What started as a series of small parties at a tiki-themed motel in Palm Springs has grown into an annual cultural festival in San Diego known as Tiki Oasis. The event, which returns July 31 to Aug. 4 at the Town and Country Resort in Mission Valley, expects more than 4,000 guests to celebrate this year’s California-inspired theme of “Way Out West.”
Producers Otto von Stroheim and Baby Doe von Stroheim have been organizing the event together for 24 years. They found each other through their shared ion for tiki culture and founded Tiki Oasis as a way to celebrate it for generations to come.
For five nights and four days, attendees can make an escape to summer paradises like Waikiki with live music, DJs, pool lounging, sunset dinners and tropical cocktails. At the Tiki Marketplace, 150 vendors will be selling a unique selection of tiki carvings, fine art, jewelry and vintage clothing all inspired by the tiki charm of the 1960s.
Attendees can also immerse themselves in tiki culture at 40 different seminars where experts will teach a variety of subjects, from lectures about historical tiki sites to how to make cocktails.
The celebration of “tiki” is an American pop culture creation – with most s tracing its origins to Southern California – inspired by island escapism and Americans’ obsession with the South Pacific in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, it is kept alive by enthusiasts at events like Tiki Oasis and through tropical cocktails and tiki bars across the country.
Though tiki culture has been on the receiving end of concerns about cultural appropriation, Tiki Oasis names equality, diversity and inclusion as a core value on its company website. As lovers of “vintage aesthetics but not vintage values,” they hope to recreate tiki escapism through a modern lens that is inclusive to all.
Tiki Oasis’ lineup seminars and activities shows several that are organized by its Diversity & Inclusion Council, including “Latinos in Tiki.” The festival also hosts events such as the LGBTiki Meet Up to celebrate marginalized communities who share a love for tiki culture.
“We pride ourselves in having something for everyone,” Baby Doe von Stroheim said. “People can choose to come with their family, bring their kids to a ukulele class or swim in the pool all day. People can choose to go shopping or go to a concert and dance the night away. We’re just always looking at fun and unique ways of bringing people together.”
Otto von Stroheim said the event started back in 2001 when he was approached to throw a summer party at what was then known as the Tropics Hotel in Palm Springs. It grew into a festival and became so popular that it outgrew the space, resulting in its move to San Diego. For years it was thrown at the Crowne Plaza Hanalei before moving in 2021 to the Town and Country Resort.
Tiki Oasis claims to be the “original and largest tiki event in the entire world,” according to its website. In 2019, Tiki Oasis expanded to Arizona, an event that draws an estimated 2,500 attendees each year.
This year, the couple has curated a new lineup of musicians and performers from around the globe, including the Swedish exotica band Ixtuahuele, French burlesque dancer Froufrou d’Absinthe and Beach Boy’s co-founder and band member Al Jardine.
Tiki Oasis will also host its 10th Annual Bartender Battle, where the top bartenders in San Diego will compete to create the year’s best tiki cocktail. The audience can sample cocktails and cheer on their favorites.
What sets Tiki Oasis apart from other festivals is its focus on appreciating tiki culture, according to Otto von Stroheim. By having seminars, marketplaces and art exhibitions to complement its headlining performances, it allows attendees a chance to learn about tiki culture while they’re experiencing it.
“Tiki Oasis for us, a big part of it is that Otto and I are a couple, we’re a team, said Baby Doe von Stroheim. “This is a family-run event but everybody comes to Tiki Oasis as part of the family. You don’t have to be super into the style, wear the bright shirts or wear the right shoes – anybody can be part of the tiki world.”
“Tiki Oasis: Way Out West”
When: July 31 to Aug. 4
Where: Town and Country Resort, 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego.
Tickets: $180-$699
Online: tikioasis.com/ticket
