2022 Tiki Oasis Mug Guide
August 3 – August 7, 2022
Tiki Oasis is upon us and with it comes the excitement and trepidation of multiple tiki mug releases. That’s why The Search for Tiki has created this guide to help you obtain your mug successfully, while still enjoying your vacation. Unlike online mug releases, mug collectors will not be dependent on fast internet connections to score a mug. Still, it helps to be prepared if you have your heart set on a particular cocktail mug.
The official event mug for Tiki Oasis San Diego in 2022 is inspired by this year’s theme “Trip to the Tropics.” It depicts a tiki drummer with a palm frond hat and a removable drum shot glass inspired by the Caribbean. The mug was sculpted by John Mulder and manufactured by Eekum Bookum. For those unfamiliar with John, his team has produced some of the most sought after and collectible tiki mugs of all time.
Deluxe evening resort passholders will automatically receive the Tiki Oasis commemorative 2022 tiki mug as part of their admission. You must pick the mug up in person as shipping will not be an option. Those passes have sold out, but a limited number of additional mugs will be available for purchase in person on Friday, August 5 at 11:00am in the convention center.
The Tiki Oasis Marketplace
Most mug releases will occur on resort grounds at the Tiki Oasis Marketplace. Dozens of venders will be gathered together to sell their tropical inspired wares, including aloha shirts, jewelry, and art prints. For the purpose of this guide, we’ll be focusing on the vendors offering ceramic cocktail mugs. The marketplace is open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, but it is only open to the public on two of those dates.
Friday, Aug 5th
3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Weekend tickets are required.
Saturday, Aug 6th
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Open to the public!
Sunday, Aug 7th
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Open to the public!
The Marketplace is located in the Golden State Ballroom at the Town and Country Resort on 500 Hotel Cir N, San Diego, CA 92108. Parking is $10 per day per vehicle and there is no RV parking. Parking can get limited so plan in advance and consider taking the trolley or other public transportation. Uber and Lyft have been short staffed lately, so it may take additional time to get to the resort. Masks are recommended this year, but they are not required.
While some mug vendors may have enough mugs to carry them throughout the weekend, chances are at least one of the mug vendors will sell out early. For the best possible selection, we recommend visiting your favorite artist first and early. A line will start forming outside of the marketplace before it officially opens. Here are some of the vendors (in alphabetical order) attending Tiki Oasis in 2022 and what they may have available at their booth:
Biggs Tiki
This is Mike Biggs’ second time vending at Tiki Oasis and he’ll be bringing with him a distinct style all his own. Biggs Tiki will have the second edition of his Nosferatu cocktail mug available for purchase as well as some other other super limited variants of the mug and perhaps some additional swag as well.
Bosko
Bosko Hrnjak is one of the pioneers of the most recent tiki resurgence and he will be debuting an all new mug design named the Blood Bucket at Tiki Oasis this year, which depicts a pile of skulls overflowing with faux lava. Unlike most of the vendors, Bosko will only be vending on Saturday, August 6, from 10:00am to 3:00pm.
Ceramics By Carol
Some of the most detailed and authentic tiki mugs will be at Carol’s booth (known as @minitikimeow on Instagram). She is bringing with her a mug named Kamau, which is inspired by her great friend TikiRob depicted in his outrageous tiki costume. Carol will also have PNG Kundu drum mugs for sale with unique handles and her latest Piko design.
Doug Horne
Doug is well known for his original art prints that can be found inside tiki bars across the United States! This year he is debuting the Dayak Trophy Mug inspired by the headhunters who collected skulls to gather power and increase their social status. Only the first 55 mugs will be available (of a total 100) at this event, and the rest will be sold online at a future time. The mugs were manufactured in the United States by Jim Moore of Moore Monsters.
Gecko'z South Seas Arts
It has been several years since Oahu artist Gecko has vended at Tiki Oasis, but we are oh so excited to see him back! Lately Gecko has been making mugs inspired by Walt Disney’s Adventureland. Although we don’t know for sure what Gecko will be bringing with him, we recommend lining up early because his stuff is sure to go quickly.
Johnnie Velour Ceramics
Most Tiki mugs these days are made using a ceramic process known as slipcasting, in which plaster molds are made and multiple mugs are produced from a single design. Johnnie Velour on the other hand makes cocktail mugs using an old fashioned pottery wheel. He creates beautiful and unique 1/1 art pieces. No two mugs or bottles are alike.
