Forget the hurricane season. For the better part of two decades, early June has become The Hukilau season in South Florida.
The Hukilau highlights: Photos and memories from 2023 Tiki weekender in South Florida NEW
This year’s forecast calls for four days of Category 5 revelry at the oceanfront Beachcomber Resort in Pompano Beach, plus extracurricular activities that span nearly a full week.
It’s far too early in the year for any significant storms, so why not kick off the summer early with an epic Polynesian Pop party on the beachfront? The 21st live version of the East Coast’s largest Tiki weekender blows ashore June 8-11, featuring some top names in the tropical cocktail world, noted live surf and exotica bands, a marketplace featuring more than 30 vendors, educational symposiums, plus more.
The Hukilau 2023 – June 8-11 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts, The Swingin’ Palms, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, Dan Cunningham, The Ohana Hawaiian Jazz Trio), symposiums and classes (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Garret Richard, Spike Marble, Tiki Tom-Tom, Doc Parks), guest bars and industry professionals, pop-up cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
* TheHukilau.com | Instagram | Facebook page and group
JUMP BELOW: SEE THE FULL SCHEDULE
MORE: Before and after parties | Official mug revealed | A taste of The Mai-Kai | Berry & Wondrich symposiums
Bonus cocktail recipe: Special Daiquiri No. 1 from Tropical Standard
Following is the latest news and updates as we count down to the event. Check out our previous blog posts for a detailed preview:
* The Hukilau announces 17 guest Tiki bar teams
* The Hukilau 2023 preview: 21st Tiki weekender in June is nirvana for cocktail fanatics
In our first story, we cover the big news of Tiki cocktail historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry returning to The Hukilau for the first time since 2016. He’ll join four other notable writers with new books on the shelves: David Wondrich (The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails), Matt Pietrek (Modern Caribbean Rum), Garret Richard (Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes), and Tiki Tom-Tom (Polynesiacs – Tiki at Home).
We also outline what’s new for 2023, including Wednesday’s pre-party at Esotico Miami. And we spotlight all of the musical performers, from those traveling long distances (California’s The Hula Girls and Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts; New York’s The Swingin’ Palms) to those from around the Sunshine State (The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, Dan Cunningham).
The story also previews the symposiums and classes. There’s a complete rundown on tickets, plus a detailed description (and photos) of the Beachcomber Resort plus the overflow hotel, the nearby Plunge Beach Resort.
Finally, there’s a section on The Hukilau’s history, from its beginning in 2002 in Atlanta to its many years at Fort Lauderdale Beach hotels and The Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park. The name refers to the traditional Hawaiian gathering of family and friends to cast a giant net into the sea to catch fish. It’s fitting that The Hukilau lures Tikiphiles from around the globe to it’s beachfront locale in our own tropical paradise.
The second story, posted in May, runs down the full list of 17 guest bars and bartenders who will be slinging delicious drinks all weekend. This includes legendary names (The Mai-Kai, Don the Beachcomber, Tonga Hut), many returning favorites (Dirty Dick, Hidden Harbor, The Inferno Room, Tiki Underground), plus some notable newcomers.
The story also lists all 32 booths confirmed for the Tiki Treasures Bazaar, including 16 participants who didn’t attend last year. The roster includes artists, craftspeople, collectors, and a variety of other vendors.
BEFORE AND AFTER: Parties extend The Hukilau revelry to six days
Wednesday’s rum dinner at Esotico Miami, sponsored by Plantation, is sold out. But that doesn’t mean you should skip the pre-party if you won’t have a ticket.
The tropical cocktail hotspot owned by flamboyant mixologist Daniele Dalla Pola has plenty of space for guests to meet and mingle all night. The event is also sponsored by Hi-Tide Recordings, which likely means we’ll also enjoy some vintage tunes by label owners and DJs Vincent Minervino and Magdalena O’Connell.
You can partake in the exotic fare in the main restaurant, then move into the mysterious speakeasy next door for the late-night party. Dalla Pola’s new Kaona Room will host Miami favorites Gold Dust Lounge performing its unique melding of surf, spy and experimental rock.
In true Miami style, the band doesn’t start until around 9:30 p.m. Transportation will be provided for rum dinner ticket holders, but those going at other times may need to make other arrangements for the 37-mile trek to downtown Miami.
