BONGO DROP! Trop Rock In the New Year with John McDonald & the Mango Men w/Dave Matchette & Ken Tice
Schedule
Tue, 30 Dec, 2025 at 04:00 pm to Thu, 01 Jan, 2026 at 12:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place | Melbourne, FL
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🎉TROP ROCK IN THE NEW YEAR 2026 at THE BONGO DROP! Three days of Celebration: food, fun, music & PHriends!!!🪘The third annual Bongo Drop with your hosts John McDonald & Donna DiBongrazio will take place at a beautiful, new venue - the Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place -
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30th TO THURSDAY, JANUARY 1st
🏨The HILTON MELBOURNE RIALTO is conveniently located less than a mile from Melbourne Orlando International Airport & just minutes from the beach or historic Downtown Melbourne on the hotel's FREE complimentary shuttle
🪇ENTERTAINMENT
A one-of-a-kind TROP ROCK SONGWRITER TRIBUTE on December 30th, paying homage to some of your favorites including Jim Morris, Sunny Jim, Jerry Diaz, Kelly McGuire, Don Middlebrook, Hugo Duarte, the Boat Drunks & more by DAVE MATCHETTE🎸
Guest MCs & RadioTropRock personalities of 'Livin' Like Kenny' KEN TICE & NELL TICE will lead spirited shenanigans & fun-loving games🎸
Smooth Caribbean jazz by steel pan wiz KEN SCHRADER🎸
A high-energy, New Year's Eve performance by JOHN McDONALD & THE MANGO MEN: KEVIN KORNICKI (drums), JAY YERKES (piano/bass), KEN SCHRADER (steel drum) & DAVE MATCHETTE (harmonica/flute/tin whistle)🎸
New Year's Day singer songwriter session with JOHN McDONALD🎸
⚠️LIMITED REGISTRATION
Registration will be limited to first 90 people
💥TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2025💥
4:00 pm: Hotel Check-in
6:00pm: Registration/ Meet & Greet in Hotel Lobby Bar 9
Happy hour food & drink specials available in hotel’s Rustic
Restaurant and Lobby Bar 9
Caribbean steel drum music by Ken Schrader
6:30pm: games & give aways with MCs Ken & Nell Tice
7:00: Trop Rock Songwriter Tribute by Dave Matchette (Sorrento Room off lobby)
9:00: Cabin Crawl
*Sign up to participate in taste-testing & sample special goodies & concoctions; the Cabin Crawl was a blast last year!
💥WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2025💥
7:00-10:00am: Breakfast buffet available at Rustic Restaurant
Spend the day at the pool & spa, visit the beach or scout Historic Downtown Melbourne’s boutique shops & restaurants
4:00pm: Solar Plunge for charity
7:00pm: Doors open to The Rustic Restaurant/ photo op station/ buffet dinner/ instrumental music by Ken Schrader
8pm- Tropical Buffet Dinner
9pm-Dance party w/John McDonald & the Mango Men
10:30- Susi’s New Year’s Mask Contest and Congo Line- two winners announced!
11:45pm-hats & crowns, noisemakers, special toast & the 2026 Bongo Drop at Midnight
NEW YEAR'S EVE TROPICAL BUFFET🌴
🥗Mixed Green Salad w/ dressing
🥐Hawaiian rolls w/ butter
🥥Coconut Shrimp w/ orange sauce
🍖Teriyaki Chicken Skewers w/ Toasted Sesame Seeds
🍍Marinated Pork Loin w/ Crushed Pineapple
🍛Luau Fried Rice and Beans
🧅Julienned Vegetable Stir Fry
🥮Pineapple Upside Down Cake
🍰Coconut Dream Cake
💥THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026💥
7:00-10:00am: Breakfast buffet available in Rustic Restaurant
10:45-11:45am-Singer Songwriter Session Rustic Courtyard
12:00pm - Check Out
🫵REGISTRATION: SPACE IS LIMITED, REGISTER EARLY!!!!
The ticket price is the same as last year but limited to the first 90 people - $125 per person
Pricing after September 1, 2025 - $135 per person
💰PAYMENT OPTIONS
Cash: see Donna or John in person
Check: payable to John McDonald
2351 Brookshire Circle West Melbourne, FL 32904
Venmo: @John-McDonald-218
Zelle: [email protected]
PayPal: @JMcDonaldMusic (please use Friend’s Option)
Credit Card: contact Donna (service fee $4 per person)
*Payments non-refundable after October 31, 2025
👊GROUP ROOM RATE
Group Room Rate is $155 plus taxes & fees; two hot breakfast buffets come with each room/each night booked ($36 value!)
⛱️EXTENDED STAY GROUP ROOM RATE
If you'd like to kick off the New Year with a vacation & enjoy
the hotel's complimentary shuttle service to the beaches on the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway (A1A) or the artsy shops & restaurants of historic Downtown Melbourne, the TROP ROCK IN THE NEW YEAR RATE is valid from from DECEMBER 27th to JANUARY 4th!
🚀Consider touring our Florida Space Coast: https://www.visitspacecoast.com
🏨HOTEL INFO
Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place
200 Rialto Place Melbourne, FL 32901
Cash bar available daily
All rooms include a fridge, microwave & coffee maker
Free shuttle service to & from Melbourne Airport, Downtown Melbourne or beach
Heated pool & spa
Fitness center with Peloton Bike
Basketball & tennis courts
Complimentary parking
🏨CALL 1-800-774-1500 to book your preferred room
***Identify yourself as a member of the TROP ROCK IN THE NEW YEAR group or use CODE 90M to guarantee this rate asap***
🏨Hilton Rewards member? Use your points but please let them know you're in the TROP ROCK IN THE NEW YEAR group so we get credit!
**Book by December 16, 2025 to receive special room rate!!!!!!!!
❤️TEXT OR CALL DONNA:
Ask questions, register & make payment arrangements
📱609-510-3947
📧[email protected]
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Where is it happening?
Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place, Hilton-Melbourne, 200 Rialto Pl, Melbourne, FL 32901, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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