Category: Events

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Miami festival showcases a never-ending variety of rums, but what does the future hold?

The Miami Rum Renaissance Festival celebrated its fifth birthday last month, drawing thousands of industry reps and enthusiasts to a weeklong celebration of one of the world’s most popular spirits.

The April 15-21 event marked the occasion with an impressive new venue, some informative and entertaining expert speakers and, of course, hundreds of product samples available at the weekend Grand Tasting events.

Some of the many product samples awating the expert judges at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival in April 2013
Some of the many product samples awating the expert judges at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival in April 2013. (Official event photo by Tatu Kaarlas, RefinedVices.com)

The tastings were the big draw, attracting large crowds to the Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC) for every rum under the sun, from Abuelo (Panama) to Zaya (Trinidad & Tobago). It’s this great diversity that has always made rum special, as devotees well know. Unfortunately, a dark cloud threatens to mar rum’s renaissance, but we’ll save that buzzkill for later. First, a few highlights of The Atomic Grog’s experiences during the fest.

The first five days featured the VIP parties and product judging that draw the bulk of the rum industry movers and shakers to South Florida. I caught some of Tuesday’s party at The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale and rubbed elbows with a few notables from the Tiki world. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it down to Miami Beach for one of the Broken Shaker’s daily happy hours. This highly acclaimed bar in the Freehand Miami hostel is on my short list of South Florida cocktail hotspots I need to explore in depth.

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Rum’s best and brightest stars take center stage at annual Miami festival

South Florida is about to become the epicenter of the rum world, at least for a week, with experts from around the globe descending for the fifth annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival next Monday through Sunday (April 15-21).

2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival: Monday, April 15, through Sunday, April 21, at the Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center. For tickets and schedule, go to RumRenaissance.com.
Previous story: Rum festival’s ascension mirrors explosive growth of cane spirit

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

Large portions of the event are geared toward industry representatives (rum tastings, VIP parties, etc.) but there are two very big reasons for ordinary enthusiasts of the cane spirit to be excited:

* First and foremost, there are the Grand Tasting events held from 2 to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 20-21, at the Doubletree Miami Airport Hotel Convention Center. For your $50 admission (plus $5 parking charge) per day, you’ll have the opportunity to taste samples from among more than 200 fine rums, including high-end sipping rums and craft cocktails. In addition, there will be island-style food and vendors selling tropical clothing and decor. Keep an eye out for free giveaways from the rum companies. For the price of three or four trendy cocktails elsewhere in Miami, you’ll enjoy a five-hour total immersion in rum culture and learn a whole lot about what makes the spirit great.

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The Hukilau announces new art show, entertainers, more updates for Tiki fest in June

Organizers of The Hukilau have shifted plans for the 12th annual Polynesian Pop weekender into overdrive over the past several weeks, announcing a new cocktail contest, art show, additional entertainment plus the sellout of the host hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach.

* Previous post: The Hukilau announces rum sponsors, cocktail contest
THE HUKILAU: June 6-9, 2013, at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, Best Western Oceanside, and The Mai-Kai restaurant.
* Latest updates at TheHukilau.com and Facebook.

The Hukilau

But even though all the specially-discounted rooms at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel (aka the Yankee Clipper) have been booked, you still can make reservations at the neighboring Best Western Oceanside. This hotel also offers a special rate for festivalgoers, but you must call to get the discount. Check the accommodations page on the official website for details.

Also, be aware that this just means that the host hotel’s rooms are sold out, not The Hukilau itself. There are plenty of event tickets available, though it’s a good idea to buy sooner rather than later … particularly for the popular symposiums that can sell out. Click here to see all the different pricing levels, ranging from a four-day all-access pass ($187) to individual symposiums for ($20).

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The Hukilau welcomes new rum sponsors, cocktail contest to wake the dead

Update: The Hukilau crowns winner of Deadhead Rum Cocktail Contest

The Hukilau: June 6-9, 2013, at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, Best Western Oceanside, and The Mai-Kai restaurant. Latest updates at TheHukilau.com and Facebook.

Organizers of The Hukilau are asking attendees of the 12th annual Polynesian Pop weekender to come up with a signature drink for one of their new rum sponsors.

Deadhead Rum

The Hukilau’s Deadhead Rum Cocktail Contest is open to any paid ticket-holder. The winner will receive:
* A “Headhunter’s Ritual” on Friday, June 7.
* A $150 gift certificate from The Mai-Kai.
* And a complete set of The Hukilau’s 2013 glassware.