In Kaona Room, be sure to rub elbows with The Hukilau’s guest bartenders, who are meeting up for their own welcome dinner earlier in the evening. And be sure to check out the unique cocktail menu in the dark and inviting Tiki space, including such creative libations as Vicious Virgin No. 9, plus The Ghost and The Phantom (two clarified Zombies).
For locals, or those arriving early for The Hukilau, a second preparty is scheduled for Tuesday evening in Palm Beach County. The site is AlleyCat, an Asian fusion restaurant about 21 miles due north of the Beachcomber in Boca Raton.
The bar team includes beverage director Kristen Shaneyfelt, a former Death or Glory mixologist who be joined by Kurt Rogers and Michael Bloom, better known as Jacksonville’s Luau Lads. The dynamic duo of Florida’s Tiki cocktail scene will also be mixing up their original cocktails at the Beachcomber all weekend. They regularly participate in and host their own events across the state, including their signature Castaway event in August.
The “Castaway at The Hukilau” preparty will run from 8 to 11 p.m. and is sponsored by Lemon Hart and Black Tot rums. A special food and drink menu includes three cocktails and a special pour featuring the sponsor spirits.
If you don’t get your fill after two days of warmup parties and four days of The Hukilau, Dalla Pola has got you covered. He’s hosting Jeff “Beachbum” Berry for a several special events at Esotico Miami on Monday, June 12.
From 1 to 3 p.m., these longtime friends will join together for an industry seminar on the history of two iconic Tiki cocktails: the Navy Grog and the Zombie. The event includes light bites and cocktails. RSVP to [email protected].
Later that evening, Dalla Pola and Esotico will host another rum and Tiki dinner with the Beachbum as special guest. Seats are limited for the 7:45 p.m. seating, so be sure to make a reservation if you’re interested.
These are just the events happening before and after The Hukilau that we’re aware of. It’s certain that there are others, private and public, so keep your ear to the ground and check back here for updates.
OFFICIAL MUG: Another cool creation from Eekum Bookum
John Mulder has a long history with The Hukilau, producing official mugs under his Eekum Bookum banner for many years. This includes the 2022 mug created in the style of The Mai-Kai.
For 2023, he came up with a design that salutes the past 20 years of The Hukilau. It’s a tall mug with elaborately detailed and colorful depictions of images from The Hukilau and The Mai-Kai history with an oceanic twist. There are seafarers, fish and a turtle – all about to be consumed by a giant wave.
There will be 320 of these limited-edition mugs produced. Initially, they will be available exclusively for purchase by upper-tier South Seas passholders, one per person, most likely on Friday, June 9. If you’re one of these lucky folks, find out how you can snag your mug when you check in at The Hukilau registration desk.
The remainder will likely go on sale to other passholders on Saturday at the Tiki Treasures Bazaar. More information, including pricing, will be released soon.
THE MAI-KAI AT THE HUKILAU: How to get a taste of the historic restaurant
It’s no secret that the historic Mai-Kai is nearing the home stretch of a massive renovation project that will transform and revive the beloved Polynesian palace. It was hoped that tours of the restaurant could be included in The Hukilau activities for South Seas passholders.
Unfortunately, extensive work going on inside the restaurant has made this impossible for both logistical and safety reasons. The Mai-Kai owners and staff wish they could host villagers this year, but I’m sure we’ll be rewarded for our patience when The Hukilau 2024 rolls around and we’re back inside the hallowed halls enjoying the incredible atmosphere, food and drinks.
While the on-site restoration work continues, there will be multiple opportunities at The Hukilau this year to get a taste of The Mai-Kai at the Beachcomber:
Thursday: The Mai-Kai will participate in the opening night party as a pop-up bar, serving a signature cocktail that hasn’t be available since the October 2020 closing. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy the Cobra Kiss, a classic that has been on the menu since the 1956 opening. Click here for more in our Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide, including a tribute recipe and rich history.
Friday: The creative director of the restoration project, “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller, will entertain villagers with stories from his year-long adventure in a new presentation, “Rebuilding Paradise: The Mai-Kai Comes Back to Life,” at 1:30 p.m. He’ll share his first-hand experiences and take guests behind the scenes with the latest news and photos from the historic restaurant.
Saturday: Current and/or former members of The Mai-Kai’s Polynesian Islander Revue will be featured in a Polynesian dance troupe performing around sunset on the beach, similar to last year. New in 2023: Look for a reunion of “Molokai Girls,” the distinctive sarong-clad waitresses from The Mai-Kai’s legendary lounge, at 1:30 p.m.
