If you have been following our new 2010-2011 school year and new season of classes, you know all about HúGáSM and maybe have even attended a session or are even a regular.  If not, please visit our Dance Studio page for the full details.

For the month of October, following are the HúGáSM themes of each week of October:

• October 4-9:  ‘Drumnesia’
  Tone your body to the rhythmic sounds of native drums gently beating in the forests of Polynesia.
• October 11-16: "Stand Up and Be Counted"
  An all standing workout, no floor mats or pads needed.
• October 18-23: "Fire, Water, Wind"
  The hot, the fluid, the cool – unwind and heal to the sounds and effects of nature.
• October 25-30:  "Spooky HúGáSM"
  In celebration of Halloween.

HúGáSM is perfect for moms, dads, guys, girls with a busy lifestyle.  It’s great for those who find it hard to have time for regular exercise.

As a reminder, here is the weekly schedule of HúGáSM sessions:

Mondays:  9:15 - 10:00 PM
Tuesdays:  5:30 - 6:15 PM
Tuesdays:  8:30 - 9:15 PM
Thursdays:  8:45 - 9:30 PM

"Hulaween" is the way we, at the Barefoot Hawaiian, celebrate Halloween and we are ready to celebrate it with you, Hawaiian Style.

Up in the air about a Halloween party or theme?  Consider having it Polynesian style. Everyone is to come dressed to your party or event in a Hawaiian, Polynesian, or other South Pacific island themed costume.

Invite your guests to come to the Barefoot Hawaiian store for what they need to make up their very own and unique costume.  Our staff can help your with ideas to pull off the island you wish to represent.  Want to be a savage New Zealand Warrior or a sexy Tahitian Dancer?  We can show you how.  And instead of something cheaply made from the costume isle of the discount store, get something that will last and can be worn year after year, and will look great on you for the luau you plan to have or attend next summer

Plus, with a performance purchase everyone attending your party receives a discount in our store.  Our Halloween performances include hula lessons for everyone and our expert performers will serve as the perfect impartial judges for your costume contest.  We can judge for the best male, best female, most authentic, most native-like, and so on.  Moreover, for Halloween, we will provide a free gift or gifts (depending on size of the performance you order) to award to the winner or winners.  For children's parties, our Hulaween entertainment can include the telling of an age-appropriate authentic Hawaiian ghost story.

Our Hulaween performance is also excellent choice entertainment for October Festivals (Octoberfest) that you are running in your town or at your establishment.

Call us now to ask about all the ways we can help you run a great Halloween party.

Immediately after Halloween, we depart from scary costumes into pure fun as we head into the Thanksgiving and the Christmas seasons, with a children's favorite, our Keiki Karnival, right here on location at the Barefoot Hawaiian.

"Keiki Karnival"
Sunday, November 1, 2009
2:00 – 5:00 PM

Great fun for children of all ages.  Entry is FREE.  Tickets to play games, only 25 cents each.  Get a personal portrait done by "Kapela," our resident artist, for only $10. 

 Games for Children with prizes awarded:

• Ring Toss 
• Tiki Bowling 
• Bozo Pumpkins 
• Bean Bag Game 
• Hula Hoops 
• Coconut Roll/Wheel of Fortune 
• Spray Away Game 
• Clothespin Drop

Held at:

The Barefoot Hawaiian 
1401 East Oakton Street
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018

As you get up early Thanksgiving morning to start cooking your Thanksgiving feast, be sure to tune into WGN-TV, Channel 9, from 8:00 - 11:00 AM to catch our performance in the McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a.k.a, the Chicago State Street Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Enjoy watching our Professional Fire-Knife Performers, Professional Dancers, Keiki Division Dancers, Drummers, Banner Carriers, and more entertain you while you cook or enjoy your morning coffee.

Better still, come on down and catch the parade in person.

Thanksgiving Holiday Store, Office, & School Hours:
The Barefoot Hawaiian Office, Store, & School will be closed Thursday & Friday, November 28 & 29  in honor of Thanksgiving.  Normal business and hours resume Saturday, November 30. 

For the month of November, following are the HúGáSM themes of each week of November:

• November 1-6:  ‘Hawaiian Spa’
• November 8-13: "Sun, Sand, Sea"
• November 15-20: "Island Dreams"
• November 22-23:  "Free HúGáSM"
  As our special way of showing our gratitude, for the week of Thanksgiving, classes are free - Space is limited, advanced sign up required.  Call or send an email.  For the Thanksgiving week, we will only be having classes on Monday and Tuesday.
• November 29 - November 30:  "Peace and Tranquility"
  Please note that HúGáSM will run only on Monday and Tuesday of this week.  No HúGáSM sessions will be run on Thursday and Saturday.

HúGáSM is perfect for moms, dads, guys, girls with a busy lifestyle.  It’s great for those who find it hard to have time for regular exercise.