Rules are posted on the official Facebook page. The winning drink will be served at The Hukilau official after party on Friday, June 7, at midnight. The final three contestants will be chosen the week of April 8, so aspiring mixologists need to get their entries in soon.

Cocktails will be judged on the recipe, garnish, presentation and the name. Contestants must use Deadhead Rum in their final recipe. The drink submitted to qualify for the top three doesn’t necessarily need to be the final recipe. Finalists will be sent a bottle of Deadhead Rum and will be able to fine-tune or revamp their entry. The winning entry will be announced on The Hukilau’s Facebook page on May 1.

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Mai-Kai history event joins the party as inaugural Mod Weekend kicks into gear

Mod Weekend, the March 15-17 celebration of Fort Lauderdale’s mid-century architecture and style, is shaping up to be a whirlwind of activity with several events selling out and additional activities added to the mix, including Saturday’s “Mai-Kai: History, Mystery and Adventure” seminar.

The Mai-Kai under construction in 1956
The Mai-Kai under construction in 1956. (Photo courtesy of The Mai-Kai)

While not officially part of Mod Weekend, the presentation by Mai-Kai historian Tim “Swanky” Glazner will fit right in with the theme of recognizing the historical significance of this Polynesian treasure, which was built in 1956. The restaurant’s Molokai lounge will open at 2 p.m. for a special happy hour, followed by the narrated, multimedia slideshow at 3 p.m. in the grand showroom. Seats are limited, so call (954) 563-3272, ext. 1, to make a reservation. Admission is free.
* The Mai-Kai’s Facebook event

The event will also be a reunion for Mai-Kai “veterans,” with many former employees who worked there as far back as the 1950s expected to be on hand. On Sunday, Mod Weekend returns to The Mai-Kai on its double-decker bus tour. The first tour was sold out, so a second has been added, according to the official website. The tour will include another presentation by Glazner as well as a walking tour of The Mai-Kai’s extensive dining rooms, gardens, and Polynesian artifacts. The weekend’s festivities wrap up Sunday night with a closing party at The Mai-Kai at 8 p.m. Tickets are $50 for the bus tour and $25 for the closing party. Go to ModWeekend.com for the latest information on tickets and availability.

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A Dick Dale concert is always the best way to celebrate another year of The Atomic Grog

Dick Dale: April 25 at Grand Central in Miami. Click here to buy tickets online.

Dick Dale at Grand Central on April 25

When last year’s South Florida dates of the triumphant comeback tour featuring the King of the Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, coincided with the one-year anniversary of The Atomic Grog in April, it was certainly cause for celebration. But it also created a dilemma: What to do for an encore?

Well, the legendary ax slinger has made it easy. He’s coming back to Florida, and The Atomic Grog is happy to be promoting his April 25 date at Grand Central in Miami. As a result, we’ll celebrate our second anniversary in surfin’ style.

The 75-year-old Dale is not only a living legend of rock ‘n’ roll but he’s also a hero for cancer survivors and a shining example of persevering in the face of adversity. In 2008, he battled cancer that attacked his intestinal tract. Then in 2009, he faced complications that put him back in the hospital and kept him off the road indefinitely. But an inspiring comeback in 2010 with his son and bandmate Jimmy Dale led to a full-blown tour that blew the doors off of The Vagabond in Miami and Respectable Street in West Palm Beach that June.

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How big a punch can Tiki Month take?

Every February, Tiki cocktail bloggers gather for Tiki Month at The Pegu Blog to share cocktail recipes, tips, tricks and musings about the state of tropical mixology. Why February? It has something to do with an escape from Mother Nature’s frigid wrath, but I don’t really grasp that concept having been marooned in Fort Liquordale for more years than I can remember.

Martin Cate (right) supervises Rum Rat Pack members Wayne Curtis (left) and Stephen Remsberg as the punch begins to take shape at The 2011 Hukilau at The Mai-Kai
In go the mixers: Martin Cate (right) supervises Rum Rat Pack members Wayne Curtis (left) and Stephen Remsberg as the punch begins to take shape at The 2011 Hukilau at The Mai-Kai. (Photo by Go11Media.com)

Not a bad place to be marooned, however, especially when The Hukilau rolls into town every year. There’s also a little restaurant called The Mai-Kai. Both serve as a beacon, summoning the greatest minds in the Tiki world to an annual bacchanalia of rum and revelry.

The single event that perhaps reached the pinnacle of rum and revelry was the appearance of Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s “Rum Rat Pack” at The Mai-Kai during The Hukilau in June 2011, which brings us back to Tiki Month. This year’s blog contributions have been entertaining and informative, covering such esoteric topics as homemade ginger syrup, garnishes made from ground coconut and orange peel, and more drink recipes than you can shake a shaker at. There was also something about geeks who re-create recipes they’ve never actually tasted, if you can imagine that.