Sunday: The Hukilau wraps up with a Tiki brunch hosted by Matt “Spike” Marble, frontman of The Hula Girls and host of Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour on YouTube. During the finale, he’ll host a live recording of the show at 10 a.m. with several special guests, including yours truly. The Atomic Grog’s tribute to The Mai-Kai’s Rum Barrel will be served. It promises to be a fine way to wrap up the weekend.
Also look for Mai-Kai merchandise to be offered for sale over the weekend, including a new T-shirt featuring artwork from the new cocktail menu. Limited release shirts with artwork by California artist Eric October were first released in February, featuring the iconic Barrel O’ Rum.
At The Hukilau, you can grab a Rum Barrel shirt along with a second shirt available for the first time. Like the Barrel, the Shrunken Skull is another Mai-Kai classic from the original 1956 menu.
For 57 years, the menu featured classic images of the drinks. But in 2014, the menu switched to photos of each cocktail. For the new reopening menu, October is painting each drink based on the photos, returning to a more classic style. These T-shirts offer a sneak preview of the new images. Look for new Mai-Kai merchandise in The Hukilau merch booth at the Tiki Treasures Bazaar.
The Atomic Grog coverage of The Mai-Kai
* The Mai-Kai renovations, April 2023: Bora Bora building comes down as restoration efforts pick up steam
* Behind the scenes at The-Mai-Kai as restoration ramps up in 2023
* The Mai-Kai officially begins work on first phase of $8.5 million renovation projects
BERRY & WONDRICH: Four chances to learn from cocktail historians
It’s an honor to have Jeff “Beachbum” Berry back at The Hukilau for the first time since 2016, taking time away from his acclaimed bar and restaurant, Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 in New Orleans. He’ll be joined by fellow cocktail historian and author David Wondrich for one of his presentations. They recently shared their plans:
“Tiki’s Big Bang: The Hard-hitting History of Planter’s Punch” (3:30 p.m. Friday) – Planter’s Punch is the big bang of Tiki drinks: most of the great ones are based on it, from the Mai Tai to the Zombie. It also has a 300 year history that includes Caribbean pirates, British royalty, and of course the godfather of Tiki himself, Don The Beachcomber, who based over 30 of his recipes on the Planter’s. Join Beachbum Berry for three centuries of rum history and three servings of rum punch. Come thirsty!
“Before the Beachcomber: Tropical Drinks as they Were Mixed in the Tropics” (11 a.m. Saturday) – Join rum-dinged nostalgic David Wondrich, the editor in chief of The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails and the man who actually wrote the book on Punch (Punch, 2010), for a hands-on tour of the tropics before its drinks were exported, polished up, and turned into Tiki. You’ll drink a couple of tasty tropical drinks that don’t require a dozen ingredients, a blender and a trained monkey to make and then learn how to assemble the legendary Trinidad Green Swizzle and the equally legendary Barbados Red Swizzle.
“Thrillas From Manila: Famous Filipino Tiki Barmen” (4 p.m. Saturday) – Enjoying that Saturn, Black Magic, or Jet Pilot? Thank the Philippines. In this world-premiere session, Beachbum Berry and David Wondrich team up to bring you the untold story of the legendary Filipino bartenders who created those drinks and many other Tiki classics, from the Puka Punch to the Mai-Kai Mystery Drink. Cocktails will be served. Mabuhay!
Wondrich will also teach an Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy class on the El Presidente at 3 p.m. Saturday. There are many other educational opportunities amid all the festive fun, so be sure to check the full event schedule and plan accordingly.
THE HUKILAU DAY-BY-DAY SCHEDULE: Thursday through Sunday events at the Beachcomber
TheHukilau.com: See the daily schedules in graphic format
Events are subject to change. Always double-check at The Hukilau registration desk for last-minute updates. Also monitor the official social media for news:
Instagram | Facebook page and group
Jump to other days: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
THURSDAY, JUNE 8
3-9 p.m. – Registration (Aloha Desk)
3-9 p.m. – South Seas Lounge (passholders only)
3-9 p.m. – Welcome reception featuring featuring pop-up bars and DJ James Brown’s Sweat (poolside)
8 p.m. – The Intoxicators (poolside)
9 p.m.-midnight – Bungalow parties (courtyard and bungalows)
FRIDAY, JUNE 9
9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. – Registration (Aloha Desk)
9:45 a.m. – Camp Tiki Wachee: Lei-making class (South Tiki Hut)
10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. – “Classic Tropical Recipes: What We Got Wrong & Other Surprises” with Matt Pietrek (courtyard and bungalows)
10 a.m.-9 p.m. – South Seas Lounge (passholders only)
11 a.m. – 9 p.m. – Rum Island Pool Party featuring pop-up bars and live music (bands listed separately).
