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One of the (many) reasons that Queerguru moves lock stock and barrel to Provincetown every summer is the sheer diversity of this small Massachusetts town at the very tip of Cape Cod , Since we first drove up here in the late nineties we have fallen more in love with the liberal population that has made this such a welcoming destination for every part of the LGBTQA+ community. (Especially the Bears !)
The way it keeps evolving sets PTown apart from other places we may call home. Like with the annual event that was once known as Men Of Color Weekend which in 2019 was taken over by Men of Melanin Magic, a Boston production group that specializes in creating fun, safe spaces for queer Black men. Lamb Rahming, the founder of the group said that back then “many folks of color didn’t know much about Provincetown.”
That first year they barely had 85 participants and you could be forgiven as a outsider if you didn’t even notice that the event was on. Now just some 5 years later 750 guys turned up for the event in June now known as FROLIC Weekend. The increase was so evidently to spot in the streets, the clubs and especially at Tea Dance where they turned the crowd into one fab big party.
The group uses the word FROLIC because it captures the vision of queer men of color having the opportunity to be carefree. Rahming added “They can be completely themselves, and joy can abide and be expressed.” The theme this year was “Homecoming.” and Provincetown was turned into “an HBQCU, that is, a ‘historically Black queer college or university’ called FSU, for Frolic State University.”
Thanks to GILEAD sponsorship this year Frolic Weekend was now 6 days long and packed full of Brunch mixers, pool parties, club nights, beach takeovers (even a session on Gay Dating) Ronnie Smith, Frolic’s Director of Operations told us that as well as well local Boston crowd, som guys had flown in from New York Atlanta, Washington and even LA for the Event, and this was a true QTPOC crowd. (Queer, Trans, + People Of Color)
When Queerguru asked FROLIC how they work to stay relevant to an ever evolving queer crowd they answered with just one word ‘surveys’. Rather stand on their laurels they actually ask attendees for what worked and what didn’t work. Judging by their growing success, they have been listening .
What’s Next?
FROLIC already have events in Boston but also theIr highLy ambitious team are looking to expand their activities to
Washington DC, New York and Atlanta . FOLLOW THEM IN INSTAGRAM TO KEEP ABREAST OF ALL THEIR NEWS
@wearefrolic. PLUS you can already book for PTOWN FROLIC WEEKEND to be held in JUNE 2025 : according
to the website some 200 people have done so already
Labels: 2024, Frolic Weekend, Provincetown