Lost in all these intricate tropical concoctions is a common conundrum: How do you handle a thirsty mob who can’t wait for you to carefully fillet an orange or toast coconut? The Rum Rat Pack’s Rumposium demonstrated how to solve that problem with style and flair. In one fell swoop, they whipped up a Tiki punch for 200, featuring 240 ounces of six different rums, a jaw-dropping bowl filled with 630 ounces of deliciousness.

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Make it a double: Ascension of Miami Rum Renaissance Festival mirrors explosive growth of cane spirits

2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival: Monday, April 15, through Sunday, April 21, at the Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center. For more information, go to RumRenaissance.com.
April update: Rum’s best and brightest stars take center stage at annual Miami festival

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

The popularity of rum has exploded over the past five years, reaching heights not seen since the mid-century heyday of Tiki. If you need proof, just look at the annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, which made its debut in 2009 and has doubled in size each year.

For 2013, the largest gathering of rum experts, professionals and enthusiasts in the western hemisphere will be moving to a venue with 40,000 square feet of event space, twice the size of last year’s event. Festival organizers say they expect attendance to double from last year’s 8,000 to more than 15,000 rum-loving faithful.

Consumer interest in sugar cane spirits is growing faster than any other category of liquor. “We’re proud to say that our prediction of rum’s resurgence in popularity was on the money,” said festival organizer Robert A. Burr in announcing his fifth annual event. “An incredible range of fine rums, from casual and fun mixers to luxurious top-shelf sipping rums, will be on display. There is no better opportunity for the rum enthusiast to sample such a vast selection of spirits in one place.”

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New event celebrates Fort Lauderdale’s mid-century modern architecture, style

Update: Mai-Kai history event joins the party as inaugural Mod Weekend kicks into gear

Interest in classic mid-century design and style has been building for decades, coinciding with a general distaste among many for the throw-away culture of the late 20th century that continues unabated. At the core of the modern esthetic is the one-of-a-kind architectural movement that followed World War II and flourished until the upheaval of the late 1960s.

Mod Weekend

This golden age of style coincided with other classic movements – such as Tiki, Googie and Atomic Age – all morphing into one gigantic era that arguably produced mankind’s first true culture of cool. It took the success of TV’s Mad Men to bring “mod” style to the 21st century masses, but support from an enthusiastic core of supporters has never waned.

In Palm Springs, Calif., arguably ground zero for vintage mid-century modern architecture in the United States, the eighth annual Modernism Week is in the midst of an 11-day celebration expected to draw more than 25,000 retro enthusiasts. Featuring bus tours, cocktail parties, lectures and films, Modernism Week is billed as “the only such event in the country.”

That distinction ends in March, when Mod Weekend makes its debut in Fort Lauderdale. Like California, Florida is a treasure trove of shining examples of the movement. Both experienced construction booms during the ’50s and ’60s, the height of the era. And Fort Lauderdale, like Palm Springs, is a hotspot for mid-century style, from its distinctive beachfront hotels to its vintage housing developments.

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Discover some Wayne Coombs treasures at estate sale this weekend

Wayne Coombs was not only a legendary Tiki carver for 45 years at his Cocoa Beach studio, but apparently also a prolific packrat. The influential artist, who passed away in September at age 62, compiled a vast assortment of tools, collectibles, driftwood and knickknacks that will be available today and Saturday at an estate sale at the Mai Tiki compound.
Previous coverage: My brush with greatness: Remembering Wayne Coombs

Wayne Coombs' "inspirations and chisels"
The estate sale will include Wayne Coombs’ “inspirations and chisels.” (From Mai Tiki’s Facebook page)

Coombs’ family and Mai Tiki crew are carrying on his work, continuing to produce his distinctive carvings that became known worldwide for a style all their own, “Florida Tiki.” But they cannot be blamed for downsizing his vast collection of hoardings. To him, it was all found art.

This “Great Wayno Estate Sale” will start each morning at 8 a.m. and include: Tikis, masks, carvings, bones, carving tools, carved horns, stone castings, portholes, frames, wood parts, a wall of saws, and dozens more items pictured on the Mai Tiki Facebook page.

Whether you’re a fellow artist looking for inspirational tools and materials, or a Tikiphile looking to fill up your home bar with famous flotsam and jetsam, you won’t want to miss this event. Just walk through and pick up some treasures. Everything is priced, this is not an auction.

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