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – “Sour Power! Acid Adjusting 101,” an Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy class with Garret Richard (South Tiki Hut)
Noon-1 p.m. – “Polynesiacs: Navigating a Home Tiki Bar Build” with Tiki Tom-Tom (courtyard and bungalows)
12:30 p.m. – The Ohana Hawaiian Jazz Trio (poolside)
1-2 p.m. – “Let’s Get Weird – Strange & Unusual Ingredients in Tiki Cocktails,” an Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy class with Lucky Munro (South Tiki Hut)
1:30-2:30 p.m. – “Rebuilding Paradise: The Mai-Kai Comes Back to Life” with “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller (courtyard and bungalows)
2:30 p.m. – The Ohana Hawaiian Jazz Trio (poolside)
2:30-3:30 p.m. – “Mr. Potato Head Meets Tropical Libations,” an Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy class with Matt Pietrek (South Tiki Hut)
3:30-4:30 p.m. – “Tiki’s Big Bang: The Hard-hitting History of Planter’s Punch” with Jeff “Beachbum” Berry (courtyard and bungalows)
4:30-5:30 p.m. – “Parks Punch Palooza,” an Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy class with Doc Parks (South Tiki Hut)
5-6 p.m. – Book publishing symposium with Matt Pietrek, Tiki Tom-Tom, and Garret Richard (courtyard and bungalows)
6 p.m. – Blue Hawaii with Dan Cunningham (beach/bandstand)
6-7 p.m. – “Tying a Bottle Sling” class with Tom Fowner (South Tiki Hut)
7 p.m. – The Swingin’ Palms (poolside)
8 p.m. – The Hula Girls (poolside)
9 p.m.-midnight – Bungalow parties (courtyard and bungalows)
10:30 p.m. – Camp Tiki Wachee: Friday the 13th (poolside movie)
SATURDAY, JUNE 10
10 a.m.-9 p.m. – South Seas Lounge (passholders only)
11 a.m.-noon – “Before the Beachcomber: Tropical Drinks as they Were Mixed in the Tropics” with David Wondrich (South Tiki Hut)
11 a.m.-6 p.m. – Registration (Aloha Desk)
11 a.m. – 9 p.m. – Rum Island Pool Party featuring pop-up bars and live music (bands listed separately).
Noon-7 p.m. – Tiki Treasures Bazaar (South Seas passholders) in the courtyard and bungalows
1 p.m. – Skinny Jimmy Stingray (poolside)
1-7 p.m. – Tiki Treasures Bazaar (all passholders) in the courtyard and bungalows
1:30-2:30 p.m. – Molokai Girl Reunion (South Tiki Hut)
2:30 p.m. – The Intoxicators (poolside)
3-4 p.m. – Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy class on the El Presidente with David Wondrich (South Tiki Hut)
4-5 p.m. – “Thrillas From Manila: Famous Filipino Tiki Barmen” with Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and David Wondrich (North Tiki Hut)
5 p.m. – Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts present Surf Shack Shindig (poolside)
6 p.m. – Polynesian dance and fire show (beach/bandstand)
6-7 p.m. – Garret Richard meet and greet (poolside)
7 p.m. – The Hula Girls (poolside)
7 p.m. – Cigar and rum pairing (North Tiki Hut)
8 p.m. – The Disasternauts (poolside)
9 p.m.-midnight – Bungalow parties (courtyard and bungalows)
SUNDAY, JUNE 11
9 a.m. – The Swingin’ Palms (North Tiki Hut)
9 a.m.-noon – Aloha Brunch (South Tiki Hut)
10-11 a.m. – Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour with Spike Marble, Garret Richard, Jim “Hurricane” Hayward (North Tiki Hut)
10 a.m.-noon – Treasure and swizzle swap (South Seas Lounge)
11 a.m. – The Swingin’ Palms (North Tiki Hut)
BONUS COCKTAIL RECIPE
Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about tropical drinks, along comes Garret Richard. The veteran New York City bartender has joined forces with author Ben Schaffer to shake up the Tiki cocktail canon … in a good way. Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes pushes the envelope using modern bar methods but also stays true to the legacy and original intent of the drinks.
