FRIDAY

>> Christmas party at Hula’s features hula

Christmas goes Polynesian – and then some – at Hula’s this weekend.

Local entertainment mogul Derek Daniels presents the “Spirit of Christmas,” billed as “a traditional Hawaiian Polynesian show with movement, sounds and the interpretation of Christmas, Hawaiian Style.” Kumu hula James Dela Cruz and Daniels’ Polynesian dance troupe will be sure to get you in the right spirit for the holidays.

Daniels will be performing just after his appearances as the Rat King and Momma Moana in Ballet Hawaii’s “The Nutcracker.” He’s trained in New York, performing on Broadway and with the illustrious Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and the Dance Theater of Harlem, but began his career locally dancing hula as a teenager.

Daniels’ show begins at 10 p.m., but if you want the complete entertainment experience at Hula’s, drop in at 9 p.m. for a viewing party of the VH1 TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” a regular occasion at the LGBTQ-friendly bar.

SATURDAY

>> Dating hilarity at Hawaiian Brian’s

Dating demons, look out: Story Party, a tell-all dish session on the often hilarious world of dating, comes to Hawaiian Brian’s on Saturday.

The sessions are headed up by storytellers Captain Khalid, left, Rachman Blake and Elena Gabrielle, who use their improv skills to enhance true stories they’ve heard about dating.

They also ask the audience to submit their experiences, so if you’ve got a doozy of a bad date to share, feel free to let loose. Stories are read on stage anonymously, so no one has to be embarassed, but if you want to get up on stage and participate, that’s fine too.

You’ll hear stories like the one about the woman who dated a Muslim man who was willing to take over her father’s business, only to find out that the business was pig farming. Or the one about the woman who used cat food to prepare a tuna salad for her date. He didn’t even notice, but she did and wouldn’t kiss him afterwards.

Story Party got its start in 2013 in San Francisco, after Blake experienced a bad breakup and started talking about it on stage, eliciting a lot of laughs.

The event has since gone international, with performances in more than 60 countries on five continents. Khalid is Tanzanian and Gabrielle is an Aussie who lives in Germany. No culture is immune to bad dates.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY

>> Musician Don McLean to perform at the Blue Note

If you search for “American Pie” on the Web these days, the adolescent movie comes up first; Don McLean’s heartfelt ballad comes up only third. But this song, which became an instant classic when released in 1972, deserves much note.

Inspired by the deaths of musicians Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson in a plane crash, “American Pie” stirred feelings of nostalgia and admiration in the American public, with references to other pop musicians, politics and cultural affairs that still resonate in today’s society. It was ranked No. 5 in the Recording Industry Association of America’s “Songs of the Century” in 2001.

Experience the song and its songwriter in all their justified glory when McLean comes to the Blue Note Hawaii next week. The concert will undoubtably be a trip down memory lane. McLean came of age as an songwriter during the 1960s, playing alongside artists like fellow folk artists Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie and Janis Ian as well as jazzman Herbie Mann.

McLean wrote some truly moving songs, including “Vincent,” also known as “Starry Starry Night,” a lovely offering on the painter Vincent van Gogh’s mental illnesses, and “Tapestry,” a gentle song that surprisingly paints a morbid picture of humanity. He also sings classics from the American songbook.

THURSDAY

>> Snoop Dogg and Cardi B to hit the Aloha Stadium

Snoop Dogg, who went from gangsta rap to mainstream entertainment success, eases into Aloha Stadium on Thursday.

Snoop, born Calvin Broadus in Long Beach, Calif., got nationwide attention with “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang,” a collaboration with Dr. Dre, and has had three No. 1 hits, appearing on Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” and Akon’s “I Wanna Love You,” and starring as the titled artist in “Drop It Like It’s Hot” featuring Pharrell. He also had a hit with “Young Wild & Free,” aided by Hawaii’s own Bruno Mars and Wiz Khalifa.

His laid-back demeanor, marked by frequent references to marijuana, easy-on-the-ears vibe and willingness to poke fun at himself, have helped expand his popularity to a variety of entertainment, from hosting game show “The Joker’s Wild” to co-hosting a homemaking show with Martha Stewart.

Also on the slate is the hot young hip-hop star Cardi B who’s had top hits “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” and “I Like It.” Opening are Sublime with Rome, a revival of 1990s ska-punk band Sublime now led by frontman Rome Ramirez, and Makaha pop star Mimi, whose song “Miss Me” hit the Billboard dance charts.