Black History Month has become ingrained in the fabric of Hotspots Happening Out. For 5 years, we have celebrated the month with community, friends, and newbies to our world. Our Black History Month CAN Cookout Celebration is an event welcoming to all.
From day 1 of acquiring Hotspots Magazine in December of 2020, it has been our mission to diversify in all senses of the word. What was once just a focus on hot guys and the men that adored them transformed into an environment grounded in community and belonging, identifying critical areas of need and support in the scope of focus in which we work – events and media. A community need on so many levels was audibly screamed from the rooftops of Wilton Manors, but fell on deaf ears.
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So, we stepped in to acknowledge the muted pain that was echoing through the streets of our gay mecca. We built The CAN Cookout as a bridge between the Black and Brown community and Wilton Manors, between the LGBTQ+ Black and Brown community and the White LGBTQ+ community, the Transgender Black community and the gay community, the straight Black and Brown community and the LGBTQ+ Black and Brown community. A day where everyone could come together in Wilton Manors to celebrate Black Love.
We partnered with businesses that saw the need as well, where the pain was felt but the intolerance for bigotry, racism, and hate was overwhelming unwelcomed. Unlikely establishments that the community overlooked as places where it would never happen at or didn’t even think to consider as anything but fun-loving escapes from the hetero world. But it was happening in our own safe havens. Those who were willing to address, not only talked the talk but show their commitment to the community by partnering with us.
Hand in hand with LeBoy (Lit Bar) as our liquor sponsor and the Pub on The Drive as our food sponsor, we showed the community that we could unite with the city to produce a free Black History Month Celebration that also gave back to Black and Brown-led community organizations. The first CAN Cookout was a success with free entry, free food, free parking, music, laughter, and entertainment at The Pride Center. What made the event even more rewarding is that we were able to establish, what is now an honored tradition, a fundraising component of The CAN Cookout. 100% of the drink sales for the event go to a Black and Brown-led community organization or a community organization that provides services to the LGBTQ+ Black and Brown community. The Ujima Men’s Collective was the first beneficiary organization. Since then, 100% of the drink proceeds have gone to BLINC, New Era Lodge No. 69, and the Legacy Builders.
By the 2nd year of The CAN Cookout, we moved the growing event from The Pride Center at Equality Park to Mickel Park – a sprawling green grass field in Wilton Manors that has a playground area and a kiddy water park. For the past 4 years, we managed to keep the celebration free to the public, still providing free food and free parking, while also adding cash prize spades and domino tournaments with free registration, HIV testing raffle for a round-trip flight voucher, and a family-friendly kids zone where kids from a small age to teens can enjoy. The CAN Cookout has truly become an annual Black History Month Celebration that everyone can come out to enjoy – a community coming together.
“We would like to thank our incredible team that has been with us for the Past few years. Our Emcee First Lady Kendra, our Soul Food Chef Jay Jay, our Game Master Tonio, our Title Sponsor CAN Community Health, our Food Sponsor Sysco. And for the first year as our Liquor Sponsor, we welcome Pride Holdings Group/Aquaplex Fort Lauderdale.”
Free Entry, Free Parking, Free Food
Saturday, February 7, 2026 – 1 pm to 6 pm
Mickel Park 2675 NW 7th Ave, Wilton Manors, FL 33311
“Free Tournament Registration”
