Arizona Tiki Oasis offers something akin to time travel right here in the Valley at Scottsdale’s Hotel Valley Ho, but it's way more than just a chance to see how a fabulous tiki-themed cocktail party might have been in the early 1960s. It’s an opportunity to soak up not only tiki culture, but also midcentury modern style, music, food and drink, fashion. It's also a way to mingle and learn about a variety of cool topics all in one place.
“It's all about escapism. When (people) come to Arizona Tiki Oasis and the Hotel Valley Ho over the weekend, they can forget their day-to-day life. They are coming to really be immersed in this whole experience, and that's the secret to why this event has like really been sticking for some people and why people are really happy to come back year after year,” says event co-founder Baby Doe Von Stroheim, who created Arizona Tiki Oasis with her husband, Otto Von Stroheim, in 2019.
The Von Stroheims, who reside in Northern California, started doing the Tiki Oasis events back in 2001 in Palm Springs, California, and moved the event to San Diego in 2006. Stories of how wild the Southern California events could get are legendary, but prior to the pandemic in 2020, a concerted effort was made to make the events more inclusive and have a little something for everyone.
“I think people really get what we are putting out there, which is a combination of midcentury modern meets tiki with a strong nod to style, design, fashion and of course, the cocktail is everything,” says Baby Doe Von Stroheim.
Tiki culture is rooted firmly around alcohol in the United States. Here in Phoenix, for example, bars and restaurants like UnderTow and Hula’s Modern Tiki (which are both Arizona Tiki Oasis collaborators), have regained a lot of popularity after tiki culture had flagged a bit in the '80s, '90s, and 2000s.
Fans of a good, stiff rum drink served in a carved mug or replete with the occasional umbrella will have no problem finding a tasty beverage at the Valley Ho during the event. There are multiple seminars around tasting and mixing tropical beverages to suit any fan of classic and newly discovered tiki treats. For those staying at the hotel for the weekend, there are no worries about getting behind the wheel, too.
Local tiki enthusiast and Arizona Tiki Oasis vendor Eric Lussier of Witchdoctor’s Den, loves what the Von Stroheims have created both here in the Phoenix area and in San Diego, as well.
“(The Von Stroheims) are doing this for all the right reasons. They always start off the event with a native blessing and a lot of this benefits Arizona charities. Some people see this as a big booze fest, but it is a lot more. (Witchdoctor’s Den) love being a part of it,” Lussier says.
That idea of the event being a “lot more” is something Baby Doe Von Stroheim is proud of.
Two participants in the caftan parade at a previous Arizona Tiki Oasis.
Courtesy of Arizona Tiki Oasis
“When you're at Arizona Tiki Oasis, you can choose where you want to spend your time. You can go to a seminar during the day or hang out by the pool or eat at ZuZu and go to the marketplace. At night, you can choose a cocktail party and a soiree in a suite, or you could go on the rooftop and watch the sunset. You can also have a top mixologist make you a cocktail in the Sands which used to be Trader Vic’s,” she says.
Speaking of the rooftop, Otto Von Stroheim highly encourages Arizona Tiki Oasis visitors to take advantage of the chance to head up to the roof.
“You know, another highlight of the event, and it's not new, but it's unique because regular visitors, including people that stay at the hotel can't do this. We have the rooftop, and the hotel got a special permit for having an eight-story building in the area that they're in (which is near the heart of Old Town Scottsdale). So, there's no other tall buildings all around them. When you get up on that rooftop, you have a 360-degree view of the whole valley, including of all the mountains. You have a great view of the sunset that is uninterrupted, so you don't see a skyline or anything from the Valley Ho’s roof. It’s totally unique and I don’t want people to miss out on that,” says Otto Von Stroheim.
According to the Von Stroheims, about 35% of the attendees are repeat guests, but they estimate the number is considerably higher because those numbers are based on people who purchased tickets or booked hotel rooms and does not include vendors, volunteers, artists and returning musicians.
It is not uncommon in the tiki culture for people to travel to tiki events or seek out tiki-themed bars and restaurants while traveling.
“We travel to places all over the country, and sometimes further, to learn about the history of rum (and other spirits), tiki cocktails, fashion, music, dance and a million other things directly or somewhat adjacent to tiki,” says Trina Erickson of Phoenix.
Because of this loyalty to the culture, the Von Stroheims are always looking to bring new artists, vendors, gatherings and seminars to Arizona Tiki Oasis. There are several new opportunities they are extremely excited about this year.
“We are really excited about Glam-O-Rama. Every year, the Valley Ho steps up and this year they said they wanted to do a classic, midcentury modern dinner with music and a fashion show. They have a great menu they have picked out and they are really encouraging people to get dressed up. The Martini Kings (a classic jazz/tiki/ lounge band from Southern California) will perform at the event and they will have fashion models walking around in their classic vintage clothing,” says Baby Doe Von Stroheim.
Another event to not be missed is Charles Phoenix’s Arizonaland! seminar on Sunday morning. Phoenix, who has been prominently featured on Martha Stewart’s show, as well as Conan O'Brien's and "The Queen Latifah Show," is an avid collector of midcentury artifacts including old slideshow material. He weaves these classic pictures into his unique blend of humorous and educational storytelling.
Arizona Tiki Oasis also prides itself on being inclusive.
“There is an LGBTQ meetup called the Lavender Luau. We call it the ‘LGB-Tiki’ and it’s for queer friends and their allies. We also have a group called 'Melanated and Marvelous.' It’s our people of color group, so there’s lots of opportunities for people to find people or find friends or find new friends,” says Baby Doe Von Stroheim.
Otto Von Stroheim adds, “Tiki Oasis is all about people finding opportunities to meet new people and to find their people, too. It’s inclusive. I think people in the tiki scene are very friendly. We’ve had people say they met their best friend or their life partner in line at a Tiki Oasis event.”
With a huge variety of choices at Arizona Tiki Oasis, guests might come for a seminar on tiki culture and end up staying for the entire weekend. There a number of free events, as well, that do not require registration to attend. The spirit of "ohana," which refers to kinship and family, awaits.
Arizona Tiki Oasis. April 25 to 28, Hotel Valley Ho, 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale. See the website for a full list of events.