As a reminder, here is the normal weekly schedule of HúGáSM sessions:

Mondays:  9:15 - 10:00 PM
Tuesdays:  5:30 - 6:15 PM
Tuesdays:  8:30 - 9:15 PM
Thursdays:  8:45 - 9:30 PM

Mele Kalikimaka means Merry Christmas in Hawaiian, and Santa is on his way.  (But with his mask on this year)

You are listening to "Christmas in Hawaii" by Danny Couch.
Used with permission by Danny Couch.
We carry this CD in our store

The Barefoot Hawaiian has items and entertainment to offer you this holiday season and much of what you need to provide you with a Christmas in Hawaii.  However, and unfortunately, we have had to downsize some of our normal and regular Christmas offerings this year due to COVID-19.

Please note that due to these changes, we are not posting our normal Mele Kalikimaka web page this year because so many items featured on it will not apply or can be offered at this time

Entertainment & Performances

In the way of entertainment and performances we feature special holiday season shows.  These shows feature special Christmas costumes, music, hulas, and more.

Due to COVID-19, no public
shows have yet been scheduled

Please contact our office regarding any private performances you need with the Christmas theme.

Holiday Shopping

The Barefoot Hawaiian gears up its store for gift and holiday shopping.  Get that unique gift for the hard-to-buy-for person in your life.  We have Christmas Aloha Shirts, Christmas Stockings, Tree Ornaments, Holiday Music, and more.

Please contact the store for the stock of items we have and to see if your desired item is available, and/or to schedule an appointment for your own private shopping.

Special Holiday Shopping Day
Sunday, December 20, 2020
12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM
Barefoot Hawaiian Holiday Shopping Open House
No appointment needed - but...
Face masks and 6-foot distancing required
Come in and get those last minute gifts

Special Holiday Hours & Closures

Special Holiday Open Hours

Special Sunday Holiday Shopping
December  20, 2020
See above for details
(We are not normally open on Sundays)

Holiday Closures:

As always each year, we will be closed
Thursday & Friday, December  24 & 25, 2020
for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
and on 
Friday, January 1, 2021
for New Year's Day

Happy New Year from the Barefoot Hawaiian

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that you are now looking forward to celebrating the entrance of a new year.

In honor of the holidays, our store and business office will be closed on the following dates:

• Tuesday, December 31
• Wednesday, January 1
• Thursday, January 2

Full business resumes Friday, January 3 with all normal store and business operating hours.  Dance classes resume from Christmas break on Monday, January 6.

Celebrate bringing in the new year with us

Join us for the following:

Tuesday, December 31, 2019
New Year's Eve Dinner Show at Chef Shangri-La

Visit our Event Schedule page for full details

Love is in the air at this time of year, and the Barefoot Hawaiian is ready to celebrate St. Valentine's Day and the season with you.

For Valentine performances, our shows focus beautifully around love and the "Be My Valentine" theme.   Our performances will feature special love songs and dances.  You will hear the Hawaiian Wedding Song, Blue Hawaii, and many others.  

So whether you need entertainment for your private party, a corporate event, or for your restaurant or lounge, consider the romance of Hawaii as a theme.  And if you have a special someone you need to impress or romance (perhaps even propose to?), let us know, and we will include you into the show as part of what you need to carry out for that someone special.  We can even teach you how to say "I Love You" in Hawaiian 

Okay, by now we are all starting to feel the Winter blues and eagerly awaiting the delightful Spring weather to arrive, especially after this rough Winter.  Change that by getting into the Aloha spirit now.

Whether you are a community organization, a company, or a family, now is actually one of the best times to have us out for a Hawaiian show.  For one, we are more available during this generally-considered off-season here in the Northern Midwest versus the high demand we encounter during the late-Spring and Summer Luau season.  Two, your family, friends, employees, or public is also generally more available at this time of year for a little festivity.  Three, who would not love your bringing a little Aloha warmth into their lives at this colder time of year?

Don't want to host a party yourself?  Then come out to one of our public appearances at this time of year ...

Entertainment & Performances

Here's the proof that this can be a good time of year for a little Aloha.  Here is what some of our open-to-the-public clients are doing:

Sunday, March 8, 2014
Chicagoland Kids Expo

Sunday, March 8, 2014
Addison Library WorldFest

Saturday, March 16, 2014
Cheeseburger in Paradise St. Patrick's Day Show

Visit our Event Schedule web page for the details.

Are you considering having a luau or Hawaiian-theme party this coming spring or summer?

If so, then our expert advice to you is that you should already be well into planning it, especially if your luau will be held on a weekend during the months from May to September.  If your weekend party will be or extend into the evening — Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening — then your early planning is even more crucial. 

The most important early planning issues:

DATE — If you are planning on a weekend luau in spring or early summer, deciding the date and approximate time is the most important planning issue and you should have this already determined by March to ensure a successful event.

ENTERTAINMENT (DANCERS) — The next most important issue after deciding the date, is acquiring your Polynesian dance entertainment.  Even with our huge troupe of professional dancers (the largest in the Midwest) we can still become fully booked with every performer assigned to a show on a weekend day during the spring and summer.  To avoid hearing, "Sorry, we are fully booked that day." call us early.  If you want more than two dancers, you should be contacting us by March to ensure getting what you want.

