What began as a simple fundraiser to save a hotel has turned into the largest event of its kind in the world.
Tiki Oasis is a multi-day Polynesian festival taking place in August of each year in San Diego, CA. The 2025 dates are Aug. 7-10 at the retro Town & Country Hotel in centrally-located Mission Valley. It is everything tiki you can imagine – an incredible Tiki Marketplace (free and open to the public) almost non-stop bands playing mostly tropical music, an overflowing tiki mug of rum tastings and after-hours themed room parties hosted by rum producers and – a PubClub.com favorite – an afternoon pool party complete with poolside bands.
Each day and night, 1,000-plus people – many dressed as if they are on their way to a Jimmy Buffett concert – fill the hallways, tasting rooms and the outside grounds in a pinch-me scene that is as much of a spectacle as it is an event.
And all this from a fundraiser back in 2001 to renovate the Caliente Tropics Motel in Palm Springs. The event. quickly outgrew that space and moved to San Diego in 2006,
“We didn’t set out to create the largest and longest-running tiki event in the world,” said event founders Baby Doe and Otto von Stroheim. “From the beginning, our aim was to craft an experience that would bring tiki lovers together. Today, we are proud that through Tiki Oasis, so many have discovered not just a great party and fun festival, but a sense of family and community.”
They have succeeded spectacularly.
“Over the past 25 years, the Tiki scene has evolved from a passionate gathering of dedicated enthusiasts into a dynamic and flourishing subculture,” Dow and von Stroheim said. “Throughout this journey, Tiki Oasis has remained a unifying thread, consistently bringing the community together and helping sustain its growth.”
You an purchase tickets and see the full schedule on the Tiki Oasis website.
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