Since Tiki Oasis can’t hold its in-person event it’s hosting a full virtual weekender to help you escape quarantine.
Tiki Oasis is not about the real world. It's about fashion, cocktails, kitschy fun, and, most of all, escape, said event co-creator and coordinator Baby Doe Von Stroheim.
"And with our virtual experience, we're really hoping that this will unlock the opportunity for people to just kind of forget their everyday life and just get to experience some different parts of what makes Tiki Oasis unique," she said.
Unique things like the Aloha Caftan Society Fashion Stroll, the shopping in pajamas virtual Marketplace, APE "Supersonic" record release party, and more. Co-creator and coordinator Otto Von Stroheim said the online gathering will be "a meeting place for people into mid-century Polynesian pop. So if you appreciate architecture and you appreciate rum and cocktails, tropical cocktails and mixology, you appreciate Hawaiian shirts and aloha wear, this is the place to be and that's where you're going to find your tribe."
And finding your tribe has been the essence of Tiki Oasis for two decades. It's been a meeting place for people who are into mid-century Polynesian pop.
"We've had a location to meet at but we can also meet online," Otto explained. "It's still the Tiki gathering place for the tribe and when people come and they attend these meetings and they're online and they're on a zoom, they can still interact with people."
Going virtual for its 20th year
The annual San Diego event was to celebrate its 20th anniversary but COVID-19 forced it, as with so many other events, to go virtual.
"We're still going to have opportunities for people to connect with each other," Baby Doe said. "But also we're going to be doing things like having DJs spinning so you can have a soundtrack going this weekend while you're mopping the floor or vacuuming the living room. So we just going to kind of like immerse Tiki Oasis enough into people's everyday life that maybe they'll get a little bit of that escapism."
There may even be some benefits to the online version of the event.
"The funny thing is, a lot more people can come," Otto said. "A lot of people can come from around the world. So people that might not have been able to make it can tune in. And we could have more people there than we ever had before. I can go global and invite people that could have never come to San Diego before."
If you have ever attended Tiki Oasis one of the things you will notice is how much effort people put into what they wear, how they coif their hair, how they accessorize, and how well they may fit the theme of a particular program or event. Couples can even be seen in custom made matching outfits.
"There's definitely a bit of people watching people and people wanting to be seen," Baby Doe said. "So that's a big part of Tiki Oasis. A lot of folks will start collecting Aloha-wear all year long thinking about, 'What dress am I going to wear with what earrings? Am I going to wear at this?' And so we thought that was actually a big part of this event as we went virtual. So we have a couple of different ways that we're doing that. We have some meetups that are happening where people can see each other. And we're also doing a late-night room party. That's a dance party kind of idea. And the concept with that is that people are all going to be in the same Zoom and they'll get to see each other and see what other people are wearing, what they're drinking, how they may be decorated their living room. So bringing a little bit of that to life, but maybe an even a broader way because people get to share not just what they are wearing and what they look like, but maybe even like their home and how they decorate and how they express themselves in other ways beyond just that for this weekend."
If you have never been to Tiki Oasis then you may think all this attention to appearance is silly or superficial. But once you go and you meet the people and see how much passion, creativity, and artistry they put into designing clothes, doing their hair or makeup, and decorating hotel rooms (or this year their homes) for room parties, then you start to appreciate the effort and appreciate how dedicated this tribe is to having fun.
But Tiki Oasis also likes to promote some core values that reflect what it is. Those core values are described on its website: "equality, diversity and inclusion; we empower marginalized groups and encourage social justice through dialogue and action. Tiki Oasis promotes education and the sharing of ideas and knowledge; we believe in historic preservation of American Pop Culture through the lens of modern-day values. Tiki Oasis promotes sustainable practices with a deep commitment to conservation and positive choices that support the health of our planet."
Where to find Tiki Oasis TV
The virtual event will use Zoom but Tiki Oasis will also have streaming content on Twitter and Facebook or YouTube or Twitch. So there will be plenty of ways to both people watch and to strut your stuff.
This year, Tiki Oasis was going to unveil its new location at Paradise Point Resort and Spa. The Von Stroheims and a few other dedicated members of the tribe are at the 44-acre island resort. But there will be a virtual exploration of the little island paradise during the virtual event.
"It's sort of like a self-guided tour of Gilligan's Island," Otto joked. "We used to be at the Crown Plaza, but they're closed. And so people can share their memories of past Tiki Oasis at Crown Plaza or at the Bali Hai to prepare and get excited for the future."
Some program highlights for full schedule go to the website.
FRIDAY
4 – 5 p.m. – Seminar: "Disney Goes Tiki" with David “Dr. Skipper” Marley. Proceeds benefit Walt Disney Family Museum ($15 tickets).
6 – 8 p.m. – Virtual Marketplace Cocktail Hour, get to know the artists, makers, and traders of Tiki Oasis, hosted by Audrey Moorehead (free event).
8 – 10 p.m. – APE "Supersonic" record release party, hosted by APE. New music, film clips, Tiki carving, and mug raffle hosted by exotica band APE. Listen in to hear about APE's first-ever vinyl record (free event).
SATURDAY
10 – 11:30 a.m. – Shopping in Pajamas: Virtual Marketplace. This free event includes Livestream interactions, artist meet-ups, and overall unique shopping experience with the makers, creators, and traders.
2 – 3 p.m. – 11th annual Tiki Oasis Art Show live on Instagram, hosted by artist BigToe. Take a 'walk' through the exhibit, purchase art, and meet some of the featured artists (free event).
4 p.m. – Aloha Caftan Society – Zoom Party! Dress up for the Aloha Fashion Stroll — show off your own fashion style (free event).
10 p.m. – 1 a.m. – Late night “Room Parties” including DJ’s, dancers, and other mischiefs from around the globe, hosted by Barron Scott Levkoff of Midwayville and If 'N' Wendy (free event).
SUNDAY
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Panel discussion: "Sensual Paradise – Deconstructing the Romanticization of the Alluring Island Maiden," free but “tip jar” to benefit Heiva San Diego.
2 – 4 p.m. – The Velvet Gazette Virtual Release Party. We saved the best for last, tune-in to keep the fun going. Zoom party with live music, live burlesque, and more. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Susana Andrea (free event).
Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Tiki Oasis Pop-Up Art Show curated by Baby Doe. Displayed at Paradise Point Resort, San Diego (no gathering or events allowed, this is a socially distanced art exhibit).
2020 Artists:
Anthony Carpenter
BigToe Art
Candy
Craig Robb
Daisy Church
Danielle Mann
Dawn Frasier Sophista-tiki
Devon Devereaux
Diane Bombshelter
Eddy Crosby
Eric October
Harry Decker
James Owens
Jason Straughan “The Boozy Doodler”
Justin Peterson
Ken Pleasant
Ken Ruzic
Kymm Bang
Lori Herbst
Megan Besmirched
Mike Carnevale
Mike Maas
Mookie Sato
Norm Daniels
Odd Rodney
Rarabird, Laura Harper
Robert Jimenez
Sandra Fremgen
Tiki King
Tiki tOny
Susana Andrea, Vestige
Wendy Cevola
Zachary Friedberg
