JUNE
8th & 9th
LOS ANGELES
Celebrating the Wild, Weird & Wonderful World of Exotica!
As the orbit of contemporary culture spirals out farther from the 20th Century, it becomes ever more apparent how extraordinary the pop-culture escapism of that period really was. What we need now is a creative celebration, somewhere dynamic where we can all come together and bask in the glory of what was and what still could be…
EXOTIKON is a rollercoaster, weekend-long celebration of Mid-20th Century suave escapism culture. Here, we’ll celebrate the many worlds of EXOTICA: Lounge, Latin, Tiki, Jungle Funk, Trip Hop, Mod Dance, Psychedelia, Space, Electronica and so much more!
In June 2023, we held EXOTIKON ONE Music & Arts Festival in Los Angeles, California. EXOTIKON celebrates the many worlds of VINTAGE TIKI, LOUNGE and EXOTICA! It was a whirlwind weekend filled with music, multimedia presentations, shopping, symposiums, exhibitions, rum tastings, meet and greets, live performance art, and so much more! If you love everything mid-20th century music and lifestyle, EXOTIKON is for you!
EXOTIKON 2 is June 8th and 9th, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
This June 8th & 9th we have two-jammed-packed days at TWO special venues:
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DAY ONE
DAY ONE you will find yourself in an intimate EXOTIKON TAKE-OVER of the world-famous TONGA HUT in North Hollywood. Join us as we offer a very special and intimate experience with live entertainment, food and grog, informative XYMPOSIUMS and a TIKI ROAST of a very SPECIAL GUEST! Attendance is limited!
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The day will begin with doors open at 2pm. The TONGA HUT will be closed to the public. Mingle with guests and enjoy the vintage vibe of the oldest Tiki bar in Los Angeles. We’ll have all areas of the bar open including the main room, the outdoor lanai and the new, expansion space at The Tonga Hut! Classic exotica spinning all day and the world-class cocktails they are known for. We’ll have a preview display of artifacts from the forthcoming EXOTIKON Auction. Hosted rum tasting. Hawaiian food vendors.
DAY 1 FEATURES
Performance by:
THE HUKILAU HOT SHOTS
THE WUNDERKAMMER of DR. KIRSTEN: Three decades of collecting Tiki
Sven Kirsten shares his adventures in urban archeology and how a passive uncovering of Polynesian Pop artifacts led to the journey into the lost world of TIKI!
CRAZY AL DEVOURS the CANNIBAL
Join Tiki legend, CRAZY AL EVANS as he reveals a years-in-the-making work of art that is finally complete. In the process of forging this creation , he dug deep into the origins of one of the most provocative artistic symbols of the primitive Polynesian world and Tiki pop culture, ‘The Cannibal Trio’. Al discusses his take on this topic with none other than, Poly-archeologist, Sven Kirsten!
DAY 2
DAY TWO is the full-bore line up one would expect from EXOTIKON: Live entertainment, our diverse VENDOR-VILLAGE, FOUR of our unique XYMPOSIUMS, A hidden TIKI BAR SPEAKEASY deep in the bowels of this 1923-era theater, DJ music, slideshows, an LA TIKI BAR CRAWL, special and educational RUM TASTINGS on the Donn Beach’s RHUM RHAPSODIES with The RUM CHAMPION & THE RUMMINGBIRD, artist meet and greets with signings and all of it takes place in the absolute EXOTIK SPLENDOR of the celebrated, MAYAN THEATER in Downtown Los Angeles! We have the FULL RUN of the place, from balconies to the basement with fun things happening throughout this historic facility. PARKING IS SUPER EASY!
Performances by:
• EXOTIKON HOST: PIN-UP PALMER!
• UKELENA and her Ukelele
• THE MARTINI KINGS
• SKIP HELLER’S VOODOO 5!
• The EGO PLUM LABORATORY of ELECTROMECHANICAL INSTRUMENTS!
DAY 2 FEATURES
SECRETS OF THE MAYAN THEATRE
Who conjured up this pre-eminent palace of the Mayan revival? - With his customary visual flair, Sven Kirsten will delve into the intriguing history of this outstanding temple of pre-Columbian art and the mystery of the disappearance of its designer.
THE TIKI MUG REVIVAL XYMPOSIUM ROUNDTABLE
Art “The Tiki Hoarder” Cruz leads a group discussion with both collectors and the artists who produce the new generation of Tiki mugs. The history of the TIKI MUG REVIVAL from both sides will be explored and presented. A special latest preview from THE CABALI MOVIE will be screened!
THE ORIGINS OF EXOTIC COCKTAILS XYMPOSIUM & RUM TASTINGS
Donn Beach revolutionized cocktails with his Rhum Rhapsodies. His inspiration can be traced back to 17th century Indonesia. Join The Rum Champion and the Rummingbird for a rum and cocktail pairing while you learn about the origin of exotic cocktails.
GOING FOR BAROQUE (and other anthems): HOW MUSIC PAINTS the THEME in DISNEY THEME PARKS
Jordan Reichek leads an all-star panel discussion and historical fun about the history of THEME PARK music and its role in the show. Special attention to ELECTRONIC MUSIC and how Disney incorporated this new genre in the 1960s to full blown use at the parks to this day. Featured will be DON DORSEY, EGO PLUM, EDDIE SOTTO and more!
INTERESTED IN JOINING THE FUN?
