Homepage - The Bears Of South Florida

DOUBLE
Your IMPACT.

An anonymous donor is matching every gift dollar-for-dollar — up to a total of $50,000. Help us reach the goal.

"Join the Grizzly Giving Program — be a bear who makes it possible."

Match ends December 31, 2026

GGP Match is Back!

Double your impact with a limited-time match of your donation to our Grizzly Giving Program supporting local LGBTQ+ organizations.

More information

Become a Member

Join The Bears family—it’s free to become a member and be part of our amazing community!

Become a Volunteer

Join 200+ volunteers who make The Bears of South Florida possible.

3700+

Members

228

Volunteers

Events a Year

$200,000

Awarded in Grants in 2025

Upcoming Events

There’s always something happening with The Bears! Browse our upcoming events and find your next opportunity to connect, celebrate, and give back to the community. We hope to see you soon!

Hear From Our Community

Our members are the heart of The Bears of South Florida. Here’s what they have to say about being part of our community.

The Pride Center is so grateful to be a beneficiary of The Bears of South Florida. During these unprecedented times when funding cuts for our life-saving programs and services is occurring, the financial support from BOSFL is even more impactful. The Pride Center and BOSFL have had a very long collaborative relationship. I have always been impressed by their hard work, commitment to community and their philanthropy. The work of BOSFL have helped so many organizations. It truly takes a village to keep our community safe and BOSFL sets the standard for other organizations to match.

Robert Boo, The Pride Center, CEO

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Bears of South Florida for your unwavering support through your service grants. The generous funding we receive from your organization has helped us to expand our team, allowing us to provide life-changing mental healthcare and essential social services to even more LGBTQ+ youth, adults, and seniors in our community. Thanks to your support, we can help more individuals lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Tony Lima – SunServe, CEO & Executive Director

The Bears of South Florida (BOSFL) for me is not only a fun and welcoming social group, but also is a way to contribute and strengthen our community in a meaningful way. The intrinsic rewards are endless, and I’ve made some close friends, been exposed to great people with similar interests, and I’ve had a blast at the events. I also get much satisfaction knowing that our fundraising efforts are benefitting a diverse group of organizations that serve our community. When I first joined out of curiosity, not knowing anyone, it wasn’t long before I felt like part of a chosen family. Whether people choose to attend an event, volunteer their time at events or simply write a check, BOSFL can be a major mood-booster. The recipe is simple: Great people, meaningful causes, FUN events and helping others. All of these things can be accomplished by just showing up!

Steven Levy, Grizzly Guardian

I moved to South Florida about 5yrs ago. I wasn’t really looking for more friends or personal growth when I started attending BOSFL events, but somehow they seemed to find me. I have always been somewhat shy and lacking confidence in social situations. But over time, attending BOSFL events, and volunteering at those events, this group of men helped me come out of my shell. The BOSFL are happy to see me and they know my name. There is a chemistry of acceptance and body positivity among the bear community in general and this one in particular. I have found confidence in this group of men and have made new friendships with many of them. The BOSFL are a special and rare group of men that I am proud to be a part of.

Rob Smith, volunteer and event coordinator

The Bears of South Florida has been a very welcoming group that has helped me overcome much of my natural shyness. Everyone has been easygoing, but hard-working. I have met many new friends and felt like part of the ‘family’ of like-minded men. There are members from all walks of life…older and younger, professionals as well as everyday folk. The pool parties are my favorite gatherings, but they also hold cultural events such as concerts, plays, wildlife tours, and bowling events. The best part of membership is that you feel welcome at whatever events you choose to attend, with no pressure to do anything that might not be your favorite kind of activity. I am very glad to have joined this group.

