Tiki Happy Hour & Talk

We’re kicking-off the 2025 Modernism Series with a happy hour and tiki talk with our friends at Ballmer Peak Distillery!

About this Event

We’re kicking-off the 2025 Modernism Series with a happy hour and tiki talk with our friends at Ballmer Peak Distillery! Social hour and specialty cocktails start at 6pm with our feature talk starting at 7pm sharp, presented by Denver local and tiki-aficionado Mike Skinner. Each ticket includes (1) specialty cocktail, admission to the tiki talk, and a social gathering with fellow modernists. Tiki attire is encouraged!

✦ About the Talk ✦

Tropical Space Age Design: The Look of Paradise

Explore the heyday of Polynesian Pop Architecture as you tour exotic apartment

building complexes, hotels, restaurants and private residences and the fantasy

environments they created. During this multimedia tour, you will see examples of

exotic dingbats, Googie inspired space age tiki buildings and classic Polynesian Pop

design of the 1950’s and 60’s. You will also learn about Pete Wimberly (Honolulu

architect responsible for the design of the Waikikian Hotel and many other classic

Hawaiian structures) and George Nakashima (designer of many classic tiki

establishments, including Ft. Lauderdale’s own tiki temple, the Mai Kai).

✦ About the Speaker✦

Mike Skinner is a Professional Engineer living in Denver, but his passion is Polynesian

Pop architecture. In 2005 he produced the booklet A Tiki Tour of Southern

California documenting tiki inspired apartment buildings around Los Angeles. He is

a frequent guest speaker at tiki conventions across the country and in 2011

produced a book entitled Tiki Architecture: The Fantasy World of Polynesian Pop

Culture Design. Mike maintains the Crusoe Society facebook page and his personal

tiki bar “The Wreck of the Kona Luanii” recreated a salvaged shipwreck in his

Basement.

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