Beyond the acid-adjusted juices and precisely calibrated syrups, you’ll find many approachable tips and tricks to elevate your cocktail game without throwing all your old techniques out the window. To warm up for The Hukilau, we’re sharing Richard’s take on a classic that dates back to Tiki cocktail pioneer Don the Beachcomber, also featured on The Mai-Kai menu for nearly seven decades.
Catch Richard at The Hukilau in the panel discussion on book publishing at 5 p.m. Friday. He’ll also teach a cocktail class Friday at 11:30 a.m. and serve a drink during a bungalow party Saturday night. If you attend the Sunday brunch, don’t miss him in a live recording of Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour along with The Atomic Grog.
SPECIAL DAIQUIRI NO. 1
By Garret Richard, published in Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes
- 5 drops salt solution
- 1 teaspoon passion fruit puree
- 1/2 ounce strained lime juice
- 1/4 ounce honey syrup
- 1/2 ounce falernum
- 1/2 ounce Denizen aged white rum (80 proof)
- 1/2 ounce Two James Doctor Bird Jamaican rum (100 proof)
- 1/2 ounce Appleton Estate 8-year-old Jamaican rum (86 proof)
Combine the ingredients in a mixing tin with 8 ounces of crushed ice. Flash blend for 5 seconds and pour unstrained into a chilled goblet (10 ounces). Optionally, garnish with an ice shell. Serve with a straw.
The carefully selected rum blend and precise recipe elevate this classic behind its simple Daiquiri roots into an elegant and flavor-packed craft cocktail worthy of any modern bar.
The back story
The recipe for Don’s Special Daiquiri was revealed by Tiki cocktail sleuth Jeff “Beachbum” Berry in his 2010 book, Beachbum Berry Remixed. Highly recommended for newcomers to Tiki mixology, the book combines the cream of the crop of the Bum’s first two books plus an assortment of new recipes, including this Don the Beachcomber classic.
The 1970s version that Berry unearthed is quite simple. It’s just lime, honey, passion fruit syrup, a light Puerto Rican rum, and a gold Jamaican rum. Click here for the recipe, which we cite as an ancestor to The Mai-Kai’s Special Reserve Daiquiri.
As noted in Tropical Standard, The Mai-Kai has preserved one of Donn Beach’s lost arts: Smaller-sized drinks that are still flash-blended and treated like the complex tropical flavor bombs that they are. While Don’s Special Daiquiri is an unrefined (yet still delicious) example of this, The Mai-Kai’s Special Reserve Daiquiri turns it up a notch with a unique syrup (fassionola) and elegant rum (Appleton 12). [Click here for the recipe]
Richard manages to crank this simple classic up to 11 with a fresh look at its flavor profile, combined with modern mixology techniques.
Ingredient and preparation notes
As you can see above, we skipped the ice shell and simply chilled the glass in the freezer. But if you want to impress your guests, there’s no better way that this old-school technique still practiced at The Mai-Kai. Tropical Standard includes a primer, and you can find our own step-by-step guide in the Special Reserve Daiquiri link above.
We’re just starting to dive into all of the book’s ingredient tips and tricks, so we didn’t follow every syrup recipe. For example, we stuck with our usual Mai-Kai inspired passion fruit, honey, and falernum. However, we do plan to make many of Richard’s syrup recipes in the future, following his meticulous specs.
However, we made sure to include salt solution since this is a foundational element throughout the book, championed by Richard for some time. It’s also very easy to make. Richard recommends a 4:1 ratio of water to salt, measured by weight. For example, 80 grams of water and 20 grams of salt, mixed and dispensed in a dropper bottle. No need to refrigerate. Use preciceely, much as you would a tincture.
The main benefit of the salt, Richard says, is to heighten the flavors of the other ingredients, much like in cooking. “It helps separate the sweet and sour layers of the cocktail, clarifying their flavors on the tongue,” the book states.
Richard’s rum choices make this drink shine. By combining two very different Jamaican rums with a complex base rum, this recipe is able to activate a unique flavor profile that packs a wallop. Donn would be proud.
If you don’t have access to Denizen white, I’d recommend another lightly aged, multi-island blend such as Plantation 3, Banks or even Hamilton White Stache. Just don’t use anything too light or dry.
