven Kirsten

It was his love for visuals that inspired Sven to collect and photograph the remnants of the forgotten culture of Polynesian Pop in America, leading him to identify the Tiki as its icon. As a hunter and gatherer of lost artifacts and ephemera of this phenomenon, he began to see the pattern of a unique art form, publishing his findings in The Book of Tiki in September 2000. For the first time, the book presented all the aspects of Tiki-style; its design, graphics, architecture, social culture, and cocktail mixology. In 2007, Sven published his second book, Tiki Modern, then Tiki Pop in 2014, and The Art of Tiki in 2017. He continues to seek out, promote, and preserve all things Polynesian Pop!