Allen Boucher, volunteer

Announcements

🐻 Bear Happy Hour Social 📅 Wednesday, October 21 • 6–8 PM 📍 Eagle Wilton Manors Grab a drink, grab a friend — GRAB A BEAR. Join your bear family for a fun mid‑week social filled with great company and community vibes. This month’s theme is “Casserole Chaos” — a pot‑luck lineup of casseroles crafted by our culinary bears. 🍽️ Food service begins at 6:30 PM. Proudly sponsored by The Pride Center at Equality Park and Massage and Facials by Ozzy. Merchandise Bears will be there! Grrrrr. Come out and raise a glass with your bear community. #BearHappyHour #BOSFL #BearCommunity #EagleWiltonManors #WiltonManorsEvents #LGBTQCommunity

BOSFL Holiday Sip, Nosh and Mingle Ring in the season with the Bears of South Florida at our annual Holiday Cocktail Party! Join us for an evening of festive and plentiful hors d’oeuvres and decadent desserts, holiday music, and great company. Strike a pose with our classic Santa, bid on curated items in our silent auction, and enjoy the holiday spirit with four fully stocked bars. Come as you are or dress to impress in your most festive attire. Either way, you belong here. 📅 Saturday, December 5th 🕠 5:30 to 8:30 PM 📍 Graybox Theatre 🎟️ Tickets: $35 Please note: bars are credit card only. Tickets are limited. Grab yours now and make it a holiday to remember! https://buytickets.at/thebearsofsouthflorida/2478182 All sales are final. No refunds.

A special thanks to Island City Stage for hosting the Bears at their hilarious production of "Who Killed Joan Crawford?" It was a sold-out house! Only the audience knows who really killed her! It was a fun evening of carnage, camp, and laughs! 🎭 And a big thank-you to Marty for offering the Bears discounted tickets. #BOSFL #BearsOfSouthFlorida #BearCommunity #WiltonManors #IslandCityStage #WhoKilledJoanCrawford

🎶 More South Florida Pride Bands – Waves & Wanderers tickets just released! Our tickets for the November 7th performance sold out lightning fast — but we secured 10 additional tickets just for BOSFL. Normally $59 with Ticketmaster fees, but with our BOSFL discount, you can grab yours for only $45 AND you help support the Bears of South Florida! 🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thebearsofsouthflorida/2417320 Don’t wait — these extra seats will disappear quickly. #SouthFloridaPrideBands #WavesAndWanderers #BOSFL #LiveMusic #SoFloEvents #FortLauderdale #WiltonManors #LimitedTickets

Give Back Monday took over the tap room at Funky Buddha on Monday, October 12, and raffle sales brought in $600. Al Fitterer, Randy Kehler, Jeremy Gershwin, Derek Maingot, Johnny Segarra, and Doug Spellberg volunteered to make it happen, and we're grateful to each of them. The beer selection was wonderful and the food was delicious, which made it an easy Monday night to give back. Find the next one at bosfl.org/calendar/ and get on the text and email list at bosfl.org/join/. #BOSFL #BearsOfSouthFlorida #BearCommunity #WiltonManors #GiveBackMonday #FunkyBuddha

The pool overflowed at Solstice at Wilton, and on a hot afternoon nobody was complaining about it. Jets Pizza fed the crowd, Mark and Commissioner Don donated brownies, and CAN Community Health provided HIV testing. Thank you to all three, and to the volunteers who worked in the heat so everyone else could enjoy the water. Next event: bosfl.org/calendar/ Newsletter: bosfl.org/join/ More Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bosfl/ #BOSFL #BearsOfSouthFlorida #BearCommunity #WiltonManors #PoolParty #SolsticeAtWilton

DOUBLE
Your IMPACT.

GGP Match is Back!

Become a Member

Become a Volunteer

Upcoming Events

Hear From Our Community

Announcements

Upcoming Events

Wicked Manors

The South Florida Pride Band Concert

CPR/BLS Training, In Memory of Jan Carpenter

Our Sponsors

DOUBLE Your IMPACT.

GGP Match is Back!

Become a Member

Become a Volunteer

Upcoming Events

Hear From Our Community

Announcements

Wicked Manors

The South Florida Pride Band Concert

CPR/BLS Training, In Memory of Jan Carpenter﻿

DOUBLE
Your IMPACT.

CPR/BLS Training, In Memory of Jan Carpenter