FA+
Shop
The future of Frolic - come out in October!
9 years ago
So we've been thinking hard and long lately about the future of Frolic. We realize that Frolic is bigger than myself and those who helped found is 6+ years ago. Frolic is a community event that has helped bring together furries from around the Bay Area in a safe space they can socialize, dance, be themselves, dress as they like, be with friends and like minded people, and more.
You have probably all heard about the change of ownership of our venue, The Stud. The Stud has been more than just a venue to us, it's been a home full of family. My roots to the Stud go back to even before I moved to San Francisco. I remember my first time there back in around 1996 when I was traveling the country, and went for Trannyshack. It was memorable. When I moved to the Bay Area in 1998, the Stud became a home away from home, a place I could connect with other like minded people. As it grew, I grew. Somewhere along the way, I discovered furry, and was already friends with several promoters and staff of the Stud. Our first attempt to throw a furry party back in 2001 didn't last long, but our path with furry, or the Stud, wasn't over. In 2010, I was talking with the owner of the Stud about bringing back the Furry party, and in 2010 Frolic was born. And with that, our connections with the Stud grew even stronger, a bond that was stronger than a business relationship, and was more like family.
With the change of ownership comes change. The owner of the Stud is moving to Hawaii, Kristo has moved on as bartender. We have no doubt that the new owners of the Stud will do great things with the Stud, will be able to keep it in it's current location, and it will continue to thrive, and be as epic and amazing as ever, and provide a venue for those who just feel like they don't belong anywhere else.
For a long while now, we had been thinking of what to do with Frolic, even before this change of ownership. At times it felt crowded inside. More people were hanging outside than inside the venue. The fursuit lounge is insanely crowded. It gets really hot inside. We bring a ton of infrastructure and burn ourselves out every month spending many hours setting up and breaking down with what ends up being a 16 hour non stop day.
So please, do not think this change is about the new owners, it is not. That may be one factor, but it's not even a major one, as we know they would welcome us continuing and would do everything they can to help us keep going.
We will be taking a break for now, and our looking at other venues that may better suit those who enjoy coming to our event. We have many criteria, it has to be an LGBT friendly venue, well ventilated (or air conditioned), enough space for fursuiters, have decent parking around, changing space, and most importantly, have a very friendly furry-welcoming vibe.
Once we have something worked out, we will definitely let you know!
In the meantime, we hope you can join us this Saturday, for our final Frolic at the Stud.
And please, tip the bartenders, barbacks, and other staff of the Stud! They are hard working, and don't make those huge wages that make it easy to live in SF. Bartenders do not split tips in California, so feel free to give a little something to the other workers at the Stud to. They have been like family to us, and welcomed us with open arms. So whatever we can do to help them out with this transition, well, nothing could be a nicer gesture or way of saying thanks for having us at the Stud.
You have probably all heard about the change of ownership of our venue, The Stud. The Stud has been more than just a venue to us, it's been a home full of family. My roots to the Stud go back to even before I moved to San Francisco. I remember my first time there back in around 1996 when I was traveling the country, and went for Trannyshack. It was memorable. When I moved to the Bay Area in 1998, the Stud became a home away from home, a place I could connect with other like minded people. As it grew, I grew. Somewhere along the way, I discovered furry, and was already friends with several promoters and staff of the Stud. Our first attempt to throw a furry party back in 2001 didn't last long, but our path with furry, or the Stud, wasn't over. In 2010, I was talking with the owner of the Stud about bringing back the Furry party, and in 2010 Frolic was born. And with that, our connections with the Stud grew even stronger, a bond that was stronger than a business relationship, and was more like family.
With the change of ownership comes change. The owner of the Stud is moving to Hawaii, Kristo has moved on as bartender. We have no doubt that the new owners of the Stud will do great things with the Stud, will be able to keep it in it's current location, and it will continue to thrive, and be as epic and amazing as ever, and provide a venue for those who just feel like they don't belong anywhere else.
For a long while now, we had been thinking of what to do with Frolic, even before this change of ownership. At times it felt crowded inside. More people were hanging outside than inside the venue. The fursuit lounge is insanely crowded. It gets really hot inside. We bring a ton of infrastructure and burn ourselves out every month spending many hours setting up and breaking down with what ends up being a 16 hour non stop day.
So please, do not think this change is about the new owners, it is not. That may be one factor, but it's not even a major one, as we know they would welcome us continuing and would do everything they can to help us keep going.
We will be taking a break for now, and our looking at other venues that may better suit those who enjoy coming to our event. We have many criteria, it has to be an LGBT friendly venue, well ventilated (or air conditioned), enough space for fursuiters, have decent parking around, changing space, and most importantly, have a very friendly furry-welcoming vibe.
Once we have something worked out, we will definitely let you know!
In the meantime, we hope you can join us this Saturday, for our final Frolic at the Stud.
And please, tip the bartenders, barbacks, and other staff of the Stud! They are hard working, and don't make those huge wages that make it easy to live in SF. Bartenders do not split tips in California, so feel free to give a little something to the other workers at the Stud to. They have been like family to us, and welcomed us with open arms. So whatever we can do to help them out with this transition, well, nothing could be a nicer gesture or way of saying thanks for having us at the Stud.
on that one night in spring of 2011 where I was invited to check out something called “Frolic”
a night where people in animal costumes took over a bar
where there was decidedly more animalistic energy
and I immediately found that energy inside me
where I made new friends and many acquaintances
and danced my sweaty tail off
when we howled I instinctively joined along
and afterward walked with the crowd to get pizza or crepes
continue the party until dawn in the hotel room around the corner
to wake up and grab brunch and check out
a parting glance at the place to return to our lives and reflect
what a motherfucking awesome night full of memories and connections
and, "see you next month...”
the magic is the place as much as those who came together for a night every month
to be animals
to frolic.
I suck at writing words but in far fewer but no less significant,
thank you.
Thanks for all the amazing work, thanks for the safe space to be me, and thanks for all the amazing memories.
Every. Freaking. Month! It's a big part of what's made the Bay Area such a special place for furs.
A huge thank you goes out to NeonBunny and Skibit, who have worked so hard on our behalf, month after month, year after year. Also a big fuzzy thank you hug to all of the other support staff of Frolic, and the staff of the The Stud.
Neon, I look forward to whatever iteration of Frolic you come up with next. I'm hoping it isn't too long before we have another Frolic to go to. I'll be there this Saturday, dancing my fuzzy butt off!