Ken Ruzic
Ken Ruzic will have a plethora of hand painted mugs and custom Nightmarchers bowls with him at Tiki Oasis. He’s been painting and exhibiting since 1990 and is a frequent collaborator with Southern California based artists Doug Horne and BigToe for the Gargantuas Art Collective. If you’re out of room for mugs in your suitcase, Ken will also be packing with him original art and limited edition prints.
Mookie Sato
Mookie Sato’s previously sold out Anela mugs will make an appearance at this year’s Tiki Oasis! Mookie will also have original art and other ceramic wares for sale. His unique art style stands out from all other vendors, so we highly recommend visiting his booth if you’re looking to take home something that cannot be found elsewhere!
Moore Monsters
The work of Jim Moore/Moore Monsters is beloved by monster movie fans. They make mugs depicting creatures such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Alien, Cyclops, and the Zuni Fetish Warrior. In addition to mugs, Moore Monsters will also have for sale a Martian table lamp inspired by Mars Attacks!
Outl1n3 Island
David Outl1n3 has been sculpting for over a decade and started vending Tiki events in 2013. David will be vending his own wares at the Tiki Oasis Marketplace and he has prepared dozens of mugs for the event in multiple different designs. Tiki mugs in rustic, matte glazes that give the appearance of weathered wood are his specialty.
Riki Tat Tiki
One of the most exciting up-and-coming mug makers of 2022 is Christine of Riki Tat Tiki. Christine will be offering a number of mugs at her booth, including some hand carved severed wolf head mugs in two unique glazes. If you aren’t already following @riki_tat_tiki on Instagram we recommend doing so!
Strongwater Anaheim
The folks at Strong Water Anaheim this year are coming out swinging! In addition to two new mugs designs, a shrunken head version of the Creature from the Black Lagoon and an Aztec Serpent mug, they will also have limited quantities of their 3rd edition Zombie King mug in a green glaze.
Tiki Farm
Tiki Farm is the world’s largest manufacturer of Tiki mugs! They will have a wide selection of affordable cocktail mugs, but for us the highlight of their 2022 booth will be the new Party Pirate Parrot mug designed by artist BigToe, also known as Tom Laura. Also exciting is their brand new Toucanator mug designed by Tim Wollweber and a new edition of their very popular Passenger turtle mug.
Tiki Rob
Tiki Rob will most likely have the longest line of any mug vendor at Tiki Oasis. If you want to score one of his mugs, you will need to arrive early. Rob is very well known for his ceramic mugs made on the island of Maui. His mugs are authentic, hand painted, and highly sought after. This year he will have several mask mugs he created in collaboration with artist Josh “SHAG” Agle, as well as some Oceanic Arts PNG mask mugs and kakamora mugs.
Tom "BigToe" Laura
Who hasn’t heard of tiki surrealist painter Tom “BigToe” Laura? His artwork hangs in some of the most infamous tiki bars in the world including Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas. This year Tom will debut his brand new Party Pirate Parrot mug made in collaboration with Tiki Farm. He will also have some older mug designs for sale and art prints to decorate your home bar walls.
Trader Vic's
Trader Vic’s is probably one of the most recognizable names vending at Tiki Oasis this year. They are the faces behind dozens of restaurants across the globe (some now closed and many still in operation today). They offer numerous bar mugs through their restaurant chain and they will most likely bring some of those items with them to vend. Trader Vic’s is a great option for those with a more limited budget and we’re especially fond of their PNG (Papua New Guinea) designs.
Woody Miller
Woody Miller (@woodyworld on Instagram) is a California based artist inspired by the carvings, rituals, and aesthetics of Pacific Island artwork and patterns. He will have numerous mugs for sale at Tiki Oasis, including lava dripped tikis and colorful rum barrels. Many of his mugs are 1/1 pieces with unique glazes and barnacles.
While there will be plenty of mugs to go around, the chances of everyone getting exactly what they want are pretty slim. Please be kind and remember that many of the 1/1 mugs available for purchase took artists hours to create. They have spent months working long hours to produce as many mugs as they can. While it can be disappointing to miss out on a mug, The Search for Tiki wouldn’t be nearly as fun if obtaining art was always easy.
We hope you enjoy your time at Tiki Oasis San Diego and we will continue to update this guide as more mugs and artists are announced!
You must be logged in.