LaShante Keys (center), founder and CEO of CommunityEFX, organized the inaugural event in 2025. Photos: CommunityEFX.
A free, high-impact event rooted in the belief that men deserve to be celebrated and supported – rather than simply tolerated – is returning to St. Petersburg.
The Cookout: A Celebration of Brotherhood, will take over the University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s waterfront campus on Saturday, May 2, from 2 p.m until 6 p.m. Men of all ages can expect to find a safe, supportive space dedicated to their wellness and growth.
LaShante Keys, founder and CEO of CommunityEFX, organized the inaugural event in 2025 due to the lack of opportunities for men to “just relax and enjoy ourselves.” The Cookout will feature complimentary food and refreshments, live entertainment and music, chair massages and wellness services, health screenings, haircuts, golf simulators and interactive games, a kids zone, and a relaxing lounge experience on Bayboro Harbor.
“It’s four hours of just some type of peace of mind where we’re not responsible for anything,” Keys said. “We’re not responsible for being anybody; we’re not responsible for taking care of anybody. Just four hours of getting pampered, in a sense.”
The 2025 event was held outside the Mahaffey Theater.
CommunityEFX is a nonprofit dedicated to creating meaningful, culturally-rooted experiences that strengthen connections. The Cookout embodies that mission.
While all are welcome to attend the event, complimentary services and activations are only for men. Keys believes the rare opportunity to “just really be happy” in a public space provides a boost to mental health.
He noted that men are typically only celebrated on Father’s Day, and having a date to circle on the calendar can make life’s stressors easier to manage. “If I know I’m getting poured into in a positive way, then I’ll feel good about moving forward,” Keys explained.
“If the negative stuff that goes on in your life can feed you, the positive stuff can feed you as well, and just give you that balance.”
Keys pledged that The Cookout would offer something for everyone, from babies to the elderly. The event features childcare services, as “people forget that there are fathers who are taking care of their kids.”
Additional games include an inflatable ax-throwing arena. Pinellas Technical College is hosting a barber and grooming station.
Massages are among the many complimentary services offered at The Cookout.
An aromatherapy area is a new offering for the second-annual event, and attendees can play card games in the waterfront lounge. A complimentary food hall will feature culinary delights from Ameenah’s Catering and Twisted Indian.
Keys said a DJ will play “really positive music” for men. For example, “No Scrubs” by TLC is not on the playlist.
The venue selection is also intentional. Keys said the goal is to “expose people to different spaces that they may not have ever discovered or been to before.” The Mahaffey Theater hosted the previous event.
The Cookout was initially geared towards African American and Hispanic males. However, Keys said he wanted to expand the event to welcome fathers of all ethnicities.
“Fathers are just as invisible as anybody else,” Keys continued. “We just want to make sure that everybody feels great about themselves.”
Over 200 men attended the 2025 event. Keys said he also eagerly anticipates an opportunity to relax and reset at The Cookout.
“We deserve this,” Keys said. “We deserve to find some peace somewhere, and that’s what we’re here for.”
He noted that most of the event’s volunteers are women, who understand its focus. “Ladies, we love you, we appreciate you, but this is a day for the guys.”
The Cookout will also feature intentional spaces for relationship-building, community dialogue, and shared learning. Sponsors include the City of St. Petersburg and Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg.
Event partners include USF St. Petersburg and 101.5 The Vibe. “We just want people to come out and really enjoy themselves, and just relax a little bit,” Keys said.
To register for the free event, visit the website here.
Mayor Ken Welch (right) speaks with volunteers at the inaugural event.
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More Photos
Some attendees prefer to simply relax at The Cookout.
The Cookout’s organizers will select unique venues to expose attendees to new spaces.
Most of the event’s volunteers are women, who can attend The Cookout but not receive complimentary services or participate in activations.
