Hawaii After Dark - Hump Day Socials -

To all our loyal friends and members,

The government pandemic lockdowns changed all of us — our lives, our venues, and even the atmosphere of Hawaiʻi itself. Many of the places that once welcomed us closed their doors or were forced to reinvent themselves, and with that, the familiar rhythm of our islands shifted.

Hawaii After Dark began long before any of us could have imagined those changes. More than fourteen years ago, it started as a small circle of professional friends who simply wanted a place to unwind mid-week — somewhere to breathe, laugh, and reconnect without having to wait until Friday. When we opened the group to the public in January 2012, that same simple idea carried forward, and Wednesday “Hump Day” naturally became our night.

There were no expectations, no pressure, just good people and good conversation.

When Debra Jo introduced Meetup, the group grew in ways we never anticipated. What surprised us most was not the size of the group, but how deeply people needed what it offered. Hawaii After Dark became a low-key, welcoming space with no drama, no politics, no pickups, and no business networking — just an anti-stress place to socialize and unwind.

Anyone could come. You didn’t need to know anyone. It never mattered who you were, what you did, or where you came from. What mattered was civility, kindness, and acceptance.

Newcomers were always welcomed, wallflowers were always comfortable, and many people arrived as strangers and left feeling like old friends.

Our mid-week gatherings remained intentionally simple. We met at local restaurants, wine bars, and gastro pubs for pupus and refreshments during happy hour, usually starting around five o’clock — or whenever you arrived — and ending whenever you chose to leave.

There was no agenda and no obligation, just a relaxed environment meant to feel like having friends over and spending time together. Along the way, we were also proud to support and promote groups like Make-A-Wish Hawaii in their fundraising events, giving back to the community that had given so much to us.

Over the years, we were approached more than once about turning Hawaii After Dark into a business, and we even trademarked the name. But we always knew that if it became about profit, it would lose what made it special. Hawaii After Dark was never about money — it was about people and the simple belief that everyone deserves a place to belong.

For over a decade, Debra Jo and I poured our hearts and souls into building and protecting that space, guided by the idea that people simply needed a place free from pressure, agendas, and division.

In recent years, we’ve had to navigate not only the lasting effects of the pandemic but also significant changes within Meetup itself. What we hoped would be a temporary pause became a prolonged challenge.

Despite continuing to pay to keep the group alive, Meetup is now implementing additional structural changes tied to GDPR data protection requirements, and it has become clear that we need to step back, regroup, and find a new path forward.

With heavy hearts, we want you to know that as of January 1st, we will be shutting down the Hawaii After Dark Meetup group. This decision was not made lightly, but it is necessary.

That said, this is not the end of Hawaii After Dark.

We will continue to stay connected through our Facebook page, and you can always reach us directly at ron@hawaiiafterdark.com. We are also working to bring hawaiiafterdark.com back online so we can begin rebuilding from there.

If you would like to stay connected and be part of whatever comes next, please email us your contact information. We are open to thoughtful, constructive suggestions as we explore new directions that remain true to the spirit of Hawaii After Dark.

Thank you for the laughter, the conversations, the friendships, and the trust you placed in us over the years. Thank you for helping create something that was never about what we did, but about who we were together.

With deep gratitude and aloha,
Ron & Debra Jo Skates
Founders, Hawaii After Dark