FIRE DANCERS  — These performers require special mention.  There are only a handful of professional fire knife performers in the Chicago area.  Most Hawaiian companies have none.  The Barefoot Hawaiian provides more than 90% of the fire performances in the Chicago area.  Moreover, we are fully insured to perform fire; most other companies are not.  A fire performance in the evening on a summer weekend is the most spectacular and most desired performance.  If you want a fire performance for your luau, make these arrangements very early.

MUSICIANS — These performers also require special mention.  There are only a small number of Hawaiian musicians in the Chicago area.  Some Hawaiian companies have none and offer only music on CD.  The Barefoot Hawaiian has a soloist, one full band, and a couple of two-person ensembles.  For live Tahitian drumming, we have several trained and qualified Tahitian drummers.  If you want live music or drumming or both for your Spring or Summer luau, these arrangements also need to be made very early.

Plan early and you can be sure of getting the dancers, fire dancers, live music, and the Polynesian cuisine that you want and need for a successful luau.

Preface: COVID-19 Impact  — It has become quite clear that the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has put a real damper on trying to plan anything for this Spring.  However, in the interest of optimism, we don't want you not to look forward to better days ahead this Summer.  In effort to help you plan for a promising Summer, yet not take unnecessary risks, we are being flexible in our contracted bookings with cancellation privileges due to a continuing COVID-19 pandemic.  So plan ahead and call us.  We are all in this together.  That's the Spirit of Aloha way!

So, are you considering having a luau or Hawaiian-theme party this coming summer?

If so, then our expert advice to you is that you should already be well into planning it, especially if your luau will be held on a weekend during the summer months from Mid-June to Mid-September.  If your weekend party will be or extend into the evening — Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening — then your early planning is even more crucial. 

The most important early planning issues:

DATE — If you are planning on a weekend luau in summer, deciding the date and approximate time is the most important planning issue and you should have this already determined by May to ensure a successful event.

ENTERTAINMENT (DANCERS) — The next most important issue after deciding the date, is acquiring your Polynesian dance entertainment.  Even with our huge troupe of professional dancers (the largest in the Midwest) we can still become fully booked with every performer assigned to a show on a weekend day during the summer.  To avoid hearing, "Sorry, we are fully booked that day." call us early.  If you want more than two dancers, you should be contacting us by May to ensure getting what you want.

FIRE DANCERS  — These performers require special mention.  There are only a handful of professional fire knife performers in the Chicago area.  Most Hawaiian companies have none.  The Barefoot Hawaiian provides more than 90% of the fire performances in the Chicago area.  Moreover, we are fully insured to perform fire; most other companies are not.  A fire performance in the evening on a summer weekend is the most spectacular and most desired performance.  If you want a fire performance for your luau, make these arrangements very early.

MUSICIANS — These performers also require special mention.  There are only a small number of Hawaiian musicians in the Chicago area.  Some Hawaiian companies have none and offer only music on CD.  The Barefoot Hawaiian has two soloists, one full band, and a couple of two-person ensembles.  For live Tahitian drumming, we have several trained and qualified Tahitian drummers.  If you want live music or drumming or both for your Summer luau, these arrangements also need to be made very early.

Plan early and you can be sure of getting the dancers, fire dancers, live music, and the Polynesian cuisine that you want and need for a successful luau.

Somehow most people believe that a Hawaiian luau can only be held in the summer months here in the Midwest.

While the summer months are often most preferred, consider this excellent advice:  Have your luau in the Spring.  A luau in May and the first half of June, has much to offer:

Hawaiian Weather — Hawaii is not 95 degree temperatures with the high muggy humidity we see here in the Midwest.  Its temperature are in the 70's with a nice ocean breeze.  Holding your luau in late spring comes closer to the Hawaiian outdoors than the summer months do here in the Midwest.  Plus, enjoy fewer bugs.

More Available Bookings — If you read the previous section on luau planning you know that getting everything you need for a Summer luau required early planning, and may require more phone calls and more turndowns.  Hold your luau in the Spring and you will find it much easier to get your entertainment, music, and more.  For a Spring luau we can often send out a dancer same day.  We often can provide musicians, several dancers, fire, drummers, etc. with just a few days notice.  So have that last minute luau this coming weekend and call us.

Spring Public Shows — The Barefoot Hawaiian performs many great public shows in the Spring.  For 2015, we have over a dozen public shows that we are performing in Spring.  Visit our Event Schedule to see the complete list.

Spring really is luau season!

Summer is here and it is Luau season.  Need we say more? Whatever you have planned, consider adding music and entertainment from the Barefoot Hawaiian to your event. We work all Summer long. 

While advanced planning is always encouraged and preferred to ensure your dancer or musician is available and reserved for you, don't hesitate to call us for last-minute additions to your event to make it the best it can be.  

Whether you are planning a year in advance or decide today your want a dancer for your party tomorrow, we specialize in both and can often accommodated your final-minute emergency needs.  

So call now, 847-699-7336.