Appleton is an easy find, but Two James Doctor Bird is not available in some areas. To keep that underlying pungency, you’ll want to use another pot-still Jamaican with a similar ABV. I’m a fan of The Funk (100 proof), but it’s even more rare. Hamilton Black and Gold, both 93 proof, are very good choices. Smith & Cross (114 proof) will please those who seek an even more powerful punch. Worthy Park 109 is another high ABV option, but with less funk. For those with more mild tastes, you could eschew the high-proof Jamaican rum and simply increase the Appleton 8, or just use Appleton 12 as The Mai-Kai does.
Okole maluna!
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY!
THE HUKILAU 2023: PREVIOUS COVERAGE
The Hukilau announces 17 guest Tiki bar teams
The Hukilau has added an all-star lineup of that will serve tasty tropical drinks throughout the June 8-11 event on the South Florida oceanfront. Also announced: The full lineup of marketplace vendors.
>>> UPDATED EVENT PREVIEW
See the full lineups: Pop-up bars and bartenders | Tiki Treasures Bazaar
Bonus cocktail recipe: Passport to Martinique from VenTiki
The Hukilau 2023 preview: 21st Tiki weekender in June is nirvana for cocktail fanatics
The June 8-11 event on the South Florida oceanfront will feature Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and David Wondrich plus more industry experts and bartenders, nightly parties, live music and much more.
>>> FULL EVENT PREVIEW
THE HUKILAU: PAST COVERAGE
The Hukilau 2022: Daily recap, photos and video
The 19th Tiki weekender featured four days of live music, educational seminars, cocktails and rum tastings, plus lots more.
The Mai-Kai’s new owner reveals renovation plans during The Hukilau
Tiki enthusiasts got preview of refurbishment of the 65-year-old landmark during a discussion at annual event in June.
* Full 2022 coverage
- 2021: Daily recap, photos and video | Zombie party is final challenge | Full coverage
- 2020: Virtual events honor The Hukilau, help those in need
- 2019: 10 highlights and photos | Social media recap | Full coverage
- 2018 social media recap | More highlights
- 2017 daily recaps, news, photos and video | More highlights
- More recaps: 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2002-2008
MORE EVENT COVERAGE
UPDATES: The Tiki Times: Exclusive events guide
Check the calendar for all of the major happenings around the world, from Tiki weekenders to rum festivals to marketplaces and music fests.
>>> SEE ALL OF THE TOP 2023 EVENTS
The Year in Tiki 2022: Take a trip back to the year’s top events
Relive the year’s top happenings with photos and video, social media posts, plus promotional artwork and links to official sites.
MORE ON THE MAI-KAI
The Mai-Kai renovations, April 2023: Bora Bora building comes down as restoration efforts pick up steam NEW
The structural footprint of the historic South Florida restaurant changed dramatically with the demolition of a long-dormant building. Meanwhile, work accelerated restoring the vintage dining rooms and rebuilding the back of house.
>>> EXCLUSIVE NEWS, PHOTOS AND VIDEO
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Behind the scenes at The-Mai-Kai as restoration ramps up in 2023
With work accelerating on the exterior, craftsmen meticulously restore the historic South Florida restaurant’s elaborately themed interior guest areas in exacting detail.
>>> LATEST NEWS ON THE RENOVATIONS
>>> REBUILDING PARADISE: Typhoon Tommy leads restoration efforts
The Mai-Kai officially begins work on first phase of $8.5 million renovation projects
With three key building permits in hand, the new ownership group is finally moving full-steam ahead on major construction projects that will restore and reshape the historic Polynesian restaurant.
New details on The Mai-Kai renovations, new merchandise revealed at Inuhele 2023 in Atlanta
New images and renderings of the historic restaurant’s multimillion-dollar refurbishment unveiled during presentation at Tiki weekender. Attendees also got a sneak preview of new mugs and other merchandise along with a new signature rum.
Historic preservation board approves The Mai-Kai’s renovation plans, clearing way for project to move forward
Landmark Polynesian restaurant allowed to remove old building, make other enhancements in sweeping plan to reimagine 66-year-old, 2.7-acre property.
The Mai-Kai turns 66 as work progresses on multiple renovation projects
There are many reasons to be hopeful that the 67th anniversary in 2023 will be the first since 2019 when we’ll once again be able to gather inside the historic South Florida restaurant to appreciate its grandeur and beauty.
Okole Maluna Society: The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide
Hurricane Hayward reviews and rates the historic restaurant’s current and past tropical drinks, plus reveals a treasure trove of ancestor and exclusive tribute recipes.